Skopje, 21 April 2026 (MIA) - The 2026 ISF World School Handball Championship kicks off Tuesday in Skopje and will run until April 29, under the patronage of the Ministry of Sport.

As the Ministry of Sport informs, this international event gathers around 1,000 high school athletes, featuring 23 boys' teams and 16 girls' teams from 21 delegations to compete in a premier youth sporting competition. The organisation of this championship is a recognition of the Ministry’s efforts to make sport part of young people’s everyday lives through the school system.

North Macedonia this year officially joined the Plazma Youth Sports Games (YSG) initiative, opening a new chapter in youth sports development. The event, Europe’s largest youth sports initiative, has organized competitions for children aged 6 to 18 for 30 years, with more than 3.44 million participants to date.

“The Youth Sports Games will feature competitions in 10 disciplines (mini football, volleyball, beach volleyball, handball, 3x3 basketball, tennis, table tennis, chess, athletics) for both boys and girls. The competitions will be held in April, May, and June 2026 across 18 sports days in Ohrid, Strumica, Bitola, Tetovo, Kumanovo, Shtip, Kichevo, Kavadarci, Prilep, Kochani, and Skopje, including several Skopje municipalities (Centar, Aerodrom, Kisela Voda, Gazi Baba, Gjorche Petrov, Chair, and Saraj), involving schools and local communities throughout the country, with support from national sports federations.

The best athletes and teams from the national competitions in the country will travel to the international finals in Split, where they will spend several days competing and socializing with peers from other participating countries,” the Ministry of Sport said.

The Ministry of Sport informs that the Plazma Youth Sports Games (YSG) will also kick off on April 27 and will be held across 11 cities in the country.

These two events, which are particularly significant for the development of youth sport, are being organized by the Ministry of Sport in cooperation with the School Sport Federation of North Macedonia.

“The Ministry of Sport remains firmly committed to young people and their development, with a clear goal - to build a safe, supportive, and motivating environment where every child can thrive through sport. These two large-scale events are an opportunity for youth, while also promoting sport, our country, our sporting culture, and our youth potential,” the announcement said.

Photo: School Sport Federation of North Macedonia