ISF Completes Calendar 2026 with the Attribution of ISF Gymnasiade
Jun. 5, Lausanne, Switzerland – The final piece of ISF Calendar 2026 falls into place. Following close cooperation between ISF and the Brazilian School Sport Confederation (CBDE), the ISF Gymnasiade 2026 has been officially attributed to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This flagship multi-sport event of ISF will take place from 3 to 8 December 2026, bringing together school athletes from around the world for days of competition, education, and cultural exchange.
Aligned with the ongoing evolution of the ISF event system and the specific characteristics of the host city, the 2026 edition will present a focused and innovative programme featuring Athletics, Beach Volleyball, Chess, Karate, Judo, Taekwondo, Wrestling, and Para Athletics. The event will also mark the debut of Virtual Cycling and Virtual Rowing within the ISF Gymnasiade programme, reflecting the Federation’s commitment to embracing new formats and expanding participation opportunities for young athletes.
Detailed participation and registration information is available in ISF Gymnasiade 2026 - Bulletin 1.
Beyond competition, the ISF Gymnasiade 2026 will continue to offer the educational and cultural dimensions that have become a hallmark of ISF events. Through ISF Academy activities, cultural programmes, and international exchange initiatives, participants will have opportunities to learn about the host city and country while engaging with fellow student-athletes from diverse backgrounds. These experiences help foster mutual understanding, friendship, respect, inclusion, and intercultural dialogue among young people, reinforcing the educational mission that lies at the heart of school sport.
Rio de Janeiro is no stranger to the global school sport community. In 2023, the city successfully hosted the ISF U15 Gymnasiade, welcoming thousands of participants and creating memorable experiences for delegations from across the world. The event demonstrated both the city’s capacity to organise major international school sport competitions and the unique atmosphere that Brazil brings to educational sport events.
The attribution also builds upon the longstanding engagement of the Brazilian School Sport Confederation within the ISF family. As one of the Federation’s most active members, CBDE organises large-scale national school sport competitions throughout Brazil, regularly participates in ISF events, contributes to the governance of the Federation, and has successfully delivered several major ISF competitions, including ISF U15 Gymnasiade – Rio 2023 and ISF World School Futsal Championship – Brasília 2025.
This experience, combined with Brazil’s sporting culture and proven organisational capacity, provides a strong foundation for the upcoming ISF Gymnasiade.
As the final event to be confirmed within the ISF Calendar 2026, the ISF Gymnasiade in Rio de Janeiro will bring together many of the elements that define international school sport: competition, education, cultural exchange, innovation, and youth engagement.
Together, ISF and CBDE look forward to welcoming the world’s school athletes to Rio de Janeiro and creating another chapter of shared experiences, sporting achievements, and international friendship through school sport.
