ISF Official Statement: Affirming ISF’s Commitment to Coordinated Continental School Sport

Jul. 1 , Lausanne, Switzerland – The International School Sport Federation (ISF) has been made aware of the announcement of an event titled the “European School Games,” reportedly scheduled to take place in March 2026 in Poreč, Croatia.

ISF wishes to firmly clarify that this initiative is Not affiliated with ISF and is Not organised under the auspices of the European School Sport Federation (ESSF) — the only continental body officially recognised by ISF to coordinate and develop school sport across Europe.

Any initiative that claims continental status in school sport, yet operates outside the established international framework, poses a serious risk of confusion and reputational harm to the structures built through years of collaborative work between ISF, ESSF, and our national member organisations.

ISF strongly reaffirms its full recognition and support of ESSF as the legitimate European school sport entity. Since its founding in 2021, ESSF has worked in close cooperation with ministries of education, national school sport bodies, and institutional partners to advance the values of educational sport across the continent.

We invite all ISF members, institutional stakeholders, and school communities to refer to the official statement issued by ESSF, available below, for further details.

ISF remains fully committed to supporting its continental bodies, upholding sound governance, and protecting the integrity of the global school sport movement.