Sofia is bidding to become the first city in Bulgaria to host an Olympic skateboarding qualifier. The proposal, put forward by mayor Vasil Terziev, municipal council chair Tsvetomir Petrov and councillor Dimitar Petrov, won the backing of the finance committee on 3 November and will go before the full council on 5 November. If approved, the mayor will be authorised to negotiate and sign an agreement with World Skate.
“We can confirm that Sofia has expressed its intention to bid to host a multi-year programme of international skateboarding events, with the ambition of becoming a key stop on the road to LA28,” said Sabatino Aracu, president of World Skate. He welcomed the city’s work, said the federation had followed the mayor’s plans closely in recent months and highlighted their potential for Sofia, Bulgaria and the wider Balkans. “The dialogue is ongoing, in accordance with our procedures. We look at this bid with great interest.”
Two qualifiers and a World Cup event
The proposal envisages a first qualifier in autumn 2027 and a second in spring 2028, a few months before the Los Angeles Games. A World Cup event would follow in 2029. The three competitions would be the main events in a programme of nine international fixtures, three each year. Sofia wants to establish itself on the international circuit alongside cities such as Tokyo and Shanghai and bid for the ‘World Skateboarding Capital’ title awarded by World Skate, which is recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The city proposes spending up to €9.6 million on the hosting rights for the three main competitions. Under the proposal, Sofia would retain the commercial rights and could recoup part of the investment through sponsorship and advertising. “The investment is for Sofia, but all of Bulgaria will be on the stage,” said Dimitar Petrov. He argued that three years of competition would give the city time to develop the project and show international audiences the capital, the Bulgarian flag and young fans in the stands.
Tourism and a permanent skatepark
The project aims to attract visitors from the United States, Japan, China and Australia. According to the city, participants in similar competitions typically spend around ten days in the host city, which could benefit hotels, restaurants, transport companies and local suppliers. World Skate figures put the potential media reach at up to 500 million households.
The proposal includes a permanent skatepark in West Park, which the city intends to have certified to Olympic standards. It would provide a training base for local clubs and national teams and could host future competitions. Bulgarian skateboarders would have the chance to compete against leading international athletes in front of a home crowd. The city also wants to use the programme to train coaches, judges and event organisers and build experience for future bids to host European and world championships.
Bringing skateboarding to schoolchildren
The initiative would give 100 skateboards a year to schoolchildren, 300 in total, with priority for those who have fewer opportunities to take part in sport. It would also offer open sessions with leading skateboarders, including Olympians. Aracu welcomed that aspect of the project: “It is always wonderful to see a city investing in sport, tourism and young people, focusing on sports that are accessible and urban, with an eye on sustainability and the future.”
If the council approves the proposal, the mayor can formally submit the bid to World Skate. The federation will decide whether to award the events under its own procedures, with the final dates and disciplines to be confirmed in the official calendars.
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