Monaco has been named the World Capital of Sport for 2025 by ACES, a non-profit organisation and official partner of UNESCO.
The annual award, now in its 25th year, is given to a capital of a country, or city with more than 500,000 inhabitants and usually generates several advantages from increased income to media impact, with hundreds of related events expected to take place during the year.
According to ACES, which is based in Brussels, the winner can expect at least 1.5 billion impacts through TV, radio, internet and print media. In Torino, which was European Capital of Sport 2015, the Italian city benefited with more than 1,000 events taking place that year; while Andalusia, which was European Region of Sport in 2021, earned a return on investment of 156-million euros.
Residents of Monaco (who aren’t already sports icons) may also find themselves inspired to become a little fitter. In Antwerp, Capital of Sport in 2013, the number of active people increased by 10%.
The Awards Gala was held on 12 December and also included awards for town, region, island and community including Tallinn (Europe) and Chihuahua (North America).
The event was attended by representatives from around the world, to honour cities that have excelled in promoting sports and physical activity.
“Each of the awarded cities showcased their commitment to fostering healthier and more active communities, embodying the spirit of ACES: Sport for All,” ACES said on its site.
