SPECTACLE IN SARAJEVO: EMF EURO 2024 TO BE HELD IN THE CAPITAL OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

A press conference was held today at the Sarajevo City Hall, officially presenting the project of organizing the European Minifootball Championship (EMF Euro 2024 Sarajevo).

The championship is scheduled to take place from June 1 to June 9 this year at the Center Skenderija in the "Mirza Delibašić" Hall.

In the competition against countries such as Azerbaijan, Romania, England, Turkey and Austria at the General Assembly of the European Minifootball Association (EMF), held on November 18, 2023, in Sofia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina won the hosting for the European Minifootball Championship "EMF Euro 2024 Sarajevo."

A total of 24 European minifootball national teams with over 550 participants will take part in the competition, with the title defended by the team from Azerbaijan.

Elvin Blažević, President of the "Minifootball" Association and the Minifootball Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, expressed gratitude to the Deputy Mayor of Sarajevo, Samir Avdić, for the support and reception at the City Hall.

"We have secured the organization of the European Minifootball Championship. This is a significant event in June, and we have secured the organization in competition with England, Azerbaijan, and Austria. We are proud of this, and it is up to us to organize it at the highest level," said Blažević.

He added that the Bosnia and Herzegovina team is seriously preparing for the competition and will compete in Podgorica in April of this year as part of the preparations, facing the European champion Azerbaijan and the world champion Romania.

Deputy Mayor Samir Avdić emphasized the importance of Sarajevo hosting such major events and expressed hope that the organizers would succeed in making the European Minifootball Championship the best so far.

Borislav Aleksandrov, President of the European Minifootball Federation (EMF), highlighted that Sarajevo deserves such a sports event and that EMF sees it not only as a city but also as a symbol of unity and hospitality.

"Minifootball is not just a game; it is a social phenomenon. We recognize that the goals and values of EMF will be fulfilled in Sarajevo, including the promotion of sports and inclusion. We assure you that EMF will do everything to help you organize a spectacular event," Aleksandrov stated.

Peter Kralik, Deputy President of EMF, mentioned that minifootball is gaining a growing audience, with last year's European Championship in Slovakia watched by 20 million people on television and another 45 million online.

"We expect it to be even better in Sarajevo than in Košice (Slovakia). It is important that the organization has the support of the City of Sarajevo and the Ministry of Sport and Culture of the Sarajevo Canton. I personally know how challenging it is to organize such a sports event," Kralik said.

Mehmed Baždarević, Ambassador of "EMF EURO 2024 Sarajevo" and celebrated former football player and coach, expressed his honor in supporting such a sports event, especially as it coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Olympic Games in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"I greet and thank these wonderful people for what will happen in Sarajevo. At this moment, we are not even aware of how important it is," Baždarević said, urging all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina to support this project and attend the matches.

At the end of the press conference, the coach of the minifootball national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Samir Mekić, and the representative Harun Handanović addressed the attendees. Coach Mekić promised good preparations for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team, guaranteed by the preparatory matches scheduled with the best minifootball national teams of Europe and the world.