Behind the scenes of the European Gymnastics Championships: 2 years of preparation, 2,000 participants and 20,000 overnight stays for Zagreb

The European Championship in Artistic Gymnastics Zagreb 2026  did not just happen inside the hall. For the Croatian Gymnastics Federation, it was a large-scale project. Simultaneously, it was necessary to meet strict sports standards, organize the stay of numerous foreign delegations, produce a television-attractive program and create an experience for thousands of spectators.

At the head of the Organizing Committee was Marijo Možnik, president of the Croatian Gymnastics Federation. The former Croatian national team member, world silver medalist on the horizontal bar and long-standing president of the HGF placed the organization of major international competitions among the strategic goals of the Federation. The experience of 17 years of organizing the World Cup in Osijek now had to be taken to a new level – and in Zagreb, with a championship that brought together the best European male and female gymnasts. For PoslovniTurizam, Možnik speaks about how an organizational system is built for an event of this size, how dozens of partners and hundreds of people are coordinated, what a major sports event demands from hotels and the destination, and which lessons from Zagreb can be transferred to other international events.

How did the bidding process go and what was decisive for Croatia winning the hosting rights for this championship? How important was the previous experience with the World Cup in Osijek and other international competitions?

For me personally, this championship has a special meaning. Even as an athlete, I dreamed that one day I would compete at the European Championship in front of a home crowd. As a gymnast, I did not experience that, but when I became president of the Croatian Gymnastics Federation, bringing the European Championship to Croatia was set as one of my strategic goals. I wanted new generations of our gymnasts to get the opportunity that my generation did not have.

The idea of hosting existed much earlier, and two years of intense work passed from the start of concrete preparations for the bid until the realization of the championship. Decisive was the trust that we had built over the years in the international gymnastics community. Behind us are 17 years of organizing the World Cup in Osijek, through which we gained organizational experience, but also showed that we are a reliable host of major international competitions.

However, to win a host role like this, experience is not enough. Proper infrastructure, a high-quality organizational concept, strong institutional support and people who can realize the project are needed. Zagreb and Arena Zagreb enabled us to offer such a complete package, with strong support from the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the Ministry of Tourism and Sport and the City of Zagreb.

When I look today at what we have achieved and at our national team members who got the opportunity to compete at the European Championship in their own country, I can say that I fulfilled my sporting dream in a way in another role – through the largest organizational project in the 120-year history of the Federation.

Organizational system: 150 team members, 10 sectors and a clear division of responsibilities

What did that journey look like from the decision to host to the realization? How large was the team working on the project during preparations, how many people were involved during the actual realization, and how did you divide such a complex project into individual teams and segments – from the sports part and the Arena to accommodation, accreditation, transport, media, volunteers and protocol?

As the championship approached, the number of people involved in the project grew. Around 150 people were engaged in the organization itself, not counting external companies and their employees, along with around 170 volunteers from more than 20 countries. When we add to that all other accredited participants, including athletes, coaches, judges, officials, partners, suppliers and media, during the championship we had around 2,000 accredited persons.

We divided the project into about ten sectors – from the sports and technical parts, the Arena, accommodation and transport to accreditations, media and marketing, volunteers, protocol, security, accompanying content and other operational tasks. Each sector had its own manager and clearly defined responsibilities. The entire project was led by the executive management of the Organizing Committee: myself as executive director, Vladimir Mađarević as operational director, Mario Vukoja as sports director and Nikola Dudek as financial director. Our task was to connect all sectors and coordinate decisions that very often affected several areas at the same time.

With a project of this size, the most important thing is to set up a system in which everyone knows what they are responsible for, but at the same time understands that no sector functions entirely on its own. It was precisely the clear division of responsibilities, high-quality sector managers and daily coordination that enabled such a large number of people to ultimately function as one team.

How many partners, suppliers and external collaborators were involved in organizing the championship? What were the biggest challenges in coordinating all those stakeholders, and how important is it for such a project to have local companies and partners with experience in major events?

A large number of partners, suppliers and external collaborators were involved in the organization – from technical and television production, sports equipment and IT systems to accommodation, transport, catering, security, marketing and other services. When we add institutional, commercial and media partners to that, it is a very broad circle of stakeholders that needed to be coordinated.

An additional challenge was the timing of the championship in mid-August, when many companies work at reduced capacity or take collective annual leave. That is why we had to define and contract key needs early enough, because what you might be able to solve in a day or two during the rest of the year can become a serious operational problem in August.

When selecting partners, experience, reliability, speed of reaction and flexibility were therefore particularly important to us. No matter how well you plan, with an event of this size something unexpected always arises, and then it is important to have a partner who can quickly assess the situation and offer a high-quality solution.

This is where the value of local companies with experience in major events was particularly demonstrated. They know the local infrastructure and market, have a network of collaborators and can react quickly when circumstances change. For an event like this, a good plan is the foundation, but a reliable system of partners you can rely on during execution is equally important.

Arena Zagreb under siege: ten days of transformation and 30 semi-trailers of equipment

During the championship, Arena Zagreb looked significantly different than during usual sports events, and the solution by which competition, training and warm-up were organized in the same hall behind a sound barrier was particularly interesting. How did you come up with such a concept and how technically demanding was it to execute?

Artistic gymnastics was held at Arena Zagreb for the first time, so we did not have an existing model that we could simply copy. We analyzed the space in detail and had one important goal from the beginning – for athletes to have everything they need under the same roof. Therefore, in the Arena we organized a training hall, a warm-up area and a competition area. The biggest technical challenge was to allow training and warm-ups to take place simultaneously with the competition without disturbing one another. That is why we separated the spaces with an appropriate sound partition.

At the same time, we had to take into account completely different needs – from the movement of athletes and the functioning of the sports segment to the spectator sightlines from all stands, television production, lighting, sound and large screens. That was precisely the biggest challenge: to connect the sports, technical, production and logistical parts in one space so that they function as a whole. In the end, we practically built the complete infrastructure of the European Championship under one roof, which simplified movement for the athletes, made logistics easier for us and provided the audience with a high-quality competition experience.

How much equipment was needed and how long did the transformation of the Arena take?

The scale of the Arena's transformation was truly substantial. The setup took almost ten days, around 30 semi-trailers of equipment were brought in, including approximately four complete sets of gymnastics equipment, and after the championship we needed another three days for disassembly and clearing the Arena. A large part of the transformation also related to production. We set up five large screens, and we also used the existing central cube screen of the Arena, which displays images on three sides. Thus, we displayed content to the audience on a total of eight large screen surfaces, which we used for results, replays, information and crowd animation.

The transformation did not relate only to the interior of the hall. In front of the Arena, we set up a parkour course as an additional attraction for visitors, alongside the rest of the infrastructure required for the event to function. Our goal was for the Arena not to look just like a hall with gymnastics apparatus set up, but for visitors to feel as soon as they arrived that they had come to a major international sports event.

Everything you mention indicates that thought was given to the overall visitor experience, not just the sports competition. How did you define what you wanted a spectator to experience during several hours spent in the Arena?

From the beginning, we did not want to organize just a sports competition, but a complete experience for visitors. In doing so, it was not enough just to create content, but also to think very precisely about where to place it and how to direct the audience so that they actually see and use it. A good example is the Kids Corner on the upper ring. Although several staircases lead to that ring, we opened only the staircase leading directly to the Kids Corner for passage to the upper ring, so every visitor going to the upper ring passed through it first. We further directed the audience from the lower ring with clear signage. In this way, we ensured maximum visibility and usage of that content.

We planned the parkour course in front of the Arena similarly. We placed it on the north-east side so that in the afternoon, when the finals took place, it would be in the shade. The ticket office for physical ticket sales was in the same area, toward which we directed the audience with signage, so the course naturally gained extra visibility. We also took care of the positions of food and beverage bars as well as souvenir and official product stalls so that they were along the natural movement flows of the crowd.

An important part of the experience was also the production. We used large screens for results, replays, information and crowd animation, while Elevien designed the Score Predictor, through which spectators could predict gymnasts' scores via an app and win prizes. We further enriched the program with rhythmic and veteran gymnastics as well as opening ceremonies.
The goal was for the spectator not just to come to watch the competition, but to spend a few hours at an event they will remember.

During the qualifications, it turned out that audience interest was higher than expected, so you started opening sectors of the Arena's upper ring as well. How did you manage capacity changes and operational decisions "on the fly"?

From the beginning, we carefully planned the audience arrangement and ticket sales model. A major advantage of Arena Zagreb is the ability to close off the upper ring with a curtain, so we could gradually adapt the capacity to actual audience interest.

For the qualifications, we initially released tickets for only the lower ring. As interest grew, we gradually opened additional sectors of the upper ring, from the center toward the side sections, depending on ticket sales dynamics. At the same time, we adjusted delegation seating to ensure quality spots for them while filling the lower ring as well as possible. This was important for the atmosphere in the Arena, but also for the television broadcast, as that specific part of the stands is most visible on camera.

Such a model allowed us to manage capacity flexibly according to actual demand, rather than opening the entire Arena in advance. Attendance ranged between 1,000 and 3,000 visitors per day depending on the day and program, and across nine competition days we had more than 15,000 visits. Given the timing in mid-August, when Zagreb is traditionally somewhat emptier, we can be very satisfied with that result.

Around 20,000 overnight stays and events outside the Arena - the impact of the championship on Zagreb

How did you organize accommodation and cooperation with official hotels, as well as side events for all international participants? How much did the championship live outside the Arena itself in that way?

Accommodation was one of the key logistical segments of the championship. We primarily opted for Maistra hotels, which met the necessary standards and capacities. Cooperation began long before the championship – from booking a sufficient number of rooms to the precise distribution of delegations. In the end, we filled all planned capacities, so we had to expand accommodation to additional hotels.

Judges and representatives of the European Gymnastics Federation were accommodated at the Sheraton, delegations at three other official hotels, and volunteers not from Zagreb at the Stjepan Radić Student Hall of Residence. The hotels were not just places to stay, however – the championship was accompanied by several business, protocol and social events, which further expanded its impact on the destination.

At the beginning of each part of the championship, we organized a Sunset Welcome Dinner for two representatives from each delegation and the leadership of European Gymnastics. From the hotel, we took them by cable car up to Sljeme, where we organized a dinner at the Sljeme Tower featuring music, the sunset and gastronomy by a top Croatian chef holding the title of World Master Chef. The reactions were excellent. Before the competition started, participants could mingle in a relaxed atmosphere, and it was important to us that their first impression of the destination was not just the hotel and the Arena, but a special experience of Zagreb.

Alongside the championship, other international events organized by European Gymnastics were also held. The Young Leaders Forum brought together around 20 young leaders from European countries preparing for future leadership and organizational roles in gymnastics in their respective countries. Through lectures, experience sharing and practical insights, they had the opportunity to learn about organizing a major international sports event. Toward the end of the championship, the European Gymnastics Member Federations Forum was held in central Zagreb, gathering presidents and secretaries general of national gymnastics federations from around 30 European countries to discuss the development and future of European gymnastics.

At the end of each part of the championship, we also organized a banquet dinner for participants at the Zonar Hotel, where they could relax, socialize and network in a more informal atmosphere after the competition.

How would you describe the total impact of the championship on the destination?

Delegations and organizational staff generated around 10,000 overnight stays over two weeks, and we estimate that spectators and other visitors generated approximately as many again. So we are talking about around 20,000 overnight stays linked to the championship, but also a series of additional events, transfers, catering services and activities across various locations in Zagreb.

We are particularly pleased to have received many compliments and nice comments about Zagreb after the championship. Many participants were visiting our city for the first time and told us how much they liked Zagreb and that they want to return. For us, that is perhaps the best confirmation that a major international event can be much more than just the program guests came for – it is an opportunity to discover a destination and want to come back to it.

Besides a high number of overnight stays, an event like this also brings very specific demands from sports delegations. Were there special requests regarding nutrition, meal times, training, transport, security or other services, and how much did the hotel offering have to adapt to the needs of the championship?

Top athletes and national teams have a very precise daily rhythm, and we had to adapt hotel and logistical services to that. It was particularly important to align nutrition and meal times with training and competitions, so lunch and dinner were available during extended hours.

Given that we had participants from more than 40 countries, dietary variety was also important, including special requests due to health, religious and other reasons. Part of the catering was organized inside the Arena as well. On certain days, due to schedules, judges could not return to the hotel for meals, while organizational staff and volunteers ate inside the Arena daily. Hundreds of meals had to be planned every day for different groups – from judges and staff to media, VIP guests and other participants.

Another major segment was transport – transfers between hotels and the Arena, airport transfers to and from the venue, and transport to side events. It was not enough to plan only departure times, but also the number of vehicles required, as several delegations traveled at the same time during certain slots, while significantly fewer people traveled at others. Everything needed to be coordinated with training and competition schedules and continuously adjusted to actual needs. In addition, certain delegations had specific security protocols that had to be fully respected.

The goal was for participants hardly to notice all that logistics – for them to have a proper meal when needed, for transport to be punctual and reliable, and for them to feel comfortable and safe. When all of that functions, athletes, coaches and judges can focus entirely on their responsibilities.

The greatest value is the experience that remains with the people and the destination

How logistically demanding was it to manage such a large and internationally diverse system? Was there anything that particularly surprised you or that you would do differently today?

The biggest challenge was timely coordination of a large number of people and processes, especially due to the timing in mid-August when some companies operate at reduced capacity. That is why a lot had to be anticipated and contracted well in advance.

I was positively surprised by how well the system functioned given its scale and international diversity. Great credit goes to the sector managers who took responsibility and reacted quickly whenever an unexpected situation arose. Our principle was simple: focus on the solution, not the problem. Of course, today we see details that we would handle even more efficiently next time, but the most valuable thing is the experience that remains with the people and the Federation. Now we know what it takes to manage an international event of this size from start to finish.

What is it that the spectator does not see, but the organizer knows was actually the hardest to pull off?

Above all, the spectator does not see that two years of intense work went into those two weeks of the championship. When you sit in the stands, everything looks simple – the athlete steps onto the apparatus, the score appears on the screen, the crowd cheers and the program moves on. However, behind that are two years of planning, thousands of decisions and a large number of people who worked to make everything look just like that in the end.

The audience does not see all the processes taking place in the background – transport, accommodation, nutrition, accreditations, training and warm-up schedules, sports and judging segments, scoring systems, IT, television and technical production, lighting and sound, media, protocol, volunteers, catering, cleaning, maintenance, equipment logistics, accompanying content, communication and crowd management. Then there is the entire security system during preparation and competition days – security services and access control, firefighters, emergency medical services and other agencies that must be ready to react at any moment. These are just some of the countless segments behind an event of this magnitude.

The most demanding task is making all those processes, people and services function simultaneously as one system. At an event of this size, unexpected situations will always arise that you sometimes have to resolve in a matter of minutes without the audience ever noticing. That is perhaps the best indicator of a successful organization:

The president of the European Gymnastics Federation said that you actually created a "problem" for future organizers because they will have to reach this level of organization. What did you personally learn from this championship, and what three things would you highlight as the most important experience that Croatia can transfer to future major sports, congress and other international events?

Such a statement is great recognition for us because it shows that the level of organization we achieved has been recognized internationally. If I had to highlight the three most important things from this project, they would be people, planning and the ambition to do more than what is expected of you.

First, people and a clear division of responsibilities. With a project of this size, one person cannot control every detail. You must have quality managers, give them responsibility and trust them, but at the same time ensure that all parts of the organization communicate with each other and work toward the same goal.

Second, detailed and timely planning combined with flexibility in execution. You can prepare every detail for two years, but something you could not predict will always happen. That is when experience, speed of decision-making and the ability of the entire system to adapt become decisive.

And third, one should not settle for merely fulfilling standards. We wanted to raise the bar – from production and visitor experience to conditions for athletes and other participants. We also introduced some novelties, such as a prize fund for gymnasts and coaches and the international scientific and professional conference "Smarter Gymnastics".

For me, this championship demonstrated that Croatia has the people, knowledge, infrastructure, hotels, suppliers and partners capable of realizing major international events. What is particularly important to me is that the experience gained on a project like this does not end on its final day. It remains with the people, companies and destination, enhancing their capability to attract and realize new major international events in the future.

If we really created a small "problem" for future organizers in doing so and raised the standard that will need to be reached, then that is one of the finest compliments we could have received.