1st European Deaf Youth Games

General Information

The German Deaf Sports Federation is very pleased having been awarded with the host of the 1st European Deaf Youth Games – (EDYG2026) – taking place from 17.08. - 23.08.2026 in Hanover.

We welcome all young athletes from all over Europe to a multi-cultural sports event in the Hanover.

The City of Hanover is the capitol of the German federal state Lower Saxony. It is a metropolis in northern Germany famous for its numerous trade fairs with the “Hannover Messe” as the world’s leading trade fair for industry.

Age participation

Year of birth 2008 to 2012

Age Limits in Individual Sports (Swimming and Athletics) In exceptional cases, different age limits apply to specific sports. This concerns the individual disciplines Athletics and Swimming, which are non-contact sports:

• Athletics: Athletes born between 2008 and 2013 are eligible to participate.

• Swimming: Athletes born between 2008 and 2014 are eligible to participate.

These extended age ranges apply exclusively to these two individual sports due to the absence of physical contact and the lower risk of injury.

Competitions can be held if

Team sports: at least 4 teams

Individual sports: at least 4 athletes from at least 2 countries

Organizing Committee

OC Chief: Thomas Ritter

2nd OC Chief: Daniel Haffke

OC Overall Coordinator: Henrik Jöst

OC Coordinator: Naima Lima

OC Sports Facilities: Benjamin Linz

OC Hotel: Markus Antony

OC Finances: Silke Bartholomäus

OC Competition Office: Timo Kruckemeyer

OC Hotel / Transport / Accreditation: Markus Antony

OC Volunteers: Claudia Raschke-Gasimov, Leyla Bobrov

OC Public Relations: Nadja Barthels

OC Events / VIP: Dagmar Mavaddat, Ludmila Schmidt

OC Sponsors / Foundations: Andreas Oppe