Taranto 2026: Opening Ceremony of the 20th Mediterranean Games

The Opening Ceremony of the 20th Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026 took place yesterday, Friday, 21 August 2026, at the Erasmo Iacovone Stadium in Taranto, officially marking the start of this edition of the Games, which will run in Italy until 3 September.

The Moroccan delegation joined the traditional Parade of Nations, led by its two flag bearers, Widad BERTAL in boxing and Haitam ZARHOUTI in taekwondo. The two athletes proudly led the national delegation during one of the highlights of the ceremony, bringing together countries from across the Mediterranean around the shared values of sport and Olympism.

Morocco is competing at the 20th edition of the Mediterranean Games with a delegation of 120 athletes across 18 sports, representing the Kingdom throughout the competition.

Held under the theme “The Myth Becomes the Future”, the Opening Ceremony celebrated the history, culture and identity of Taranto through a contemporary production. Nearly 150 artists and performers took part in a programme combining live music, artistic performances and the traditional ceremonial elements of the Games, including the Parade of Nations.

The ceremony was attended by leading representatives of the sports movement and Italian authorities. The President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, officially declared the 20th Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026 open.

With the Games now officially underway, attention turns to the competitions and to the performances of our athletes, who will compete across the various sports on the programme over nearly two weeks.