GANJA ENTERS THE ARENA

Azerbaijan is preparing to host another prestigious multi-sport competition. For the first time, this large-scale event will take place not in the capital, but across the country's regions. In total, the 3rd Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Games will be held in seven cities, including Ganja.

The CIS Games, first held in Kazan, take place every two years and are organised in the member countries of the Commonwealth. After Kazan and Minsk, Azerbaijan was selected to host this year's tournament. It should be noted that the 3rd CIS Games are planned to be held in an open format. Consequently, the organising committee has also invited teams from Türkiye and Kuwait, which are not members of the CIS, to participate.

1605 Athletes — From Chovgan to Taekwondo

A total of 1,605 athletes from 10 countries have confirmed their participation in the Games. The largest delegations will be from Azerbaijan (340), Russia (262), Uzbekistan (254), and Belarus (240).

The competitions will cover 23 sports, including archery, badminton, 3x3 basketball, boxing, canoeing, chovgan, fencing, football (U-16), and Greco-Roman wrestling, among others. The tournaments will be hosted in seven cities across 12 sports venues.

The 3rd CIS Games will be held from September 28 to October 8 in Ganja, Yevlakh, Mingachevir, Gabala, Shaki, Göygöl, and Khankendi. The opening ceremony will take place on September 28 and the closing ceremony on October 8, both at the Ganja City Stadium.

The competitions will be held at the following locations: Gabala – Central Stadium, Shooting Club, Olympic Sports Complex; Ganja – Sports Palace, basketball court, Olympic Sports Complex; Göygöl – Olympic Sports Complex; Khankendi – City Stadium; Mingachevir – "Kur" Olympic Training and Sports Centre; Shaki – City Stadium and Olympic Sports Complex; Yevlakh – Olympic Sports Complex.

Mascots: Bars and Leyla

The Organising Committee of the Games has approved the official mascots for the competition: Bars and Leyla. These energetic and friendly characters are based on the image of the Caucasian leopard and symbolise the natural wealth, strength, and hospitality of Azerbaijan. The Caucasian leopard holds special significance for the country, which is rich in natural resources. This rare species — one of the largest leopard subspecies in the world — has inhabited the picturesque territories of Azerbaijan since ancient times. Friendly and sociable, Bars will introduce the event's guests to Azerbaijani cities during the Games.

Heroes beyond the podium

Three thousand volunteers will take part in one of the country's largest sporting events of the year. The highest number of volunteers, 1,250 people, will be involved in Ganja.

More than 9,700 people applied to participate in the selection process on the volunteer registration platform. Of these, 7,200 candidates passed the interview stage, after which the selection process was successfully completed. Volunteer training is currently ongoing to ensure their full readiness for the competitions.

During the Games, they will be involved in key areas such as personnel management, venue operations, logistics, and event and ceremony organisation. They will greet athletes, guests, and media representatives, answer questions, and perform other essential duties.

Ganja's renovated stadium ready for the games

The opening and closing ceremonies will be held at the reconstructed stadium in Ganja. Built between 1959 and 1963 and commissioned in 1964, the stadium was in a dilapidated condition and only partially in use. In accordance with a decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev in 2023, work has been carried out for the complete reconstruction of the stadium, which has been rebuilt to international standards.

Under the new project, the stadium's area has been expanded to 10.4 hectares. Including access roads and parking, the total area of the sports complex exceeds 12 hectares. The stadium is built to UEFA's 4th category standards and has a capacity of 15,343 spectators. It is equipped in line with modern requirements: its lighting, sound, broadcasting, internet, ventilation, security systems, and other necessary infrastructure elements fully comply with international standards.

During a recent visit to the regions, Azerbaijan's Minister of Youth and Sports, Farid Gayibov, called on local residents to actively support the athletes. "There is very little time left before the Games begin. As you know, sport is a priority area of state policy in Azerbaijan. Our country has already hosted various multi-sport competitions. However, this is the first time such a large-scale event will be held in the regions. Ganja will host the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as competitions in several sports. Preparations for all competitions in the cities are continuing at the highest level. We invite our fellow citizens living in the regions to come and support the athletes during the Games," he said.