Matosinhos submits candidacy for 2025
"We started preparing for this application two years ago. We never hesitated. We added all the pieces, all the collectivities and entities, all the partners of this proximity network. We are sure that Matosinhos will be European City of Sport in 2025", said the Mayor of the Municipality of Matosinhos, Luísa Salgueiro, on the day of the candidature, Thursday April 6th, at the Leixões Cruise Terminal.
The attribution of the title - European City of Sport - is carried out by the Association of European Capitals and Cities of Sport. Matosinhos' candidature has the support of the Portuguese Association of European Cities of Sport (APCED). The announcement of the winner is scheduled for next October.
The presentation programme began at Edifício dos Paços do Concelho, with a gymnastics class involving the participation of local authority employees, followed by a visit to the Matosinhos Memory Museum.
Next, on the Matosinhos seafront, a series of outdoor sports activities took place, with the participation of hundreds of athletes from dozens of communities in various sports, such as basketball, skateboarding, fitness classes, beach tennis, dancing, cycling, among many others. In the sea, activities such as surfing, sailing and diving stood out.
Also outside the Cruise Terminal, the entourage watched a demonstration of horse riding, capoeira, motor sports, among others.
On top, the guests witnessed a moment of figure skating and dance. Inside, the session was conducted by the sports journalist João Ricardo Pateiro, who stressed that "sport is part of the DNA of Matosinhos".
In the audience were numerous personalities connected to sports such as former football players Vítor Baía, Eurico Gomes, Carlos Brito or António Frasco, referee Artur Soares Dias, among other football glories.
The president of APCED, Nuno Santos, recognized the "capacity of mobilization of the municipality in this project", a factor that he considered determinant to have "success in the candidacy". "Our pillar is Sport for All. The European City of Sport is a project of sport and health for people. Portugal has won the award for best European City of Sport five times", he stressed, wishing the application good luck.
Around 30% of the resident population of the municipality (more than 50,000 people) practices at least one regular sports activity, either formal and competitive or informal and non-competitive, and in various environments such as schools, municipal pools and gyms, sports clubs and institutions, gyms and private gyms, beaches, promenades, squares and gardens.
Matosinhos has 115 groups and more than 10 thousand federated athletes in 45 sports. In addition to supporting the practice of sports in all age groups, including adapted and inclusive sports, the municipality, in the last four years (including those of the pandemic), organised, supported and hosted more than 1,000 sports events, including more than 700 activities aimed at informal sports and for citizens, mostly free of charge.
The candidacy of Matosinhos intends, as such, to make the practice of sport even more universal. By 2025, about one thousand events are planned, with the estimated participation of about 200 thousand people, in various sports.
"What a proud morning it was. How exciting it was to walk along this waterfront. I am sure that in October we will have a great party", concluded the Mayor, after handing Nuno Santos a box with the candidature document and other items related to Matosinhos and its history. The candidacy has an official website www.matosinhosced2025.pt , which provides all relevant information on the municipality's sports area.
Besides Luísa Salgueiro, also present were the Regional Director of the North of the Portuguese Institute for Sports and Youth, Vítor Baltazar Dias, the President of the Municipal Assembly, Palmira Macedo, the Vice-president of the municipality, Carlos Mouta, the councillors Manuela Álvares, Fernando Rocha, António Correia Pinto, Vasco Pinho, Bruno Pereira, Pedro Rodrigues, Sérgio Meira and José Pedro Rodrigues, the directors of the companies Matosinhos Sport, Henrique Calisto, and MatosinhosHabit, Helena Vaz, the presidents of the four parish unions, Lurdes Queirós, Leonardo Fernandes, Pedro Gonçalves and Paulo Ramos Carvalho, among others.