Monaco: land of sport

With the Monaco Grand Prix, the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, the Herculis Meeting and many other major events, the Principality has established itself over the decades as a hub of sports. It has been designated the World Capital of Sport for 2025.

Following Sofia in 2024, the Principality of Monaco has been named the World Capital of Sport for 2025. This designation recognizes public policies that support the development and promotion of sports. It is awarded by the Association of European Capitals and Cities of Sport (ACES), an organization recognized by the European Commission and an official partner of UNESCO.

Monaco has become the capital of motor sports: the Rallye Monte-Carlo has been held since 1911 and the Grand Prix since 1929. The Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix is considered to be one of the three most prestigious races in the world, alongside the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500. This legendary race, which has the distinction of being contested on a street circuit, now stands alongside the Historic Grand Prix and E-Prix events.

Every year, Monaco also plays host to the stars of athletics at the Herculis Meeting, and top horse riders and swimmers from all over the world take part in the Monte-Carlo Show-Jumping Competition and the International Swimming Meeting.

Sport’s foothold in Monaco is in no small part due to the royal family’s passion for athletic activity. A member of the International Olympic Committee and President of the Monegasque Olympic Committee, Prince Albert II also competed in five Olympic Games, from 1988 to 2002, with the Monegasque bobsleigh team. His maternal grandfather, the father of Princess Grace Jack Kelly, was Olympic rowing champion in 1920 and 1924.

Princess Charlene of Monaco, who represented South Africa in the backstroke event at the Atlanta Olympic Games, is committed to humanitarian causes focused on educating children through sport. She presented an official car representing her Foundation to take part in the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans in June 2020.

In Monaco, sports are encouraged in schools, promoting education through physical activity. The state also fosters well-being through sports by providing public facilities accessible to everyone, and it promotes a competitive spirit by supporting elite athletes and hosting international sporting events.