The symbolic key of “Capital of Sport– 2026” was presented to the city of Gazakh by the city of Gabala.
On March 5, 2026, the opening ceremony of “Gazakh – Capital of Sport 2026,” organized under a project by the Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan, was held in the city of Gazakh. The participants of the event first visited the monuments of the National Leader and founder of the Azerbaijani state, Heydar Aliyev, and “Karabakh is Azerbaijan” laying flower bouquets in front of them. The National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan was performed at the event, and the memory of National Leader Heydar Aliyev and the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the restoration of the country’s territorial integrity was honored with a minute of silence. Speaking at the event, head of the Executive Power of the Gazakh Region Rajab Babashov emphasized that, within the framework of a project implemented by the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the city of Gazakh had been declared Azerbaijan’s “Capital of Sport” for 2026, and expressed his deep gratitude, both on his own behalf and on behalf of the region’s public, to everyone who contributed to this decision, especially the Minister of Youth and Sport. Minister of Youth and Sport Farid Gayibov noted that youth policy and support for young people and sport have always been among the priorities of the state in the Republic of Azerbaijan, and congratulated the residents of the region, especially the athletes, on Gazakh being selected as the Capital of Sport. Head of the head of the Executive Power of the Gabala Region Sabuhi Abdulayev, in his speech, spoke about the events held throughout the year and the achievements gained in Gabala, which had been selected as Azerbaijan’s “Capital of Sport” for 2025. Expressing his confidence that Gazakh would successfully fulfill this honorable mission, he congratulated all residents of Gazakh on behalf of the people of Gabala and presented the symbolic key of the “Capital of Sport” project to the relevant side. At the end, the musical performances presented as part of the concert program were met with great enthusiasm by the participants.
