Prague to Cover 40‑50 million CZK Youth Olympics Costs After State Funding Falls Short

Prague will host the Youth Olympics for children and teenagers from 21 to 25 June, featuring competitions in 23 disciplines across venues such as the Slavia stadium in Eden and the Exhibition Grounds in Holešovice. The city’s education councilor Antonín Klecanda (STAN) said the event’s total cost is estimated at 40‑50 million Czech crowns.

The municipal budget had counted on a state contribution of roughly 16‑20 million crowns, but the Ministry of Education did not provide the funding. As a result, Prague will have to cover the shortfall, amounting to tens of millions of crowns, which officials describe as a substantial impact on the city’s finances. The state had previously contributed around 20 million crowns to each regional host of the Youth Olympics since 2019, a practice Klecanda warned should continue to support future editions in other regions.