The football tournament at the 2026 Mediterranean Games will take place in multiple venues, including Taranto, Francavilla, Brindisi, and Lecce, Italy. The competition schedule for football spans several days, with matches held from August 21 to September 3, 2026, as part of the overall games schedule.
The football events are staggered across the competition days, leading up to the finals toward the end of the games. The 2026 Mediterranean Games themselves are set to be held from August 21 to September 3, 2026, in Taranto, Italy, making it a major multi-sport event with participation from 26 Mediterranean countries.
Football is one of the team sports included in this edition of the Games. The football matches will be played at established regional stadiums to accommodate the tournament.
The teams most likely to win medals in football at the 2026 Mediterranean Games in Taranto are traditionally strong football nations from the Mediterranean region.
Historically, Italy and France have been among the top-performing countries in football at the Mediterranean Games. These nations usually field competitive squads due to their robust football infrastructure and effective youth development programs.
Since the 2026 tournament will feature a men’s U21 football competition, countries with robust youth football systems like Italy, France, Spain, and possibly Turkey or Greece are strong contenders.
North African countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Tunisia also have competitive teams and could challenge for medals, leveraging their growing football talent in the region.
Participating Nations
Table of Contents
| S No | Teams |
|---|---|
| 1 | Albania |
| 2 | Algeria |
| 3 | Andorra |
| 4 | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| 5 | Croatia |
| 6 | Cyprus |
| 7 | Egypt |
| 8 | France |
| 9 | Greece |
| 10 | Italy (host country) |
| 11 | Kosovo |
| 12 | Lebanon |
| 13 | Libya |
| 14 | Malta |
| 15 | Monaco |
| 16 | Montenegro |
| 17 | Morocco |
| 18 | North Macedonia |
| 19 | Portugal |
| 20 | San Marino |
| 21 | Serbia |
| 22 | Slovenia |
| 23 | Spain |
| 24 | Syria |
| 25 | Tunisia |
| 26 | Turkey |
Venues
Here is a list of the main venues for the 2026 Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy—specifically those expected to host football and other sports competitions:
Main Football Venues
- Stadio Nuovo Erasmo Iacovone (Taranto): The flagship stadium, newly designed for Taranto 2026, with UEFA 4 standards and a capacity of 16,500 seats.
- Stadio Via del Mare (Lecce): Traditionally used for major football events.
- Brindisi and Francavilla Fontana stadiums: Scheduled to host several football matches.
Top Football Teams in the 2026 Mediterranean Games
In summary, medal favourites for the top Football teams in the 2026 Mediterranean Games are likely to include:
- Italy (host nation and historically top performer)
- France
- Spain
- Turkey
- Greece
- Morocco
- Algeria
- Egypt
- Tunisia
