An ACES Europe delegation arrived in Nessebar today to look at the town's bid for the title "European Black Sea Capital of Sport 2027".

The delegation includes ACES Europe founder and president Gian Francesco Lupattelli, secretary general Hugo Alonso, vice-president Dr Andrea Junger, board member Anatoli Iliev, Damyan Dikov, executive director of the "Sofia – European Capital of Sport" foundation, and Turkish expert Adem Sever.

The visitors toured the sports facilities the municipality has built — pitches and halls where everyone from small children to professional athletes compete. These facilities are the backbone of the town's bid.

Nessebar mayor Nikolay Dimitrov welcomed the experts and told them sport in the town has never been just about competitions and medals. "Sport means upbringing, discipline and a chance for our children and young people to stay active, and so stay healthy and well connected within the community and beyond it," he said. He said the municipality has invested heavily over the years so more people can play sport. What the commission saw today, he said, was not a set of separate venues but the result of years of work.

"We can show the medals, cups and certificates our children have won from more than 30 clubs and schools, because we don't just build facilities — we directly fund youth sport," Dimitrov added, listing pitches, school and neighbourhood halls, stadiums, an indoor sports hall, a swimming pool and a sailing base spread across the municipality.

The meeting then moved to the Artium centre, where the commission was shown the municipality's capacity to host sporting events. Officials stressed that sport in Nessebar is open to all residents, whatever their age and wherever in the municipality they live. The experts were also briefed on Nessebar's plans for new sports facilities, part of a wider push for healthier lifestyles, bringing up young people well, including everyone and improving quality of life across the municipality.

Nikolay Dimitrov said the bid for the title is a natural next step after years of work. The municipality wants to be known not only as a tourist and cultural destination but also as a place where sport is part of daily life. "We have the infrastructure, we have active clubs, we have talented children and, most important, we have the will to keep building on this. That is exactly what we're showing ACES Europe today," the mayor said.

Nessebar's bid rests on its existing sports facilities, the work of local clubs, school sport and the calendar of sporting events held in the municipality each year.

ACES Europe president Gian Francesco Lupattelli said the commission's visit is an important step in judging the bids. "Nessebar's presentation gives the town a chance to show not just its sports facilities but the municipality's whole vision for the role sport plays in the life of the local community," he added.

With today's meeting, Nessebar showed the European organisation it wants sport to play an even bigger part in the town and municipality's future.