Gijón has been honoured with the sportcities active city award at the sportcities global awards 2026 ceremony held in Valladolid. The award was presented to Jorge Pañeda, the city's councillor for sports and education, who is also the president of the municipal sports board (PDM).
This accolade acknowledges the local government's commitment to promoting physical activity and healthy living habits. The jury particularly highlighted the efforts made through the PDM, which aims to make sports accessible to the entire population through a wide-ranging and diverse programme tailored to the needs of various age groups and communities.
The PDM's programme for the 2026/2027 season includes over 50 activities and 10,300 places available, covering everything from sports initiation and physical maintenance to activities specifically designed for older adults and swimming, among other offerings.
The sportcities global awards celebrate initiatives and policies that contribute to the development, innovation, and transformation of the sports ecosystem. In Gijón's case, the award underscores the role of municipal sports services as a means to foster a more active, healthy, and inclusive city.
The official award presentation took place during the sportcities expo & summit, as part of the sportfriendly cities forum, at pavilion 2 of the Feria de Valladolid.
