The International Congress on Youth Elite Sports NRW 2026 will take place on April 20–21, 2026, at the German Sport University Cologne and is held under the guiding theme “Quality Development in Youth Elite Sports – Science, Qualification and Effectiveness in Practice.” The aim of the event is to intensify the dialogue between science and practice, strengthen cooperation with clubs, associations, and sports schools, and develop sustainable strategies for talent development, individualization, and quality enhancement. The congress is organized by the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia in cooperation with the German Research Center for Elite Sport “momentum” at the German Sport University Cologne and the State Sports Association of North Rhine-Westphalia.
The program includes lectures, discussion formats, and workshops addressing key future issues in youth elite sports. Topics include the significance of hosting the Olympic Games in one’s own country, an interdisciplinary perspective on injuries in team sports, long-term performance development and training management from a scientific standpoint, talent identification in para sports, and the relationship between the microbiome and athletic performance. In addition, “Meet the Expert” formats provide space for in-depth discussions on leadership in youth sports, injury prevention and return to sport, psychological aspects of injuries, as well as data-based performance diagnostics and their transfer into training practice.
Furthermore, practice-oriented workshops focus on topics such as talent identification and development in schools, dual career pathways, resuscitation training to enhance safety in daily training, app-supported diagnostics and training management, as well as infectious diseases in sports and corresponding prevention strategies. The congress is aimed at coaches and professionals working in youth elite sports and offers, among other benefits, 15 learning units for license renewal.
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