An opening ceremony of the 2026 U17 World Wrestling Championships was held at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan, on July 27.
The event was attended by Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation President Mikayil Jabbarov, Youth and Sports Minister Farid Gayibov, National Olympic Committee Vice President Chingiz Huseynzade and United World Wrestling President Nenad Lalovic.
Addressing the event, Mikayil Jabbarov said Azerbaijan had become one of the countries hosting the world's most prestigious international competitions as a result of the successful sports policy pursued under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. He noted that modern sports infrastructure had been created in the country with state support, opening broad opportunities for the development of various sports, including wrestling.
In his remarks, Farid Gayibov described the tournament as a sports celebration and said Baku had successfully hosted international competitions, becoming one of the world's leading sports centers.
Chingiz Huseynzade described the U17 World Championships in Baku as an important sporting event. He said such major competitions are important for young wrestlers to gain international experience and for the development of future champions.
Nenad Lalovic wished the young wrestlers success and said he believed they would represent their countries with dignity at future Summer Olympic Games. He thanked Azerbaijan for organizing the U17 World Championships at a high level.
675 young wrestlers will compete at the U17 World Championships at the National Gymnastics Arena.
