Thursday 24 / September / 2026
Muscat: The Embassy of Italy in Muscat celebrated on 23rd September 2026 the Italian Sport Day Around the World 2026 at the Spike Volleyball Club, bringing together members of the Italian community, an enthusiastic Omani audience and sports enthusiasts from different backgrounds and nationalities.
Promoted annually by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian diplomatic and consular network, the Italian Sport Day celebrates sport as a means of encounter, intercultural dialogue and social inclusion, as well as a vehicle for promoting values such as integrity, solidarity and sharing.
The third edition is dedicated to boating, sailing and the sea, in connection with the America’s Cup Naples 2027, which will be hosted in Italy for the first time. The initiative also highlights the broader economic dimension of sport and its contribution to the international promotion of Italian excellence.
In his opening remarks, H.E. the Ambassador of Italy to Oman, H.E. Pierluigi D’Elia, recalled that sport is not only an important component of Italian culture, but also a significant economic asset. The Italian sports sector generates approximately €32 billion, equivalent to 1.5% of national GDP, and involves around 420,000 people, including direct employment and related activities. Relevant Italian sport brands are present in the most important sport facilities in Muscat.
In Oman, the event also highlighted the growing enthusiasm for Italian sport and the strengthening of sporting cooperation between the two countries. Italian football enjoys a strong following in the Sultanate, with an increasing number of Italian football clubs developing academy activities in Oman. Sporting cooperation extends to other disciplines as well, including Sailing and the Italian Shooting Federation (FITAV) that regularly cooperates with the Oman Shooting Association, including through the annual Friendship Competition in Muscat.
The celebration at Spike Volleyball Club provided an opportunity to bring together the Italian and Omani communities around the shared values of sport, while highlighting the role of sports diplomacy in strengthening relations between Italy and Oman and fostering new opportunities for cooperation.
