by Maximiliano Crocamo
Interviewees: Andrea Marcon, President of CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee) Friuli Venezia Giulia; Marco Mazzieri, Presidente FIBS (National Baseball & Softball Federation)
Friuli Venezia Giulia will welcome some of Europe’s most promising young baseball players this week as it hosts the Under-18 Baseball European Championship from July 13 to 19, with games taking place at the Prosecco diamond in Villa Opicina and the Gaspardis Municipal Field in Ronchi dei Legionari.
The tournament will bring together 12 national teams, divided into two groups of six. Italy will compete in Group Aalongside Israel, Hungary, Great Britain, France and Austria. Group B includes Poland, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic and Belgium.
Speaking at the tournament presentation on Thursday, regional councillor for Heritage Sebastiano Callari, representing the regional government, said the championship reflects Friuli Venezia Giulia’s long-term commitment to investing in sport and strengthening its reputation as a venue for major international competitions. He also highlighted sport’s role in promoting youth development, resilience and international exchange.
The event follows last year’s successful Under-15 European Baseball and Softball Championship, also hosted in the Trieste area, further reinforcing the region’s growing profile within European baseball.
Andrea Marcon, president of the regional branch of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI FVG), described the championship as another example of the strong collaboration between the region and national sports federations. He noted that Friuli Venezia Giulia invests more in sport than any other Italian region and said the tournament is already generating international interest, with visitors from the United States and Japan arriving ahead of the opening games.
Marco Mazzieri, president of the Italian Baseball and Softball Federation (FIBS), thanked the volunteers supporting the event and said increasing international competition is essential for developing young athletes and raising the standard of European baseball.
Also attending the presentation were Marco Battistella, president of FIBS Friuli Venezia Giulia, along with Elisa Lodi, Trieste’s councillor for Sport, and Alessandro Bassi, councillor for Sport in Ronchi dei Legionari.
The full tournament schedule and team rosters are available on the WBSC Europe website.
