The Urban Sports Festival 2026 returned to Pretty Bay, Birżebbuġa, from 11 to 13 September.

For three days, the area came alive with urban sports, music, culture and community. The Malta Street Sport Alliance (MSSA) organised the festival with the support of several partners and organisations.

This year featured BMX Freestyle, Skateboarding, Scooter, Breaking, Dance, 3×3 Basketball, Parkour, Panna Football and Inline Skating.

Moreover, the festival welcomed both beginners and experienced athletes. International riders also joined Malta’s local urban sports community throughout the weekend.

In total, 235 participants registered for the festival. This figure includes individual players registered as part of the 3×3 Basketball teams.

However, numbers only tell part of the story. The main aim remained the same: to create opportunities for young people and strengthen Malta’s urban sports community.

Day 1 – The Festival Gets Underway

Friday officially opened the festival with BMX, Skateboarding, Scooter, Breaking and Hip Hop.

We were also honoured to welcome Hon. Omar Farrugia, Minister for Youth, Wellbeing and the Implementation of the Electoral Programme.

The Minister and his team provided important support towards this year’s event. As a result, we were able to raise the festival to another level.

Most importantly, that support helped us provide a stronger experience for our athletes, young people and community.

Day 1 Results

Game of Bike – Beginners
🥇 Skyler Slow

Game of Bike – Advanced
🥇 Svejt

Game of Skate – Beginners
🥇 Kiren Borg

Game of Skate – Advanced
🥇 Webstaw

Game of Scoot
🥇 Nicholas

Breaking Kids
🥇 Jan – Bboy Phoenix
🥈 Kane Lee

Hip Hop Kids
🥇 Faith
🥈 Amelia

Cypher Awards
👑 Cypher King – Liam
👑 Cypher Queen – Jodie

MD-9

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It was a strong opening night. More importantly, it set the tone for an action-packed weekend ahead.

Day 2 – BMX, Skateboarding, Scooter, Basketball and Dance

Saturday was the busiest day of the Urban Sports Festival.

The skatepark hosted Scooter, Skateboarding and BMX competitions. Meanwhile, 3×3 Basketball and Dance brought even more action to the surrounding areas.

Special awards were also presented during the evening. These recognised progression, promising athletes and standout performances.

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Day 3 – Parkour, Panna and an Unexpected Change of Plans

Sunday brought Parkour, Panna and the planned Inline Skating competitions to Pretty Bay.

Unfortunately, the weather had other plans.

Rain arrived just as the Inline Skating competitions started. Therefore, we had to stop those competitions for safety.

Nevertheless, the team managed to complete both Panna and Parkour.

A special thank you goes to Malta Clasicos and Rush Parkour Malta. Their support helped us complete these competitions despite the changing weather.

Panna 1v1
🥇 Nigel De Jo

Parkour Speed – Beginners
🥇 Veljko Stojanovic
🥈 JJ Mula

Parkour Speed – Advanced
🥇 Nathaniel Camilleri
🥈 Stefan Alin
🥉 Alejandro Schiberras & Luke Borg – Tie

Parkour Freestyle – Beginners
🥇 JJ Mula
🥈 Veljko Stojanovic

Parkour Freestyle – Advanced
🥇 Nathaniel Camilleri
🥈 Alejandro Schiberras
🥉 Stefan Alin

⭐ Best Upcoming Parkour Athlete – Luke Borg

Inline Skating Competitions Continue

Although the rain stopped Sunday’s Inline Skating competitions, they were not cancelled.

Instead, the competitions were moved to 21 September. They took place during MSSA’s Take It to the Streets event in San Pawl il-Baħar.

This gave the registered skaters another opportunity to compete and complete their Urban Sports Festival programme.

More Than Just Competition

Since its first edition in 2022, the Urban Sports Festival has continued to grow.

However, its purpose has always remained bigger than competition.

The festival gives beginners the chance to compete alongside experienced athletes. At the same time, it connects different urban sports communities in one place.

Young participants can compete, learn and meet others who share their interests. Furthermore, established athletes can inspire the next generation.

International athletes also bring another dimension to the festival. They ride alongside Malta’s athletes while sharing their experience with the local community.

Ultimately, this combination of sport, culture and community is what the Urban Sports Festival represents.

Thank You for Making Urban Sports Festival 2026 Possible

None of this would be possible without the people working behind the scenes.

Therefore, MSSA would like to thank every participant, volunteer, athlete, coach and organisation involved.

We also thank everyone who visited Pretty Bay throughout the weekend. Your support created the atmosphere that makes this festival special.

Finally, a huge thank you goes to our partners, collaborators and sponsors. Their continued support allows us to create these opportunities for Malta’s urban sports community.

Partners & Collaborators:
VisitMalta, Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, Ministry for Youth, Wellbeing and the Implementation of the Electoral Programme, Malta Trust Foundation, Birżebbuġa Local Council, Malta Skateboarding Association, Rush Parkour Malta, Street Elements, Island Mixes, The Getdown Street Jams, Skate Uni, Roll N Malta and Malta Clasicos.

Sponsors & Supporters:
Nike, SI BMX Distro, Urban Jungle Malta, Urban Bratz Malta, Colony BMX, Embassy of France in Malta, Premonition Skate Shop, LimitZero Clothing Apparel, Behind Bars Malta and Okrug31.

From Friday’s first competition to Sunday’s final Parkour runs, it was another weekend to remember.

Above all, Urban Sports Festival 2026 showed what can happen when sport, culture and community come together.

Thank you to everyone who made it possible. ❤️🇲🇹

See you at the next one!