Sport is a big part of our national identity in Scotland. From after-school football matches as youngsters to sitting in the pub enjoying the game over a few drinks with friends, sports has always played a big part in our lives. We are delighted to hear that Glasgow is once again awarded the European Capital of Sport (ECOS) in 2023 becoming the first city to hold the title twice, 20 years after first achieving the accolade. We expect lots of sporting events from community and professional groups this year to mark the occasion and look forward to hosting plenty of sports fans in our serviced apartment accommodation in Glasgow.
European Capital of Sport
Glasgow has been a global leader in sport using teamwork and exercise to enrich and change lives. The first phase of an ECOS fund has awarded more than £50,000 to communities across the city to increase opportunities for people to take part in sport and get active. ECOS fund prioritises projects which support underrepresented groups, such as women and girls, ethnic minorities, those with disabilities and low-income families. Sending funding to community organisations and encouraging bigger participation is a way to curb anti-social behaviour and encourage team building & collaboration among participants, young and old.
ECOS 2023
ECOS 2023 is already in full swing. There are monthly themes for the year with different focuses, like ‘Health and wellbeing’ in March and ‘Sport for communities’ in May. These will tie in with regular challenges and social media initiatives to encourage Glasgow’s residents and visitors to get out and get active. Part of Glasgow ECOS goal for 2023 is supporting positive ageing, building wellbeing, and promoting connections within and between diverse communities. From volunteer helpers at school sports clubs to world-class coaches, it’s the people that make Glasgow. The year will finish with a spectacular celebration of sport and activity in December, alongside Glasgow’s Sports Awards to honour some of our best and brightest.
Sports in Glasgow
Glasgow’s ECOS 2023 status officially kicked off with Rangers V Celtic at Ibrox stadium on 2 January. Both clubs have joined forces with ECOS partners Glasgow Warriors and Drumchapel Community Sports Hub to help promote sport in the city throughout 2023. Over the last 20 years, Glasgow has invested more than £200 million in its world-class sporting venues, including the Emirates Arena, Glasgow BMX Centre, and the refurbished Kelvin Hall. The city has hosted a series of world-class sporting events over the past 20 years too, including the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships at the Hydro, The European Championships in 2018 at the Emirates Arena and UEFA EURO 2020 fixtures at Hampden Park.
Sports Teams in Glasgow
It’s impossible to pay homage to all of the fantastic sports teams in the city, from grassroots sports clubs to professional and Olympic training. Football in particular has played a huge role in shaping Glasgow. In the early 1900s, Glasgow was home to the three biggest football grounds in the world, Hampden, Ibrox and Celtic Park. Two major teams call Glasgow their stomping grounds, Glasgow Rangers and The Celtic Football Club and their rivalry is well known.
Ibrox Stadium is on the south side of the River Clyde in the Ibrox area of Glasgow and is the home of Rangers Football Club.The club has won the Scottish League title a record 55 times, the Scottish Cup 34 times, the Scottish League Cup a record 27 times and the domestic treble on seven occasions, a joint world record shared with rivals Celtic.
The Celtic Football Club, commonly known as Celtic, plays in the Scottish Premiership and was one of the first clubs set up in 1887 to alleviate poverty in the immigrant Irish population in the East End of Glasgow. They play in the Celtic Park in the Parkhead area of Glasgow. In all, Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship 52 times, the Scottish Cup a record 40 times, the Scottish League Cup 20 times and the European Cup once.
Another popular sport in Glasgow is Rugby with the Glasgow Warriors adding to the long list of accolades in Scottish rugby. The Warriors play in Scotstoun Stadium in the West End of Glasgow ad have trained at the facility since 2009. The team have played their home games here from the 2012–13 season onwards. In the 2014–15 season, they won the Pro12 title and became the first Scottish team to win a major trophy in rugby union’s professional era.
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