Mayor Dario Hrebak confirmed that the European Aquatics Executive Committee awarded Bjelovar the hosting of the European Junior Swimming Championships on August 9, a crowning achievement of years of investment in sports infrastructure.
In recent years, Bjelovar has launched a series of ambitious projects aimed at positioning itself as one of Croatia's most significant sports centers over the next five years. The total investment in sports infrastructure amounts to 107 million euros, and the city received international validation of its quality with the confirmation that it will host the 2027 European Junior Swimming Championships.
The European Aquatics Executive Committee officially decided on August 9, 2026, that Bjelovar will be the host of this prestigious competition for young swimmers. Mayor Dario Hrebak emphasized that this is a historic moment for the city. "This truly is a historic moment for Bjelovar. We have received great trust from European Aquatics, and it is recognition for everyone who has believed in the development of sports and investment in top-tier infrastructure in recent years," Hrebak said for Večernji list.
He stressed that building a sports image was not the primary goal. "Citizens have always been more important to us than image; they are our number one priority. We want to provide them with a better quality of life, raise standards, and offer more content, especially for young families and children," he stated.
At the heart of the sports transformation is the new swimming complex, Wellovar. Hrebak explains that it is not intended solely for professionals. "Wellovar is not conceived as a pool where only professionals will compete. It is a complex for citizens, recreational athletes, and tourists," he said. It was precisely this facility that caught the attention of European Aquatics. "It should be noted that hosting the championship was not our primary goal when we started building Wellovar. It is a consequence of creating infrastructure that can attract such events," the mayor added.
In addition to Wellovar, the second phase of the Arena Bjelovar construction is underway, worth 11.39 million euros. The stadium will have a capacity of over 5,000 seats and will meet the requirements for the highest tier of Croatian football. "This is one of the largest sports projects in the city's history," Hrebak emphasized. Furthermore, the athletics stadium is being renovated, a project worth nearly 2.85 million euros, of which 1.7 million euros is secured through the ITU mechanism. After renovation, it will feature eight athletics lanes and will be used by around 300 athletes from the Bjelovar Athletics Club and NK Bjelovar, as well as 746 students from the 4th Elementary School.
The mayor highlights the goal of maximizing external funding sources. Of the total 107 million euros in investments, only 30 to 40 percent comes from Bjelovar citizens' money. For Arena Bjelovar, the City secured an HBOR loan of 10 million euros, with 45 percent of the principal, or 4.55 million euros, being written off. For sports, more than 7.1 million euros is planned in the 2026 budget. Of that, over 2.25 million euros goes through the City Sports Community, and more than 4.8 million euros directly to sports facilities.
Hrebak also emphasizes the importance of long-term facility usage. "We don't want sports facilities to sit empty outside the competition season. If you have a stadium used only once a week, that's not a well-utilized investment," he said.
Bjelovar is also returning to its handball roots. In 2026, RK Bjelovar secured promotion to the Premier League under coach Slavko Goluža. "RK Bjelovar's entry into the Premier League is certainly one of the moments that will define this year. The euphoria can return; I'd say it's already returning," Hrebak believes. The city also plans to build a large handball arena, most likely in the Veliko Korenovo area, but the mayor is cautious about timelines. "It's not simple, but we hope to realize it within the next five years. I don't want to promise an opening date today since we haven't completed all the steps yet," he stated.
Special focus is also placed on developing water polo. Bruno Sabioni, the current head coach of the Croatian youth national team, has been hired as coach. "Bruno's task is to set up our water polo school because in seven to eight years, we want to become a little Budapest in water polo, playing European matches and in the top Croatian water polo league," Hrebak revealed. Shooting sports are also being developed, with a modern hall built so that Bjelovar's Olympian Miran Maričić and other shooters no longer have to travel to Vienna or Budapest for preparations.
The mayor is convinced that investments in infrastructure are the foundation for future sports successes. "Without infrastructure, nothing exists. An athlete can be a genius and an incredible talent, but if you deprive them of proper space and quality equipment, you can't expect top results," he said, adding that talent and will must be accompanied by adequate institutional support.
Finally, Hrebak expressed confidence that in five years, Bjelovar will be one of the strongest sports cities in the country. "I absolutely believe that in five years, Bjelovar will be one of the strongest sports cities. We can be a small city with infrastructure, organization, and sports offerings that are above average for our size. We are building sports infrastructure for the people. I want it to be visible in ten or twenty years that this generation did something that 90 percent of other cities don't have, that we raised the standard and gave new generations of Bjelovar athletes a new perspective," he concluded.
