Balázs Fürjes, Hungarian secretary of state for development and international sport events, and head of the organisers of the first World Urban Games which start today, gave a presentation on the "Budapest Global Sport Capital Strategy".

The strategy will see Budapest bid for a huge range of sports events, games and conferences until 2030, as it looks to establish itself as a major centre of world sport.

"Budapest is in the heart of Europe, we are a sport-loving city and nation," said Fürjes.

"We believe Budapest is already a global sport capital, and there is a very clear goal of our 2030 strategy, which is of the government and the national sport federations, which is to be one of the three most important global sport capitals in Europe.

"I think we are in the group of London, Paris, Moscow, Berlin and Budapest, these are the cities that can be the top global sport capitals in Europe."

The World Urban Games feature six main sports - BMX freestyle, roller freestyle, 3x3 basketball, flying disc, parkour and breaking - plus two showcase events, laser run and indoor rowing, starting today at the redeveloped Nagyvásártelep, until Sunday (September 15).

Around 300 athletes from five continents are set to compete.

Los Angeles had originally been due to host the World Urban Games, but the host city was changed in March when GAISF said Budapest's proposed sports programme was "more in line" with their vision.

Budapest will also host the 2021 edition if they choose to take up their contract with GAISF, and have until March next year to make their decision.

The city will also host the World Athletics Championships in 2023, the World Aquatics Championships in 2027, and also want to host the World Gymnastics Championships in 2025, for what Fürjes referred to as the three "core Olympic events".

However, Fürjes, who was President of Budapest's failed 2024 Olympic bid, ruled out competing for the 2032 event.

A bid from Brisbane appears to be the runaway favourite for the Games, following Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028, and Fürjes expects the 2032 Olympics to go to Australia.

He said: "We bid for 2024 and you all know what happened.

"The Olympics is a fantastic thing, but will we ever have it, I don't know.

"Even without the Olympics, there are so many opportunities in sport and these events are useful for the city.

"I'm going to make a bet that the 2032 Olympics will go to Brisbane, and I'm sure it will be a very successful event - [Australian Olympic Committee President] John Coates is doing a fantastic job in attracting the Games.

"This is currently not on our agenda.

"The first Olympics for Budapest, in my mind, will be in 2036 or 2040.

"I consider myself younger than my age, but maybe the Olympics in Budapest are for generations to come - currently it is not on our agenda."

Fürjes said Budapest had learned lessons from the 2024 bid failure, especially the need to be an established sport host city first, hence the reversion to aiming for individual sporting events in order to build a worldwide reputation on the level of Tokyo, Paris and Los Angeles.

"Cities have a chance with the Olympics now only if they can present themselves as a very safe choice," he said.

"That means the city almost being ready the next day to host the Olympic Games.

"If you look at the choices the International Olympic Committee is making, they are very secure, security and stability is the driving force and I fully understand that.

"Any city should only think of bidding for the Olympics once they are fully ready; they are a nice thing to have, so maybe one day."

The first World Urban Games form part of that strategy, and Fürjes outlined his ambitions for the competition, for which live blog coverage of all three days will be provided by insidethegames, along with full reports, picture galleries and the latest news from Budapest.

He said having audience and local engagement is among their primary aims, hence tickets for the World Urban Games are free and spectators can try sports at specially built arenas around the Nagyvásártelep site.

"The World Urban Games falls into the world sport and new sport categories of events we want to host," he said.

"I think it is a major challenge for the whole international sport movement, how to engage the youth to be active in and follow sport events.

"We really believe this is the future of sport, not only to make spectators passive viewers but active participants and make it a real public experience, and to have fun.

"A full venue is much more important than selling tickets, so we will see the attendance together - I think there will be thousands of people, especially on Saturday and Sunday, enjoying a festival atmosphere."