The European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) is a property of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) and is held under the patronage of the IOC. The event takes place every two years with a summer and winter edition.

Jacques Rogge, the former IOC President, the then President of the European Olympic Committees and the father of the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF), which was originally called the European Youth Olympic Days (EYOD), said: "This festival provides young European athletes with great motivation, as it gives sense to their careers from the very beginning."

The European Youth Olympic Festival is the only major multi-sport event for the best young athletes in Europe.

The Winter EYOF Friuli Venezia Giulia 2023 took place from January 21 to 28, where athletes aged 14 to 18 enjoyed the experience of the most bracing European multi-sport winter session event.

Italy hosted the first winter edition of the EYOF in 1993 and 30 years later the Olympic Torch returned.

The Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia has already hosted an EYOF as the summer edition was in Lignano Sabbiadoro in 2005.