Kraków-Małopolska was awarded hosting rights for the Games in 2019 during the second edition in Belarus' capital Minsk, and organisers have since faced challenges relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

The latter has led to Russia and Belarus, first and second on the medals table in Minsk, being excluded from this year's edition, with host nation Poland among the leading supporters of the Ukrainian refugee relief effort.

Ukraine are among the 48 nations set to compete with a team of 265 athletes, while hosts Poland have named a 370-strong team.

A European Olympic Committees (EOC) Refugee Team is also due to compete for the first time at the European Games.

Competition has already begun in athletics at the Stadion Śląski in Chorzów and beach handball at the Beach Sports Centre in Tarnow today.

Beach handball is one of eight non-Olympic sports on the programme, and is making its European Games debut in Poland.

The eight teams in the men's and women's tournaments played twice today, with the group phase due to conclude tomorrow and beach handball events finishing on Thursday (June 22).

Croatia and Hungary on the men's side and Denmark, The Netherlands and Germany in the women's tournament all recorded two wins today.

Competition is also due to begin in 3x3 basketball, padel, canoe sprint and BMX freestyle tomorrow, with attention turning to the Opening Ceremony at the 33,326-capacity Henryk Reyman Stadium, home of Wisła Kraków football club, in the evening.

Kraków-Małopolska 2023 President Marcin Nowak hopes the Opening Ceremony can help to showcase Poland.

"This will be a special event," he said.

"During the ceremony we will show what is most beautiful in Poland, what the people of Małopolska and Kraków can be proud of.

"We will show that our country is modern, friendly and safe.

"The moment of lighting the Torch will be a highlight and we will remember it for a long time."

Of the 29 sports on the programme at Kraków-Małopolska 2023, 22 are Olympic disciplines and eight non-Olympic.

Direct qualification opportunities for the Paris 2024 Olympics are available in 10 sports.

It represents a sizeable increase on the 15 sports which formed part of the programme at the second European Games in Minsk in 2019, although gymnastics due to a lack of a suitable venue and swimming are among the notable absentees.

EOC President Spyros Capralos declared Kraków-Małopolska 2023 the biggest sporting event on the continent since the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, with approximately 7,000 athletes set to participate.

"We are ready for the Games," the International Olympic Committee member from Greece said.

"I would like to thank many people, including the [Polish] President Andrzej Duda, who flew to Rome to receive the Flame of Peace.

"I hope that peace will soon prevail throughout Europe.

"I would also like to thank the volunteers, because without them this event would not be so good.

"This is the biggest sporting event in Europe since 2012, when the Olympic Games were held in London.

"This will be a unique competition.

"It’s the first time we have Europe’s best athletes here.

"This is the first time it will be held not in one, but 13 cities."

Organisers have claimed the regional model promotes a sustainable European Games.

A deal with the European Broadcasting Union covering 50 countries across Europe and the Americas is expected to increase and widen viewership for the European Games, with free-to-air coverage available in several countries for the first time.

The first medal is due to be awarded in artistic swimming at the Oswiecim Aquatics Centre on Thursday (June 22), with a mixed duet technical event being held for the first time.

Medals are also due to be awarded in karate, canoe sprint, BMX freestyle, diving, beach handball, sport climbing and shooting on Thursday.

The European Games is due to run across 11 days until July 2.