Badminton Europe and the EOC reached an agreement at the House of Sport in Copenhagen today, with EOC Acting President Niels Nygaard and Badminton Europe general secretary Brian Agerbak signing the contract.

It makes badminton the latest sport to be added to the 2023 programme after beach handball, canoe, karate, modern pentathlon and taekwondo were all confirmed last month.

Badminton will now be part of the European Games for the third time following appearances at Baku 2015 and Minsk 2019.

"We are thrilled to have badminton back in the fold for the European Games 2023," said Nygaard.

"For European badminton players, having the chance to compete for gold at the European Games is a highlight of their competition calendar every four years, and with ranking points offered for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the incentive to take part in the European Games could not be higher."

Badminton is expected to remain in the same format it was in for the 2019 Games, with an estimated 160 athletes set to compete in men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles.

All five events will count towards the Badminton World Federation's world ranking as well as qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

"Badminton saw great value in the European Games right from the beginning, back before the first edition in Baku in 2015," said EOC secretary-general Raffaele Pagnozzi. 

"They are a trusted partner of the EOC and we are happy to be working together to provide their athletes the best possible platform on which to compete for continental glory while also giving them valuable Olympic experience."

Agerbak added that he thought the Kraków-Małopolska Games would be a good fit for the sport.

"Poland has produced world-class badminton players for several years," said Agerbak.

"Certainly it is important to have local players performing well in the European Games and I expect this to help attract spectators to the badminton competition."

The EOC Coordination Commission for the 2023 European Games is led by chair Hasan Arat and the group has been working closely with the European federations to finalise their participation for the event.