The European Commission has announced the eight finalist cities for the 2028 European Green Capital and European Green Leaf Awards.
The awards recognise cities that are leading the way in urban sustainability, climate action, pollution reduction and improved quality of life for citizens. Finalists were selected from 27 eligible applicants following an assessment by independent experts across seven environmental areas: air quality, water management, biodiversity and green areas, waste and circular economy, noise pollution, climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation.
The finalists for the 2028 European Green Capital Award, open to cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, are Aalborg, Bielsko-Biała, Košice, Porto and Zaragoza.
The finalists for the 2028 European Green Leaf Award, dedicated to smaller cities with 20,000 to 100,000 inhabitants, are Benidorm, Chiclana de la Frontera and Estarreja.
The shortlisted cities demonstrate strong approaches to sustainability, including climate adaptation, district heating modernisation, water resilience, green infrastructure, public participation, energy efficiency in buildings and active mobility.
The final selection stage will take place on 7 and 8 October 2026, when finalist cities will present their environmental vision, governance approach and communication strategies to a jury. The winners will be announced on 8 October in Guimarães, Portugal, the 2026 European Green Capital.
The European Green Capital winner will receive €600,000, while each European Green Leaf winner will receive €200,000 to support activities during their title year and further local transformation.
- Publication date
- 10 July 2026
- Author
- European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency