A Linguist's Guide to Writing '2026 Olympic Games' Correctly

Rules for Writing the Names of Sporting Events

According to Главком: In her 'Language Question' column for 'Glavkom', linguist Olha Vasylieva has clarified the rules for writing the names of major sporting competitions, including the '2026 Olympic Games'. Her guidance comes in response to reader inquiries about the correct format for this title.

According to the recommendations, the year 2026 in the event's name should be written without a dash or hyphen. Vasylieva has previously addressed the spelling rules for other sports terms like 'World Championship' and 'World Cup' in the same column. She has also explained the correct spelling of the word 'Greenland'.

Orthographic Rules for Event Names

Ukrainian orthography dictates that in the names of political, cultural, sporting, and other events of international or national significance, the first (or only) word and any proper nouns are capitalized. Correct examples include:

• Olympic Games
• White Olympics
• Peace March
• World Congress of Ukrainians
• All-Ukrainian Pedagogical Conference
• International Year of the Child
• UEFA Cup (football)

Following Olha Vasylieva's advice allows for the proper usage of sports event names, which promotes better understanding and communication in the Ukrainian language. This linguistic guidance is part of a broader effort in Ukraine to standardize language usage, particularly for high-profile international events. Adhering to these rules helps avoid confusion and fosters a unified linguistic environment, which is especially relevant as preparations begin for future events like the 2026 Olympic Games.