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Month: April 2026

Monaco United reach Mediterranean Cup final in historic debut season

by: Kayla Sauceda
07/04/2026

Monaco United have advanced to the Mediterranean Cup final after a commanding semi-final performance, continuing an impressive first season.

Monaco United continues making history in their first season by already securing a place in the final of the Mediterranean Cup. Sunday 5th of April marked Monaco United’s match against Hyères FC, a club playing one division higher. In this semi-final match, Monaco was confident in their skills, having already beaten a team competing two divisions above them in the quarterfinals. 

A dominant semi-final performance

Marco Simone’s players began the game playing without fear, as they have learned to do and developed since the beginning of the season. Monaco United controlled the match, maintaining composure and dominating possession throughout. Mia Lawrence, one of the day’s standout performers, opened the scoring, following it up with a quick second shortly after. By halftime, Monaco was up 5-0, putting their aspirations well within reach. 

In the second half, Monaco returned with determination to finish out what they had started. By utilizing the skills they have been developing, including ambition, rhythm, and intensity, they maintained their lead, finishing out the game with an 8-1 victory.

Monaco United had already secured their role as District 06 champions; however, they have now also secured a place in promotional playoffs to move up to the next level. Monaco will now compete in the Mediterranean Cup final against Olympique de Marseille Reserves, who compete two tiers above them. 

On a massive day for Monaco United, Peace and Sport was also welcomed, the club’s official partner and an early supporter. Their presence was part of the White Card awareness campaign. These initiatives shine a light on the shared values between Monaco United and Peace and Sport, including inclusion, commitment, and togetherness. 

With a place in the final now secured, Monaco United’s debut season continues to exceed expectations, as the club prepares for its biggest test yet against higher-level opposition.

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Main photo courtesy of Monaco United

 

Art Monte-Carlo marks 10th anniversary with 26 galleries and new curatorial section

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/04/2026

Art Monte-Carlo returns to the Grimaldi Forum from 29th April to 1st May for its 10th edition, under the High Patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco. The anniversary brings the fair’s most ambitious programme to date, with 26 international galleries, a new curatorial section and a spring calendar intended to cement its position among Europe’s significant art market events.

The fair has historically focused on modern and contemporary art, and this edition maintains that scope while expanding its geographic reach. Among the returning galleries are Almine Rech, Cortesi, Galleria Continua, Suzanne Tarasieve, Semiose, Van de Weghe, Voena and Wilde — names that have been present across multiple editions and represent the fair’s established collector base.

New participants joining for the first time include A&R Fleury from Paris, Cecilia Hillström Gallery from Stockholm, Fabienne Levy from Lausanne, Giovanni Martino Projects from Lugano, Lee & Bae from Busan, Mitterrand from Paris, Ritsch-Fisch Galerie from Strasbourg, and Secci from Milan. Two Monaco-based galleries also join the roster: Hartford Fine Art – Lampronti Gallery and M.F. Toninelli Art Moderne.

The full list of exhibitors spans galleries from across Europe, the Americas and Asia, including Galleria Accademia, Galleria Barbara Paci, Barovier & Toso, Durazzo, Galleria Traits Noirs & Co, Olivier Varenne Art Moderne & Contemporain, Opera Gallery and 193 Gallery.

Details of the new curatorial section will be announced ahead of the opening. Art Monte-Carlo runs concurrently with Monaco Art Week, which brings a further 14 galleries and auction houses across the Principality over the same period, making the final days of April one of the most concentrated moments in Monaco’s cultural calendar.

See also: 

Monaco Art Week set to return to its spring roots with 14 galleries and auction houses

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Photo by Monaco Life

 

Monaco overcome Dijon in heated clash at Gaston Médecin

by: Kayla Sauceda
07/04/2026

The Roca Team secured a 108-95 victory in a high-intensity contest Sunday marked by late-game tensions and a shortened rotation.

In a high-intensity Betclic Élite clash, AS Monaco Basket reigned victorious. The LNB Pro A leaders took on Dijon at home in a heated match that proved to be highly entertaining. 

With a reduced rotation of pros, once again, the Roca Team had something to prove as they looked to start the week on a positive note ahead of two pivotal EuroLeague matchups at home. 

AS Monaco Basket found comfort and rhythm throughout the first half, building an early lead, but the pressure of Dijon was constantly felt. With a high level of energy across the game, tensions steadily rose across the court from early on. 

Although Monaco extended their lead to over 20 points in the third quarter, Dijon proved that they were not going down without a fight, applying pressure to cut the deficit back to single digits in the final quarter. Amidst the physical play, in the closing minutes, an altercation ensued between Monaco’s Juhann Begarin and Dijon’s Quentin Losser. The chaos mirrored the tensions that had been building throughout the game. Following ejections and technical fouls delivered to each team, the game resumed with a new pace. 

Unlike the earlier tempo — quick, intense, and at times uncontrolled — following the altercation, the teams appeared to move with more intention and purpose. The game resulted in a 108-95 victory for Monaco, further solidifying their leadership position in the LNB Pro A League.

Alpha Diallo led all scorers with 29 points, while Elie Okobo added 23 points and 9 assists in a strong all-around performance.

Following the game, Monaco assistant coach Sergiy Gladyr, who is currently overseeing domestic fixtures, addressed the on-court altercation, saying, “As a Monaco team, this is not the image we want to show,” while also issuing an apology to fans and viewers on behalf of the organisation and emphasising that it must not happen again.

With the limited roster available, any additional injuries or suspensions would be detrimental to an already vulnerable Roca Team. With one of the most crucial weeks of the season ahead, the priority now shifts to recovery, both physically and mentally. Whether currently on court or actively healing, the heavy minutes can quickly take a toll, especially when the team is expected to perform at full strength. 

At the same time, there is a noticeable upside to this shortened rotation. With players spending extended minutes on the court, the group is forced to adapt quickly as a team and build cohesion as a unit. Existing chemistry has played a key role, with players like Elie Okobo and Matthew Strazel having shared the floor prior to Monaco, while Jaron Blossomgame and Alpha Diallo also bring years of familiarity. That continuity is difficult to replicate and is beginning to show in Monaco’s collective performances, despite the limited rotation.

Moving into the double-header EuroLeague games this week, the Roca Team will aim to carry this momentum forward, using their home-court advantage, intensity, and cohesion in a positive direction as they push for a playoff spot. 

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Photo source: AS Monaco Basketball 

 

18 SBM venues now committed to sustainable seafood as three more sign up to Mr. Goodfish

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/04/2026

Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer has become one of the most committed players in sustainable seafood in Monaco, adding three more venues to the tally.

Amazónico Monte-Carlo, Mada One and the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo’s Limun Bar and room service all signed up to the European Mr. Goodfish programme on 2nd April, bringing the total number of SBM establishments in the scheme to 18. Président-Délégué Stéphane Valeri and Mr. Goodfish representative Paul Ruchon formalised the agreements at the Salon Régence of the Hôtel Hermitage.

The group has been building its commitment to the programme since 2015, when it first joined through what is now Pavyllon Monte-Carlo. The list has grown steadily ever since, pulling in everything from the Café de Paris and Le Grill at the Hôtel de Paris to Blue Bay Marcel Ravin, L’Abysse and Em Sherif Monte-Carlo along the way.

Mr. Goodfish, created in 2010 by three European aquariums including France’s Nausicaá, works by publishing a quarterly list of seafood that meets its sustainability criteria — covering feeding practices, aquaculture methods, minimum catch sizes and seasonal fishing restrictions. Signatory restaurants must offer at least two dishes from the list and flag them clearly to diners.

“Their commitment reflects a determination to fully integrate the challenges linked to preserving marine resources,” Valeri said of the chefs and teams behind the initiative, “and a strong intention to offer cuisine that is increasingly sustainable and respectful of the seasons.”

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Photo of seafood dish at Amazonico, courtesy of Monte-Carlo SBM

 

Monaco to host international Artificial Intelligence Conference at the Yacht Club

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/04/2026

Monaco will host a high-level Artificial Intelligence Conference at the Yacht Club de Monaco on Saturday 2nd May, bringing together speakers from Silicon Valley, Seattle, London, Paris, Milan and beyond for an afternoon of cross-disciplinary discussion on how AI is reshaping markets, institutions and capital allocation.

The event is co-organised by Business Future Institute, led by Silvia Andriotto Melia, and AI Monaco, led by Leonardo Fabbri, adjunct professor at the International University of Monaco. It is the third edition of the AI Monaco conference and marks the first collaboration between the two organisations.

“Our ambition is to foster a high-level, forward-looking dialogue on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, connecting frontier innovation with finance, law, governance, investment and the concrete challenges that decision-makers and investors must address in an era of rapid transformation,” said Andriotto Melia.

Who is speaking

The programme draws on a deliberately varied speaker roster spanning technology, finance, law, robotics and medical research.

Anna Zeiter, CEO of the new European social media platform W and former Global Chief Privacy Officer at eBay, will address AI governance and data responsibility. Rosa Sangiorgio, founder of RSg Impact Investing and Chair of the Executive Committee of the Swiss Platform for Impact Investing, brings more than 25 years of experience across asset and wealth management. Pietro Lanza, Managing Director of Havant — Italy’s leading digital innovation group — and adjunct professor at Bocconi and Cattolica University, will speak on digital transformation.

From the AI Monaco side, Geoffrey Hills, Managing Director and Global Head of Crisis 24 AiiA powered by Palantir Technologies, and Martin Seebach, Chief Technology Officer of Foxtrot Professional Services and one of the original engineers behind Palantir’s Foundry platform, will appear together on a panel. William Jakeman, Associate Director at CVC specialising in digital infrastructure investments, will address data centres, towers and fibre networks. Anatolii Pasichnyk, Operations and New Deployments Director at Zipline — the world’s largest autonomous drone delivery company — will speak on AI, robotics and logistics. Stéphanie Lopez, data scientist and principal investigator for the LungScreenAI project at Université Côte d’Azur, rounds out the programme with a presentation on AI applications in early lung cancer screening.

Format and access

The afternoon runs from 2pm to 7:30pm, with lectures and a panel discussion followed by a wine networking session from 6:30pm. Capacity is limited to 80 seats. Reservations are open via the official event page at my.weezevent.com/business-future-institute-ai-monaco.

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Photo credit: Carlo Borlenghi

Football: Monaco edge rivals Marseille to continue Champions League charge

by: Luke Entwistle
06/04/2026
Monaco players huddle after taking the lead at the Stade Louis II, against Marseille

AS Monaco registered their seventh consecutive victory in Ligue 1 on Sunday, but some wins are more important than others, and in that run, none were as important as this one over Olympique de Marseille (2-1).

Sébastien Pocognoli said that the match against Marseille was “important but not decisive” on Friday, but this felt like a game where more than points were on the line. Momentum and the chance to land a psychological blow were also at stake at the Stade Louis II. It was a big occasion, but one without the atmosphere to match. OM’s fans are renowned for the atmosphere that they bring both at the Vélodrome and at stadia across France, but they remained silent for the first 30 minutes. It was a strange atmosphere, and it translated on the pitch.

Both sides were disjointed, a little flat, lacking in ideas and rhythm. There were half-chances for Maghnes Akliouche, who missed the target with an acrobatic effort and then forced a save from Geronimo Rulli when put through by Jordan Teze. But there were no periods of sustained pressure, and in what was an end-to-end half, a “ping-pong” game in the words of Habib Beye, OM had chances of their own. Lukas Hradecky was up to the task on both occasions, denying Hamed Traoré and Igor Paixao from tight angles.

Hradecky the difference-maker for Monaco

No changes at the break meant no real change in the dynamic of a match that didn’t lean one way more than the other until Aleksandr Golovin broke the deadlock on the hour mark, volleying home a tantalising Jordan Teze cross. The intensity so sorely lacking finally arrived: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg forced a strong save, Traoré missed a free header, and Quinten Timber drew a Hollywood diving save from Hradecky. If the Finland international was impassible, Rulli was permeable; two shots on target, three goals for Monaco.

In the Argentine’s defence, there was little he could have done with Folarin Balogun’s effort. The in-form forward profited from a miscued ball from Hojbjerg, did CJ Egan-Riley for pace, and then placed a delightful chip into Rulli’s top corner. In a match that lacked a bit of quality, his effort was fair compensation. “It was one of the best goals [I’ve ever scored],” admitted the Monaco forward. “The importance of the goal makes it special,” he added.

As it transpired, Monaco’s second would prove crucial when Amine Gouiri wiggled his way through Denis Zakaria and Thilo Kehrer, poking past Hradecky and shattering Monaco’s composure. What followed was 10 frantic minutes, with chances for both sides. Hradecky forced an Emerson header over the bar, and from the following corner, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang improvised a poorly hit effort at the back post. Hradecky was out of the picture, but Teze was there to tidy up and clear off the line.

Pocognoli banned from the touchline

Monaco had their chances to kill it. Simon Adingra was played in and rounded Rulli, but from a tight angle, could not find the target. It was the Ivorian who was played in again in the final minutes. This time, he opted for the pass, but it was just beyond Mika Biereth, who, on the stretch, could not turn it into the empty net. Monaco held on, however.

Both Pocognoli and Balogun spoke about “staying humble” and “humility” in their post-match media duties. “We are aware that we are coming from far back […] what I like is that players are winning matches but there is no need for excessive enthusiasm. There are smiles but also a recognition of a past not so long ago that we don’t want to revisit,” added the Monaco manager. The Belgian was more powerless than usual. Suspended, he was forced to watch the game from the commentary positions. “I didn’t like it… sometimes you’re shouting up there, but it is only the commentators who can maybe hear me, but the advantage is that you get more of a global view,” said Pocognoli.

“It isn’t about shouting or having an aggressive presence,” said Pocognoli in reference to his half-time team talk. In any case, he found the right words at the midway point, and that applies to Monaco’s season more generally as the second half of it marks an increasingly radical departure from the first.

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Photo source: AS Monaco