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Day: 22 October 2026

Meeting Herculis EBS reveals 2027 programme ahead of 40th anniversary

by: Kayla Sauceda
22/10/2026

Monaco’s Meeting Herculis EBS will return to the Principality to celebrate its 40th anniversary on Friday 9th July 2027, with organisers unveiling the programme of events and announcing that tickets are now available. 

The international athletics meeting will return to Stade Louis-II for another evening of world-class competition, bringing some of the sport’s leading athletes to Monaco.

Across four decades, Meeting Herculis EBS has established itself as a major event on the international athletics calendar. The meeting has witnessed 10 world records, including the men’s 1,000m record set during its most recent edition, and has been named the world’s best athletics meeting on seven occasions.

The anniversary edition will look to build on that reputation, with a programme featuring sprint races, middle-distance events, hurdles, and field competitions.

A NEW ADDITION TO THE PROGRAMME

One of the highlights of the 2027 edition will be the return of the men’s 1,500m, an event that has previously produced memorable performances in Monaco.

In 2024, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen set a European record of 3:26.73 in the event, further strengthening the meeting’s reputation for exceptional performances.

The programme will also feature both men’s and women’s 400m races for the first time, alongside the women’s 400m hurdles and men’s 3,000m steeplechase.

With a strong field of disciplines expected, organisers are anticipating another highly competitive evening as the meeting marks its milestone anniversary.

FOUR DECADES OF ATHLETICS IN MONACO

The women’s programme will feature the 100m, 400m, 3,000m or 5,000m, 400m hurdles, high jump, and long jump.

Meanwhile, the men’s events will include the 200m, 400m, 1,500m, 3,000m steeplechase, 400m hurdles, pole vault, and javelin.

The meeting has become known for attracting some of the biggest names in international athletics, with Stade Louis-II providing the setting for numerous record-breaking performances.

Organisers have also indicated that special plans are being prepared to commemorate the 40th anniversary, although further details have yet to be announced.

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Photo source: Herculis EBS

Monaco to switch to winter time as clock change debate remains on hold

by: Virginia D’Umas
22/10/2026

Clocks will fall back by one hour across Monaco and the European Union on the night of Saturday 24th October into Sunday 25th October, marking the annual transition to winter time.

At 3am local time, clocks will be set back 60 minutes to 2am, granting an extra hour of sleep overnight while bringing lighter mornings and earlier evening darkness.

Regional alignment and history

Though non-EU, the Principality of Monaco maintains complete time-zone alignment with France and neighbouring European states. Monaco observes Central European Time (CET) in winter and Central European Summer Time (CEST) in summer.

Seasonal daylight saving measures were initially introduced in France following the 1973–1974 oil crisis to lower energy consumption. In 1998, dates for clock adjustments were standardised across European Union member states to maintain seamless cross-border transport, trade, and communication networks.

Under the harmonised schedule, participating nations switch to winter time on the final Sunday of October and revert to summer time on the last Sunday of March.

Proposed reform remains suspended 

In March 2019, the European Parliament supported a directive to end bi-annual clock adjustments starting in 2021. However, implementation required approval from member state governments through the Council of the European Union.

Disagreements over whether to remain permanently on summer or winter time, coupled with administrative disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, led to the proposal being put on hold indefinitely. 

The directive is currently not on the European Union’s active agenda, keeping the current twice-yearly time change in place.

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Photo Credit: Pexels – Seyma Emine Tamer Gul

Major port extension begins to secure future of Monaco Grand Prix

by: Cassandra Tanti
22/10/2026

Work is getting underway on a 2,500m² extension of Monaco’s Darse Sud, opposite La Rascasse, as the Principality prepares to meet Formula 1’s growing infrastructure demands. The new platform is expected to be ready for the 2027 Monaco Grand Prix, although construction will require the temporary relocation of around 100 boats.

The Prince’s Government announced the project on Wednesday 21st October, confirming that the extension will provide additional space for Grand Prix infrastructure and other major events held around Port Hercule.

The development is intended to meet Formula 1’s requirements and help secure the long-term future of the Monaco Grand Prix.

It will complement the additional paddock space created on Quai Antoine Ier following the demolition of the former International School of Monaco building in spring 2026.

New infrastructure to reduce Grand Prix emissions

The extension will also incorporate an electrical transformer station and associated equipment, allowing organisers to eliminate 15 generators currently installed each year during Monaco’s motor racing events.

According to the government, the upgrade will help reduce the carbon footprint of the Grand Prix while providing permanent infrastructure to support its operations.

The new platform will consist of a concrete slab supported by piles, with construction scheduled over six months, from November 2026 to April 2027.

Although preliminary work is already beginning, the government says the project remains on schedule for completion ahead of the 2027 Monaco Grand Prix.

Around 100 boats to be temporarily relocated

Construction will be carried out primarily from the sea, with land deliveries restricted to a small logistics area along the quayside. The government says this approach is intended to minimise disruption to nearby residents and events taking place around the port.

However, the works will affect around 100 recreational boat owners holding annual berthing contracts, whose vessels will need to be temporarily relocated during construction.

Once construction is complete, around 30 boat owners will be offered a new berth within Monaco’s ports.

The extension represents another significant investment in the infrastructure surrounding Monaco’s Formula 1 circuit, as the Principality adapts its historic street race to the operational demands of the modern championship.

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Photo: Monaco Grand Prix 2024, source: Scuderia Ferrari Media Centre

 

Monaco government websites remain offline amid global security alert

by: Cassandra Tanti
22/10/2026
Monaco’s government and municipal websites remain inaccessible to the public following the discovery of critical security flaws in software used by an estimated 70% of the world’s websites. The vulnerabilities, uncovered through AI-assisted cybersecurity research, have triggered emergency security measures internationally, with Monaco’s authorities confirming that external access to government websites has been suspended for an indefinite period.

The Prince’s Government has confirmed that its Directorate of Information Systems and Infrastructure (DISI), in coordination with the Monaco Digital Security Agency (AMSN), took the precautionary decision to suspend external access to government websites following the identification of critical vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language widely used to power websites.

The government says its websites remain accessible to staff through internal workstations, but the public will be unable to access them until the necessary security updates have been applied.

No timetable has been given for their restoration, with access expected to return progressively as the affected systems are secured.

AI uncovers major security weaknesses

The international alert follows the discovery of two critical vulnerabilities in PHP, technology used by an estimated 70% of websites worldwide to manage essential functions such as logins, databases and online transactions.

The flaws were identified through research involving OpenAI, Google-owned cybersecurity company Wiz and cybersecurity startup Calif, highlighting the growing role of artificial intelligence in uncovering weaknesses in widely used software.

Researchers warned that the vulnerabilities could potentially allow attackers to execute malicious code remotely and compromise affected servers.

OpenAI described the findings as among the most significant cybersecurity discoveries in recent memory.

Emergency software updates were released on Wednesday 21st October, prompting website administrators and public authorities to begin securing potentially vulnerable systems.

The situation has also raised broader questions about AI’s rapidly expanding capabilities in cybersecurity. The same technology helping researchers uncover weaknesses before they can be exploited is also becoming increasingly capable of assisting malicious actors.

Government websites taken offline across Europe

Monaco is among several European countries affected by precautionary shutdowns.

In neighbouring France, authorities temporarily restricted access to prefecture websites following warnings about the PHP vulnerabilities, while other European government and public-service websites have also been affected by emergency security measures.

The precautionary shutdowns do not necessarily indicate that the websites have been hacked. In Monaco’s case, the government has explicitly described its decision as preventive.

Municipal services also disrupted

Monaco Town Hall separately confirmed on Wednesday 21st October that its website and those of several municipal establishments had been temporarily taken offline.

The affected sites include the Jardin Exotique, Académie Rainier III, Espace Léo Ferré and the online magazine Monaco Vivre Ma Ville.

During the interruption, residents cannot access online administrative procedures, forms or appointment-booking services through the affected websites.

However, appointments already booked with the Civil Status and Nationality Department remain valid, while requests for official documents submitted before the shutdown have been registered and do not need to be repeated.

The websites of the Médiathèque Caroline and the École Supérieure d’Arts Plastiques remain accessible.

Residents requiring municipal assistance are advised to contact the relevant departments by telephone or email.

Both the Prince’s Government and Monaco Town Hall say their technical teams are working to restore services as quickly as possible, with security checks and software updates taking priority before public access resumes.

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Image created by Monaco Life

Sportel Monaco brings together nearly 2,000 sports media professionals

by: Kayla Sauceda
22/10/2026

Sportel Monaco welcomed 1,962 participants from 73 countries to the Grimaldi Forum from 19th to 21st October, with artificial intelligence, investment, and the commercial growth of women’s sports among this 36th edition’s topics.

The three-day convention brought together 780 companies, including 166 new companies, representing rights holders, broadcasters, federations, agencies, investors, and technology providers.

Participants presented broadcasting and distribution technologies, met potential partners, and explored commercial opportunities within sports media.

AI AND CHANGING BUSINESS MODELS

The Conference Summit at the Ravel Speakers Stage examined how technology and shifting audience habits are influencing the way sports are produced, distributed, and monetised.

Expert discussions, masterclasses, and customer case studies covered artificial intelligence, live production, data, sports betting, investment, and new digital business models. YouTube, Grup Mediapro, Deltatre, ViewLift, and Pixotope were among the companies contributing to the programme.

Speakers included LALIGA president Javier Tebas, IMG’s Hillary Mandel, YouTube’s Pedro Pina, Bruin Capital’s Jeff Roth, and SURJ Sports Investment’s Danny Townsend.

BRANDS AND WOMEN’S SPORT

This year also saw the launch of the CMO Brand Programme, developed in partnership with Qualcomm Technologies. Senior marketing executives from TCS, Revolut, and Guinness/Diageo joined discussions on how sponsorship, media, and technology can influence value for brands and sports properties.

The Women’s Lunch, organised with AWS, explored what is needed to turn the evolution of women’s sport into a mature, investable market.  The event, moderated by AWS Sports Business Development Specialist Fiona Harold, featured athlete Elizaveta Bracht, Danny Townsend, World Tennis’s Nicky Stanton, and FIBA’s Frank Leenders.

TORONTO NEXT ON THE CALENDAR

Reflecting on the convention, Marine Picoulet, Executive Director of SPORTEL Monaco, said: “Year after year, Sportel evolves alongside the sports media industry, creating new opportunities for the people and businesses shaping its future.”

The organisation will next take its international convention to Toronto in March of 2027, before it returns to the Grimaldi Forum from the 25th to 27th October 2027.

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Photo credit: Manuel Vitali, Government Communications Department

MBA to face ASVEL in home Coupe de France battle

by: Kayla Sauceda
22/10/2026

Monaco Basket Association (MBA) will welcome high-level opponents LDLC ASVEL Féminin to Salle Gaston-Médecin on Wednesday 28th October, with a place in the next round of the women’s Coupe de France on the line.

This match offers supporters the chance to see MBA fight against the Lyon club led by President Tony Parker, which competes in France’s highest women’s division, La Boulangère Wonderligue.

For Monaco, which plays in Ligue Féminine 2, this home game brings another opportunity to challenge opposition from the division above.

ANOTHER HIGH-LEVEL COMPETITION

MBA has already overcome a top-level team in this season’s competition, beating La Tronche Meylan in the previous round to set up this upcoming match.

The French Basketball Federation has highlighted Monaco versus Lyon as the standout game of this round, with ASVEL entering the competition at this stage. Home support could play a factor as MBA seeks another victory against a higher-ranked club.

NEW ENTERTAINMENT COURTSIDE

The evening will also introduce a new addition to MBA’s match-night programme. Six dancers making up the MBA ‘Girls and Boys’ will perform at Salle Gaston-Médecin for the first time, providing choreography and entertainment throughout the game.

The match begins at 8pm at Salle Gaston-Médecin on Wednesday 28th October. Tickets are available here.

Monaco Life is written by qualified journalists, writing original content. Sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Photo source: Monaco Basket Association