500 days until European Athletics Championships 2026 begin in West Midlands
In 500 days, the UK will host the European Athletics Championships for the first time in history!
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To celebrate the occasion, organizers gathered in Birmingham on March 28 to unveil the official branding for the event and open priority ticket registration.
The Championships, set to take place at Perry Barr’s Alexander Stadium from August 10-16, 2026, will bring together some of the world’s top athletes competing for medals in front of enthusiastic UK athletics fans.
The electric atmosphere of Birmingham’s crowds was key to the success of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and fans will again have the chance to cheer on their favourite athletes in the West Midlands.
This will be the first time the UK hosts the European Championships, which were held in Rome in 2024. The decision is a significant milestone for a country that has long been a dominant force in European athletics.
On the European stage, Britain’s world champion sprinter Dina Asher-Smith has accumulated eight medals, while local hero and Olympic 400m silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith has claimed seven. Other British track legends, such as Roger Black (400m), Linford Christie (100m and 200m), and Martyn Rooney (400m), have each earned six medals. Colin Jackson (110m hurdles) and Steve Backley (javelin) are the most successful in a single event, each with four gold medals.
Jack Buckner, UK Athletics chief executive and European 5000m gold medallist in 1986, said: “Birmingham has a proven track record of delivering world-class sporting events, with Birmingham 2022 drawing sell-out crowds to the Alexander Stadium – Birmingham 2026 will be no exception.
“With Great Britain and Northern Ireland going into the Championships as the most successful nation in history, we’re ready to put on a show.”
The 2026 Championships will be delivered by Athletic Ventures – a joint venture comprising UK Athletics, The Great Run Company and London Marathon Events.
Athletic Ventures was formed with the aim of transforming the future and growth of athletics in the UK and has already seen great success in delivering the sell-out London Diamond League events in 2023 and 2024.
