Glasgow 2018: What do you need to know?

Katie Archibald will be one of the stars returning to Glasgow

Elite sports stars from across Europe will converge on Glasgow next week for the first ever multi-sport European Championships.

What is it?

Hannah Miley won gold in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow

The 11-day championship, which begins on Thursday 2 August, is billed as the biggest event in Glasgow since the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

For the first time, the existing European Championships of cycling, gymnastics, rowing, swimming, triathlon and athletics are being brought together in one big event.

The athletics will be hosted by Berlin in Germany but all the other events will be held in Scotland.

In addition, there will also be a new mixed-gender team golf competition, which will take place at Gleneagles in Perthshire.

What is happening in Glasgow?

Max Whitlock will return to the SSE Hydro for the championships

Scotland will host six events - aquatics, cycling, golf, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon.

These will mostly be held in Glasgow and will use some of the locations built for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The track cycling will take place in the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, the swimming at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre and the mountain biking at the Cathkin Braes trails.

Glasgow city centre will host the road race cycling and the Scotstoun Sports Campus will be the venue for the synchronised swimming.

The new Olympic-standard BMX track in Knightswood Park will be used for BMX biking events.

All the gymnastics will take place at the SSE Hydro.

What is happening outside Glasgow?

Strathclyde Park will be the venue for the triathlon and the rowing

Strathclyde Country Park, near Motherwell, is the venue for the European Rowing Championships and the European Triathlon Championships.

The diving events take place at the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh while the open water swimming will be held in Loch Lomond.

The golf competition takes place at Gleneagles in Perthshire.

How do I buy tickets?

Tickets are still available for most events. At Glasgow 2014, there was a ballot for tickets but these events are available online on a first-come-first-served basis.

What athletes will be there?

The golf event will take place at Gleneagles in Perthshire

Organisers say about 3,000 athletes are expected to travel to Scotland for the championships.

Big names expected to compete include Olympic and world champion swimmer Adam Peaty, alongside Commonwealth Games medallists Hannah Miley, Ross Murdoch and Duncan Scott.

Cycling track stars will include John Archibald, Katie Archibald, Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny.

In the gymnastics, Olympic champion Max Whitlock and two-time European bars champion Becky Downie will be among the stars.

The golf event will see players from 15 countries compete for medals on behalf of their nations in the inaugural European Golf Team Championships at Gleneagles.

Richie Ramsay, Catriona Matthew, Lee Slattery and Laura Davies are among some of the British golfers set to compete.

When is the opening ceremony?

The opening party will feature the Ayoub Sisters

The Great Big Opening Party takes place on Wednesday 1 August in Glasgow's George Square.

It will feature performances from Nina Nesbitt, The Ayoub Sisters, Sacred Paws, and C Duncan.

Anything else going on?

Artist's visualisation of the George Square cultural festival

A separate cultural programme featuring live music, circus, dance, theatre and visual art will run alongside the sporting action.

All Glasgow pubs, clubs, restaurants and hotels will be able to open for an extra hour during the championships.

Will the sports be on TV?

Gabby Logan, Hazel Irvine and Clare Balding will lead the television coverage

The BBC will broadcast the European Championships across its television, radio and online platforms.

Hazel Irvine, Clare Balding and Gabby Logan will lead up to 12 hours of daily TV coverage across BBC One and BBC Two.

BBC Sport's digital service will provide video streams, highlights, on-demand clips, a dedicated live text page and news stories on the website and app.

BBC Radio 5 live will be live throughout the event.