European Athletics Championships: Birmingham to host event in 2026
- Published
Birmingham impressively hosted the Commonwealth Games earlier this year
Birmingham has been chosen to host the European Athletics Championships in 2026.
The renovated Alexander Stadium, which was used when the Commonwealth Games took place in the city earlier this year, will be the venue for the event.
It will be the first time the Championships have been held in the United Kingdom.
UK Athletics (UKA) chief executive Jack Buckner said it was "wonderful news for athletics".
He added: "UKA has held a long-time wish to deliver this event and we thank European Athletics for its faith in entrusting us with its most important competition.
"Our vision for the Championships is about record-breaking ticket sales and an amazing atmosphere for athletes to be inspired inside and outside the stadium.
"We have promised to deliver an amazing, innovative and game-changing Championships, and we're excited we can now put this plan into action."
Budapest, in Hungary, had been a rival to Birmingham to host the event in 2026 but pulled out.
"Hosting the European Athletics Championships will be a fantastic opportunity to build on the legacy of the Commonwealth Games earlier this year and I know the British public will get behind the athletes and create a brilliant atmosphere in the Alexander Stadium," said UK Sport chief executive Sally Munday.
"We've seen throughout 2022 the significant economic and social benefits of hosting big sporting events in this country and hosting this mega-event will deliver huge benefits for the city of Birmingham, the West Midlands region and the whole of the United Kingdom."
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