2026 European Athletics Championships: dates, schedule and how to watch
Find the Birmingham 2026 dates, venue, major finals, athletes to follow and the best way to check live coverage in your country.
When and where are the championships?
Competition begins Monday, August 10, and ends Sunday, August 16, 2026. European Athletics and British Athletics both list Birmingham as the host, making this the first European Athletics Championships staged in the United Kingdom.
Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr is the main venue. The championships combine stadium sessions with road events in Birmingham, so spectators should confirm the venue shown on their ticket or the official timetable rather than assuming every event finishes inside the stadium.
- Dates: August 10–16, 2026.
- Main venue: Alexander Stadium, Birmingham.
- Duration: seven competition days.
- Scope: athletes representing more than 50 European nations.
What events are included?
The program covers the full outdoor championship range: 100m through long-distance track races, hurdles and steeplechase, high jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump, shot put, discus, hammer, javelin, decathlon, heptathlon, relays and road events.
The timetable is split into morning and evening sessions on most days. Finals appear throughout the week rather than only on the closing weekend, so fans interested in a specific discipline should use the official timetable instead of relying on a single daily start time.
Important finals to watch
The opening day already includes medal events, including the men's 5,000m and field-event finals. Sprint titles, hurdles, middle-distance races, jumps and throws are distributed across the following days, while the final weekend brings road events and major relay conclusions.
Schedules can be adjusted for operational or weather reasons. The safest approach is to confirm the session on the official Birmingham 2026 timetable on the day you plan to watch, especially for road races and qualification rounds.
Athletes and storylines
The entry lists bring together Olympic, world and European medalists across sprinting, endurance and field events. Pre-event coverage has highlighted stars such as pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis, 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson and hurdler Femke Bol among the names expected to draw major attention.
Final participation should be checked against official start lists. Selection, injuries and late withdrawals can change a field after promotional previews are published, so an athlete being advertised does not guarantee that they will start a particular round.
How to watch live
Television and streaming rights differ by territory. In the United Kingdom, coverage is available through the BBC; Athletics Ireland says viewers in Ireland can follow through RTÉ Sport and the RTÉ Player. Other European territories may use national broadcasters, Eurovision Sport, Eurosport or another local rights-holder.
Viewers elsewhere should open the official European Athletics live-stream page and their national federation's viewing guide. Some streams require a free account, and geographic restrictions can apply. Avoid assuming that a service listed for one country will work worldwide.
Birmingham time and time-zone conversions
Birmingham uses British Summer Time in August, which is UTC+1. A session at 7:00 p.m. in Birmingham is 2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 11:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time and 8:00 p.m. Central European Summer Time.
Daylight-saving rules differ, so use the date shown on the official timetable when converting. A calendar or world-clock app is more reliable than memorizing a fixed difference, particularly for viewers outside Europe and North America.
Tickets and attending in person
British Athletics lists tickets from £10 for adults and £5 for under-16s, subject to availability and session. Accessible seating is offered at Alexander Stadium and should be booked in advance so the organizer can meet wheelchair, companion or step-free requirements.
Use only the official Birmingham 2026 ticket site or an authorized seller. Check the session, date, seat category and event timetable before paying, because one ticket may cover only a specific morning or evening session rather than the entire day.
Frequently asked questions
When do the 2026 European Athletics Championships start?
They begin Monday, August 10, 2026, and run through Sunday, August 16.
Where are the championships being held?
The host city is Birmingham, United Kingdom. Alexander Stadium is the main venue, while some road events use city routes.
Can I watch the championships for free?
That depends on your country. The BBC carries UK coverage and RTÉ serves Ireland; other viewers should check European Athletics and their national broadcaster for local access and restrictions.
What time zone is Birmingham in during the event?
Birmingham is on British Summer Time, UTC+1, during August.
Where can I find the final start lists?
Use the official European Athletics event pages and live results close to each session, because entries can change after previews are published.
Sources
Primary and official references used for this guide:
Published August 8, 2026 · Reviewed for clarity and source accuracy.