For the first time ever, the European Athletics Championships are taking place in the UK. Some of the continent's best athletes are heading to Birmingham -- the home of UK athletics -- for what promises to be a thrilling week of action.
Events will take place at Alexandra Stadium -- which previously hosted much of the 2022 Commonwealth Games -- and is the largest athletics stadium in the UK.
From hammer throw and long jump to pole vault and shot put, a wide range of athletics will be on display in the UK's second city.
A number of international stars will be present, including Swedish pole vault world record holder Mondo Duplantis and reigning 800m Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson.
When are the European Athletics Championships?
The European Athletics Championships 2026 will run from Aug. 10 until Aug. 16.
How to watch the European Athletics Championships in the UK:
The European Athletics Championships will be broadcast live on the BBC. The action will be shown across BBC One, BBC Two and iPlayer. Coverage begins at 10:30 a.m. BST on Aug. 10, on BBC Two.
What is the European Athletics Championships event schedule?
Monday, Aug. 10 -- Opening day
10:35 a.m. -- Women's shot put
10:40 a.m. -- Men's hammer throw
10:45 a.m. -- Men's 800m
11:25 a.m. -- Women's 100m
11:30 a.m. -- Men's long jump
11:55 a.m. -- Men's 400m
12:20 a.m. -- Men's hammer throw
12:35a.m. -- Women's 400m hurdles
12:40 a.m. -- Men's shot put
7:03 p.m. -- Women's shot put
7:10 p.m. -- Women's hammer throw
7:35 p.m. -- Women's 100m hurdles
7:55 p.m. -- Women's triple jump
8:10 p.m. -- Women's 100m
8:33 p.m. -- Men's shot put FINAL
8:38 p.m. -- Women's hammer throw
8:40 p.m. -- Men's 5000m FINAL
9:00 p.m. -- Women's 3000m steeplechase
9:40 p.m. -- Mixed 4x400m relay FINAL
9:50 p.m. -- Women's 100m FINAL
Tuesday, Aug. 11
10:33 a.m. -- Men's high jump
10:35 a.m. -- Men's discus throw
10:45 a.m. -- Women's 400m hurdles
11:15 a.m. -- Men's 100m
11:40 a.m. -- Men's 110m hurdles
12:00 p.m. -- Men's discus throw
12:05 p.m. -- Women's 800m
12:40 p.m. -- Men's 400m hurdles
7:05 p.m. -- Women's pole vault
7:10 p.m. -- Men's hammer throw FINAL
7:25 p.m. -- Women's 5000m FINAL
7:55 p.m. -- Women's 100m hurdles
8:16 p.m. -- Men's long jump FINAL
8:32 p.m. -- Men's 100m
9:00 p.m. -- Men's 400m
9:30 p.m. -- Women;s 100m hurdles FINAL
9:47 p.m. -- Men's 100m FINAL
Wednesday, Aug. 12
10:35 a.m. -- Men's decathlon 100m
10:40 a.m. -- Women's discus throw
11:05 a.m. -- Women's 400m
11:20 a.m. -- Men's decathlon long jump
11:40 a.m. -- Women's 200m
12:00 p.m. -- Women's discus throw
12:20 p.m. -- Men's 800m
12:40 p.m. -- Men's decathlon shot put
12:55 p.m. -- Men's 400m hurdles
7:05 p.m. -- Men's decathlon high jump
7:45 p.m. -- Women's hammer throw FINAL
7:55 p.m. -- Men's 110m hurdles
8:20 p.m. -- Women's 200m
8:40 p.m. -- Men's triple jump
8:50 p.m. -- Men's 400m FINAL
9:08 p.m. -- Women's hurdles FINAL
9:22 p.m. -- Men's decathlon 400m
9:47 p.m. -- Men's 110m hurdles FINAL
Thursday, Aug. 13
10:33 a.m. -- Men's decathlon 110m hurdles
10:55 a.m. -- Women's high jump
11:05 a.m. -- Men's 200m
11:20 a.m. -- Men's decathlon discus throw
11:30 a.m. -- Men's 3000m steeplechase
12:10 p.m. -- Women's 800m
12:25 p.m. -- Men's decathlon discus throw
12:45 p.m. -- Women's 400m
1:00 p.m. -- Men's decathlon pole vault
1:35 p.m. -- Men's javelin throw
1:45 p.m. -- Men's decathlon pole vault
2:55 p.m. -- Men's javelin throw
6:35 p.m. -- Men's decathlon javelin throw
7:35 p.m. -- Men's decathlon javelin throw
7:40 p.m. -- Women's triple jump FINAL
7:50 p.m. -- Women's pole vault FINAL
8:05 p.m. -- Men's 200m
8:29 p.m. -- Women's 3000m steeplechase FINAL
8:45 p.m. -- Men's discus throw FINAL
9:10 p.m. -- Men's decathlon 1500m FINAL
9:28 p.m. -- Men's 800m FINAL
9:50 p.m. -- Women's 200m FINAL
Friday, Aug. 14
10:35 a.m. -- Women's heptathlon 100m hurdles
10:40 a.m. -- Women's javelin throw
10:50 a.m. - Men's pole vault
11:05 a.m. -- Men's 4x400m relay
11:25 a.m. -- Women's heptathlon high jump
11:35 a.m. -- Women's 4x400m rela
12:00 p.m. -- Women's javelin throw
12:05 p.m. -- Men's 1500m
7:35 p.m. -- Women's heptathlon shot put
7:45 p.m. -- Women's 10,000m FINAL
8:00 p.m. -- Men's high jump FINAL
8:30 p.m. -- Women's discus throw FINAL
8:40 p.m. -- Men's 400m hurdles FINAL
8:55 p.m. -- Women's heptathlon 200m
9:25 p.m. -- Men's 200m FINAL
9:46 p.m. -- Women's 800m FINAL
Saturday, Aug. 15
07:30 a.m. -- Men's half marathon race walk FINAL, Women's half marathon race walk FINAL, Men's marathon race walk FINAL, Women's marathon race walk FINAL
10:35 a.m. -- Women's heptathlon long jump
11:50 a.m. -- Women's long jump
11:55 a.m. -- Women's heptathlon javelin throw
12:15 p.m. -- Women's 1500m
12:40 p.m. -- Women's 4x100m relay
1:00 p.m. -- Men's 4x100m relay
7:45 p.m. -- Women's heptathlon 800m FINAL
8:01 p.m. -- Men's javelin throw FINAL
8:07 p.m. -- Women's high jump FINAL
8:10 p.m. -- Women's 400m FINAL
8:17 p.m. -- Men's triple jump FINAL
8:25 p.m. -- Men's 10,000m FINAL
9:07 p.m. -- Men's 1500m FINAL
9:33 p.m. -- Men's 4x100m relay FINAL
9:48 p.m. -- Women's 4x100m relay FINAL
Sunday, Aug. 16 -- Final day
07:30 a.m. -- Women's marathon FINAL
08:10 a.m. -- Men's marathon FINAL
7:30 p.m. -- Men's pole vault FINAL
7:55 p.m. -- Women's javelin throw FINAL
8:05 p.m. -- Women's long jump FINAL
8:35 p.m. -- Mixed 4x100m relay FINAL
8:50 p.m. -- Men's 3000m steeplechase FINAL
9:13 p.m. -- Women's 1500m FINAL
9:33 p.m. -- Women's 4x400m relay FINAL
9:48 p.m. -- Men's 4x400m relay FINAL
Star athletes to watch out for:
A number of big names will be competing at the European Athletics Championships, including Olympic and world champions.
Among the stars are Team GB sprinter Dina Asher-Smith, heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, middle-distance runner Keely Hodgkinson, Swedish pole vault hero Mondo Duplantis, and Femke Bol of the Netherlands.
Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen hasn't yet raced at all in 2026, following surgery on his Achilles tendon in January, but his spokesperson has confirmed he will be running at the European Athletics Championships.
Other UK hopefuls include Matthew Hudson-Smith -- a local hero for whom one of the stands at the Alexandra Stadium is named after -- marathon runner Ellis Cross, long jumper Jazmin Sawyer and high jumper Joel Clarke-Khan.
Middle and long-distance runner Nadia Battocletti and long jumper Mattia Furlani of Italy are also notable names who will be appearing at the competition.
Why is Birmingham hosting the European Athletics Championships?
The second biggest city in the UK is also home to the biggest athletics stadium in the UK and is considered the home of UK athletics.
The Alexandra Stadium underwent a major renovation before hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and is an ideal venue for an athletics competition of this size.