This top-tier event in the international sports calendar could take place in June 2026.
The Executive Committee of Europe Triathlon has decided that Tarragona will host the 2026 European Triathlon Championships over the Olympic distance, a flagship event in the international sports calendar that could be held in June 2026. Europe Triathlon approved Tarragona’s bid in the first round of voting, unanimously. The organization of an event of this magnitude will include a full program of competitions featuring Elite, Age-Group (Sprint and Standard distance), and Para Triathlon categories, consolidating the city and the region’s commitment to high-level, inclusive triathlon.
The Port of Tarragona will serve as the epicenter of the competitions, as it offers a strategic location with strong logistics capacity, accessibility, and appeal for hosting large-scale international events.
The Catalan Government’s Minister for Sports, Berni Álvarez, stated: “The confirmation that Tarragona will host the 2026 European Triathlon Championships is wonderful news for the city, for Catalonia, and for sport. From the very first moment we received the proposal from the Catalan and Spanish Triathlon Federations, we knew it was an extraordinary opportunity. The venue is strategic, with ideal conditions to host an event of this level and, above all, with the commitment and enthusiasm of the City Council, the Port, and the rest of the institutions. This designation is the result of joint work and a firm commitment to promoting triathlon and positioning Tarragona as a European sporting benchmark. I am convinced that in 2026 we will experience a memorable event that will leave both a sporting and social legacy for years to come.”
Meanwhile, the City of Tarragona’s Councillor for Sports and Sports Tourism, Mario Soler, described hosting “this spectacular event” as “very exciting.” “It is excellent news for the city and for all of Catalonia. Tarragona’s sporting leadership is unstoppable,” he stressed. Soler added that “this sporting event will once again place Tarragona on the international sports map” and recalled that “it is a shared challenge that will become reality thanks to joint work between institutions and organizations.”
For Santiago J. Castellà, President of the Port Authority of Tarragona, it is a “source of pride” that the city, and particularly the Port’s urban surroundings, will host “a top-level sporting event” in 2026. “Our Port-City spaces have become one of the city’s main hubs for sporting activity. Every year we host major events, and now, with the European Triathlon Championships, we will be positioned internationally.” The Port President also highlighted the “close collaboration” of all institutions involved in the bid to ensure that “this milestone would come to Tarragona.”
José Hidalgo, President of the Spanish Triathlon Federation, said: “We are truly delighted that the European Federation has awarded Tarragona the most important European Championships of 2026. It will be a tremendously important year, as it also marks the beginning of the Olympic qualification period. Starting in our country, starting this qualification with the most important European Championship in Tarragona, is great news for our athletes and for FETRI. I can only thank the Catalan Government and Tarragona City Council for the support we received to present this bid. Without a doubt, we are starting with a major event, but from this foundation we want to continue building a major project that will make Tarragona and Catalonia a global reference in triathlon.”
Marc d’Hoodge, President of Europe Triathlon, declared: “For Europe Triathlon, it is an honor to award Tarragona the organization of the 2026 European Championships. The bid received unanimous support because it brings together everything we look for: an exceptional venue at the Port of Tarragona, a strong organizing committee, and a real commitment to inclusive triathlon—Elite, Age-Group Sprint and Standard, and Para Triathlon. We are convinced that in June 2026 we will witness a landmark championship that, at the start of a new Olympic cycle, will project Tarragona and Catalonia across Europe and leave a lasting sporting and social legacy.”
A Solid Organizing Committee
The Tarragona bid was led by the Spanish Triathlon Federation (FETRI) and supported institutionally by the City of Tarragona, the Catalan Government’s Department of Sports, the Port Authority of Tarragona, the Catalan Triathlon Federation, and the Spanish Sports Council (CSD), forming a solid Organizing Committee that Europe Triathlon assessed very positively.
In fact, FETRI’s experience in organizing major sporting events and in inter-institutional collaboration was a key factor in Tarragona ultimately being chosen as host city for the 2026 European Triathlon Championships, as it guarantees the logistical, sporting, and social success of the competition. The organization of this event is part of Tarragona’s strategic commitment to consolidating the city as a true international sports capital, recognized for hosting top-tier sporting events. Another of the main objectives is to foster the growth of triathlon in Catalonia and across Spain.