Europe Triathlon is thrilled to announce that the 2026 Europe Triathlon Youth Festival Championships will be hosted in the city of Melilla, Spain. Known for its passion for sport and its dedication to triathlon development, Melilla will welcome the continent’s top young athletes for a unique celebration of talent, competition, and community.
A Home for the Future of Triathlon
The Youth Festival format has become a cornerstone of Europe Triathlon’s commitment to developing the next generation. Featuring individual and mixed team relay events, as well as educational and cultural activities, the championships provide young athletes with a high-level international experience early in their careers.
Marc D’hooge, President of Europe Triathlon, expressed his enthusiasm: “We are proud to bring the Youth Festival Championships to Melilla in 2026. The city has consistently demonstrated its dedication to our sport, hosting major events with excellence and passion. This championship is about more than competition — it’s about inspiring the next generation, building friendships, and celebrating the values of triathlon. Melilla offers the perfect environment for that mission.”
José Hidalgo, President of the Spanish Triathlon Federation, added: “Melilla es, sin duda, una de las ciudades más comprometidas con el desarrollo del triatlón europeo. Así lo atestiguan sus más de 10 años organizando una Copa de Europa y apostando por el triatlón de nuestro continente. Igualmente, en este año, la organización del Campeonato de Europa Sprint ha sido otro paso adelante de la Ciudad Autónoma de Melilla para seguir impulsando nuestro deporte. Y que el año que viene organice el Youth Festival creo que es la mejor noticia para todos. En primer lugar, para la Federación Europea, porque nuestros deportistas más jóvenes van a conocer, disfrutar y vivir en primera persona el compromiso de una ciudad que vive para el triatlón. Y para Melilla, sin duda, es una forma más de su proyección internacional, de querer ser una ciudad conocida y reconocida en Europa como una de las ciudades que apuesta por el mundo del deporte en general y el triatlón en particular.”
Melilla: A Unique Sporting Destination
Located on the Mediterranean coast, Melilla has long demonstrated its dedication to triathlon — from more than a decade of hosting Europe Triathlon Cups to the successful organization of the 2024 Europe Triathlon Sprint Championships. With a stunning coastal course, warm hospitality, and strong institutional support, Melilla offers an ideal setting for this important development event.
The 2026 Youth Festival Championships will include:
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Youth individual championship races
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Mixed relay team events
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Development sessions and athlete education
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Cultural and social activities
More Than Just a Race
This event is more than a competition — it’s a chance for Europe’s young triathletes to connect, grow, and be inspired. It is also a moment for the sport to shine in a city that continues to prove its unwavering commitment to triathlon.
Full event details, including the official dates and qualification processes, will be announced soon.
Stay tuned as we head to Melilla in 2026— where the future of European triathlon takes shape.