On 30 May 2026, Monaco will become the capital of athletics for Europe’s small states. The Principality will host the sixth edition of the European Challenger Championships (ECC), the athletics championships for the Small States of Europe, organised under the auspices of the Athletics Association of Small States of Europe (AASSE) with the support of European Athletics.
Created in 2016, the tournament was designed as an international platform for small European countries, enabling their athletes to compete at a high level and achieve qualifying standards for the world’s major sporting events, including the European Championships, the World Championships and the Olympic Games. Over the years, the competition has gradually secured an important place in the European sporting calendar.
For Monaco, hosting the European Challenger Championships carries particular significance. The Principality has long played a prominent role in the development of international athletics, notably thanks to the Meeting Herculis EBS competition. Organisers emphasise that the format of the 2026 tournament was developed together with the participating federations and adapted to Monaco’s sporting calendar. All events will take place over a single day.
Nearly 300 athletes and around 100 coaches from 17 European countries are expected to participate. Representatives from Andorra, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Georgia, Gibraltar, Iceland, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Moldova, Malta, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino and Monaco will travel to the Principality. The Vatican will also participate as a guest entrant outside the official standings.
The European Challenger Championships – Monaco 2026 programme will feature 26 athletics disciplines, including track events, jumps and throws. Organisers promise a rich and spectacular programme for both the Monaco public and the international audience.
The tournament plays an important role not only in terms of sporting results, but also as a platform for the international visibility of Europe’s small states, which often remain less represented on the global sporting stage. The competition promotes the values of diversity, cooperation and sporting excellence.
Particular attention will be drawn to the tournament through the participation of distinguished guests, including Prince Albert II of Monaco, the President of European Athletics and the President of the Athletics Association of Small States of Europe.
Around 200 volunteers will be involved in organising the competition. They will be responsible for welcoming delegations, logistics, athlete support and the technical management of the tournament. According to the organisers, this will once again demonstrate the ability of the Monaco Athletics Federation to host international sporting events at the highest level.
The championships will also receive television coverage, with a live broadcast from 17:00 to 19:00 on TVMonaco, ensuring international visibility for both the event and its participants.
For Monaco, the European Challenger Championships 2026 will also serve as a strategic rehearsal ahead of the 2027 Games of the Small States of Europe. The tournament will make it possible to test the organisational, logistical and operational systems that will later be deployed during the larger-scale sporting event.
