Birmingham to be named as European Athletics host city

Birmingham is set to be named as the host of the 2026 European Athletics Championships, according to reports.

Confirmation is expected imminently after Birmingham 's only rival, Budapest, informed European Athletics that it was withdrawing from the bidding process.

The news will come as another boost for the city on the back of this summer 's successful Commonwealth Games, when the refurbished Alexander Stadium attracted capacity crowds for athletics events.

However, according to media reports, the 2026 event will be a standalone athletics completion and not part of the wider multi-sport European Championships format that has previously been staged in Glasgow, Berlin and Munich.

The Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr staged the athletics as well as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The venue - which is also the headquarters of British Athletics - holds 18,000 spectators in its permanent configuration, with temporary seating raising the capacity to 30,000 for Birmingham 2022.

Henrietta Brealey, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “Just three months ago Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games closed with a joyous celebration of the region's musical heritage.

“While rather a lot has happened since, its pleasing to see legacy firmly on the agenda with world-class hosting of world-class sporting events forming part of the city's strategy to promote Birmingham as the brilliant place it is to live, work and invest."