Extra seats for European Athletics as weekend evening sessions sell out

Extra seating is to be added at the Alexander Stadium for this summer's European Athletics Championships, after demand for tickets exceeded all expectations.

Organisers said on 26 February that tickets for the Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening sessions had already sold out, and that many other sessions were close to capacity.

Back on sale

Additional temporary seating structures will be installed at the stadium in Perry Barr. With the extra capacity, every session was due to go back on general sale at 10am on Wednesday 4 March, with a 24-hour pre-sale for registered fans on Monday 2 March through the official Birmingham 2026 website.

The championships run from 10 to 16 August 2026 and will be the first time the UK has hosted the event. Athletes from across Europe will compete for continental titles, and Great Britain and Northern Ireland go into the championships as the most successful nation in their history.

"The noise"

"Anyone who raced here during the 2022 summer will never forget the noise. When a full stadium gets behind British athletes, the atmosphere is electric," said British sprinter Zharnel Hughes, who competed at the stadium during the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

"Knowing the stands will be even bigger next August is incredible. UK fans are the best in the world, and I can't wait to feel that roar again at the European Championships," he said.

Councillor Sharon Thompson, Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council, described the Alexander Stadium as "the UK's largest dedicated athletics venue".

"It is championship year, and this year Birmingham is looking forward to giving a warm Brummie welcome to everyone," she said.

Cherry Alexander, Championship Director for Birmingham 2026, said it was "incredibly exciting" to be able to open up more seats, and that thousands more people would now be able to be part of "an unforgettable, history-making week of athletics".

Organisers say the class of 2026 promises another memorable medal haul, and that the championships are a chance for fans to see some of the best athletes on the planet on their doorstep.

A stadium built for big events

The Alexander Stadium was redeveloped for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, with a permanent capacity increase and new facilities. Temporary stands like the ones now being added are a common way of expanding athletics venues for major championships, then removing them afterwards.

The European Championships are the centrepiece of a busy summer at the stadium, which also hosts the UK Athletics Championships in June. They are also the first of a series of major events planned for the city, with the Invictus Games due in 2027.