Sport

The 2026 European Swimming Championships start on 31 July!

Saint-Denis Aquatics Centre - Paris 2024 Games, Plaine Saulnier - 93200 Saint-Denis
From 31 July to 16 August 2026
Find out more in this article:
© Fédération Française de Natation
Championnats d’Europe de natation 2026 - Affiche
© FFN
Stade de France et Centre Aquatique Olympique de Saint-Denis vus du ciel
© Agence POP

The 2026 European Swimming Championships bring together the continent's elite in Paris for an exceptional competition combining performances, records and thrills

Paris will be the venue for the 2026 European Swimming Championships, a major event where the best swimmers on the continent will compete. On the programme: pool swimming, open water swimming, diving and artistic swimming, offering an exceptional aquatic spectacle. This competition promises intense moments, between records being broken and sporting exploits, all in a supercharged atmosphere. An event not to be missed for all those who are passionate about top-level swimming!
In addition to the Olympic Aquatic Centre of the Métropole du Grand Paris, the 2026 European Swimming Championships will also take place at the Bras de Grenelle in Port Debilly in the Saine, in Paris.
Due to the open-water swimming and 20-metre diving events at the 2026 European Swimming Championships, the Grenelle swimming area will be closed to the public from 1 to 9 August 2026
https://www.ffnatation.fr/evenements/championnats-deurope-2026-0
All public

🎯Schedule by event

📌Swimming

  • Venue: Olympic Aquatics Centre (Saint-Denis)
  • General dates: Monday 10 to Sunday 16 August 2026

🗓️ Key semi-finals and finals

  • Monday 10 August 2026: semi-finals (men’s 50m butterfly, women’s 100m freestyle, women’s 200m backstroke, men’s 100m breaststroke). Finals (Men’s 400m Individual Medley, Women’s and Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relays)
  • Tuesday 11 August 2026: semi-finals (Women’s 100m Breaststroke, Men’s 200m Backstroke, Women’s 50m Butterfly, Men’s 100m Freestyle). Finals (Women’s 200m backstroke, Men’s 50m butterfly, Women’s 100m freestyle, Men’s 100m breaststroke, Women’s 800m freestyle, Mixed 4x100m medley relay)
  • Wednesday 12 August 2026: semi-finals (Women’s 200m Freestyle, Men’s 200m Breaststroke, Women’s 50m Backstroke, Men’s 100m Butterfly). Finals (Men’s 200m backstroke, Women’s 50m butterfly, Men’s 100m freestyle, Women’s 100m breaststroke, Women’s 400m individual medley, Men’s 800m freestyle, Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay)
  • Thursday 13 August 2026: semi-finals (Men’s 200m freestyle, Women’s 100m butterfly, Men’s 50m backstroke, Women’s 200m breaststroke). Finals (Men’s 100m butterfly, Women’s 50m backstroke, Men’s 200m breaststroke, Women’s 200m freestyle, Men’s 4x100m freestyle relay)
  • Friday 14 August 2026: semi-finals (women’s 100m backstroke, men’s 50m breaststroke, women’s 50m freestyle, men’s 200m butterfly, women’s 200m individual medley). Finals (Women’s 100m butterfly, Men’s 200m freestyle, Women’s 200m breaststroke, Men’s 50m backstroke, Women’s 1500m freestyle, Mixed 4x100m freestyle relay)
  • Saturday 15 August 2026: semi-finals (Men’s 50m Freestyle, Women’s 50m Breaststroke, Women’s 200m Butterfly, Men’s 200m Individual Medley, Men’s 100m Backstroke). Finals (Men’s 200m butterfly, Women’s 50m freestyle, Men’s 50m breaststroke, Women’s 200m individual medley, Men’s 1500m freestyle, Women’s 100m backstroke, Mixed 4x200m freestyle relay)
  • Sunday 16 August 2026: direct finals (Men’s 50m Freestyle, Women’s 50m Breaststroke, Men’s 200m Individual Medley, Women’s 200m Butterfly, Men’s 100m Backstroke, Women’s and Men’s 400m Freestyle, Women’s and Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay)

📌Artistic swimming

  • Venue: Olympic Aquatics Centre (Saint-Denis)
  • General dates: from Friday 31 July to Wednesday 5 August 2026

🗓️ Heats and finals

  • Duet: heats (Free Duet) on 31 July 2026. Technical Duet final (31 July 2026). Mixed Free Duet and Free Duet finals (1 August 2026). Mixed Technical Duet final (2 August 2026)
  • Solo: preliminary rounds (Women’s Free Solo) on 1 August 2026. Men’s Technical Solo Final (31 July 2026). Women’s and Men’s Free Solo Finals (3 August 2026). Women’s Technical Solo Final (4 August 2026)
  • Team & Ballet: preliminary rounds (Team Free) on 2 August 2026. Team Free final (3 August 2026). Team Technical final (4 August 2026). Acrobatic Ballet final (5 August 2026)

📌Diving

  • Venue: Olympic Aquatics Centre (Saint-Denis)
  • General dates: from Friday 31 July to Thursday 6 August 2026

🗓️ Heats and finals

  • 1 m springboard: heats on 1 August (men) and 2 August 2026 (women). Finals on 1 August 2026 (men) and 2 August 2026 (women)
  • 3 m springboard: heats on 4 August 2026 (women) and 5 August 2026 (men). Finals on 4 August 2026 (women) and 5 August 2026 (men)
  • 10 m platform: heats on 3 August 2026 (women) and 6 August 2026 (men). Finals on 3 August 2026 (women) and 6 August 2026 (men)
  • Synchronised & Team Events: Mixed Team Final (31 July 2026). Women’s 10 m Synchronised Final (1 August 2026). Mixed 3 m Synchronised Final (2 August 2026). Men’s 3 m Synchronised Final (3 August 2026). Men’s 10 m Synchronised Final (4 August 2026). Mixed 10 m synchronised final (5 August 2026). Women’s 3 m synchronised final (6 August 2026)

📌High-flying diving

  • Venue: Bir-Hakeim Bridge, 15th and 16th arrondissements
  • General dates: Friday 7 and Saturday 8 August 2026

🗓️ Events

  • Women’s 20 m: heats on Friday 7 August 2026 (morning) and Saturday 8 August 2026 (morning)
  • Men’s 20 m: heats on Friday 7 August (afternoon) and Saturday 8 August 2026 (afternoon)

📌Open-water swimming

  • Venue: The Seine, around the Île aux Cygnes, 15th and 16th arrondissements
  • General dates: Tuesday 4 to Saturday 8 August 2026

🗓️ Heats and finals

  • 10 km: Tuesday 4 August 2026 (men in the morning, women in the afternoon)
  • 5 km: Wednesday 5 August 2026 (men in the morning, women in the evening)
  • 3 km knockout: Friday 7 August 2026 (women in the morning, men in the evening)
  • Mixed relay: Saturday 8 August 2026 (morning)

📍Must-see places around the Saint-Denis Olympic Aquatics Centre

Discover five must-see places around the Saint-Denis Olympic Aquatics Centre, ranging from culture and heritage to great spots to extend your visit to the north of Paris.

And to go even further in your exploration, check out all the points of interest, restaurants, cultural venues and places to go out located around the Saint-Denis Olympic Aquatics Centre on the interactive map

📍Things to do and see around the Bir Hakeim Bridge and Île aux Cygnes

As well as the events at the Olympic Aquatics Centre, the heart of Paris is buzzing with excitement for the European Swimming Championships. The Seine becomes a spectacular stage, hosting the open-water swimming event along the Grenelle branch, as well as high-diving from the Bir-Hakeim Bridge.

Between competition sessions, discover the must-see attractions in the neighbourhood, its iconic museums, its idyllic walks and its top dining spots.

Map

Map
Address
Plaine Saulnier
93200 Saint-Denis

❓Frequently asked questions

Where will the 2026 European Swimming Championships take place?

The 2026 European Swimming Championships will take place at two major venues: the Saint-Denis Olympic Aquatics Centre for the swimming, artistic swimming and diving events, and the River Seine in Paris, between the Bir-Hakeim Bridge and Île aux Cygnes, for open-water swimming and high-dive events. The choice of these iconic venues will showcase the legacy of the 2024 Olympic Games whilst offering a spectacular setting in the heart of the city. The event will mark the centenary of the competition by bringing together the continent’s elite athletes in world-class facilities and historic natural sites.

What is the programme for the 2026 European Swimming Championships?

The programme for the 2026 European Swimming Championships runs from 31 July to 16 August, beginning with artistic swimming and high-diving at the Saint-Denis Olympic Aquatics Centre. The competition continues with spectacular open-water swimming and high-diving events on the River Seine, near the Bir-Hakeim Bridge, from 4 to 8 August. Competitive swimming, the event’s flagship discipline, will bring this anniversary edition to a close, taking over the Olympic pool for a week of intense finals from 10 to 16 August. In total, Europe’s elite will be competing for medals across 80 events spread across these two iconic venues, offering a packed programme for water sports enthusiasts.

When are the French Swimming Championships in 2026?

The 2026 French Swimming Championships were held in Saint-Étienne, at the Raymond Sommet Olympic swimming pool, from Saturday 27 June to Thursday 2 July 2026. This major event for the nation’s elite served as the sole qualifying round for French swimmers hoping to secure their place at the European Championships in Paris-Saint-Denis, scheduled for August. Nearly 600 athletes, including star swimmer Léon Marchand, attempted to meet the qualifying standards set by the French Swimming Federation. The finals of this intense competition were broadcast live on the beIN SPORTS channels and the France.tv platform.

Will Léon Marchand be competing at the European Swimming Championships in Paris?

Léon Marchand has confirmed his participation in the 2026 European Swimming Championships in Paris and Saint-Denis from 10 to 16 August. Despite suffering a slight adductor strain during the French Championships in Saint-Étienne, the French Swimming Federation has reassured fans that he is in good shape for the event. The four-time Olympic champion is expected to compete in his favourite events, notably the 200m and 400m individual medley.

Ticketing: how do I book my tickets for the 2026 European Swimming Championships in Paris?

The official ticketing service for the 2026 European Swimming Championships is available on the French Swimming Federation’s website and via the Weezevent platform. Prices for the finals at the Olympic Aquatics Centre range from €29 to €68 on weekdays, and can reach €109 at weekends. For the open-water events around Île aux Cygnes, tickets have been available since June 2026.

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