The Organising Committee Holds Coordination Meeting for the European Universities Combat Championships 2026

On 6 May 2026, at Hotel Opera in Tirana, the Albanian University Sports Federation held the next coordination meeting with the Organising Committee of the European Universities Combat Championships 2026, which will be organised in Tirana in cooperation with the European University Sports Association (EUSA).

The meeting focused on the progress made so far in the preparations, the division of responsibilities across functional areas, and the definition of the next steps for the organisation of this major international university event. During the meeting, discussions covered matters related to the sports programme — Taekwondo, Kickboxing, Karate and Judo — as well as accommodation, transport, accreditation, volunteers, communication, ceremonies, medical services, security, IT, and overall operational coordination.

The European Universities Combat Championships 2026 will take place in Tirana from 7 to 17 September 2026 and will include four sports disciplines: Judo, Karate, Taekwondo and Kickboxing. The event is expected to bring 1,500 participants from 400 universities and different European countries to Albania, turning Tirana into an important centre of European university sport.

During the meeting, the importance of a structured planning process was emphasised, with each sector of the Organising Committee expected to prepare its basic operational plan, key tasks, relevant deadlines, human and technical needs, as well as the main risks that must be addressed during the preparatory phase.

Special attention was given to coordination between the Albanian University Sports Federation, partner institutions, the relevant national sports federations, university structures and supporting partners, with the aim of ensuring an organisation in line with EUSA standards and the expectations of the participating delegations.

The participants also discussed the need for continuous and clear communication between all structures involved, as well as the importance of periodic progress reporting in each organisational area. In this framework, it was agreed that coordination meetings will continue on a regular basis, with a focus on monitoring tasks, deadlines and concrete preparations for the Championships.

Following this process, the Organising Committee will hold periodic coordination meetings in order to monitor progress, address organisational needs in a timely manner, and ensure a high-quality, inclusive and dignified organisation, in close cooperation with EUSA, public institutions, universities, sports federations and all partners involved in this process.