UWW to Host the European Championship in Armenia for the First Time

Yerevan will host the 2026 European Championships in grappling, pankration, and MMA under the auspices of United World Wrestling (UWW). This tournament will be the first UWW competition in history to take place in the capital of Armenia.

According to UWW’s official schedule, the European Championships will be held in two stages:

• European Grappling Championships for seniors, U20, U17, U15 athletes, and veterans — May 24–27, 2026 (Yerevan, Armenia);

• European Championships in MMA and Pankration for seniors, U20, U17, and U15 athletes — May 28–31, 2026 (Yerevan, Armenia).

It should be noted that UWW only began officially developing pankration and amateur MMA in 2025. The first tournament held under the organization’s banner took place in Serbia and had world championship status. Therefore, the first-ever European Championship in these disciplines will be held in Armenia.

Hosting such a large-scale multisport forum in Yerevan has come as an unexpected and truly high-profile event for Armenian sport, confirming UWW’s growing trust in the country as a host of top-level international competitions.