Veterans Europeans 2026: EJU back on the hunt for a new host

Plans for the Veteran European Championships 2026 have hit an unexpected turn. The European Judo Union (EJU) has been formally notified by the French Judo Federation that it cannot host the event, which had been scheduled for Lormont.

That decision means the French federation has returned the organisational rights to the EJU. For veteran judoka, this kind of update can sting: travel, training blocks, and family schedules are often locked in well ahead of time. Still, the message from the organisers is that the championship is intended to remain part of the 2026 calendar.

The EJU says it is working to keep the event on track in 2026.

The EJU is now reviewing alternative hosts and potential venues. No replacement city or country has been confirmed yet, and the announcement does not include finalised dates. At this stage, it is a search-and-secure process—finding a place that can meet the demands of a European championship and do it within the planned timeframe.

As soon as a decision is made, the EJU will publish the new host location along with confirmed dates. Until then, athletes and teams are left in a holding pattern, waiting for the next official update. The EJU also apologised for any inconvenience caused by the change.

A new venue is being evaluated, but nothing is confirmed yet.

Veterans events are a big part of Europe’s judo community, and this announcement underlines how much work happens behind the scenes to make them possible. Now the focus shifts to finding the right solution—so the tatami is ready when 2026 comes around.

Source: EJU_News