Editor’s notes: The SPAR European Athletics Cross Country Championships, with the exception of WA Cross Country, are the biggest cross-country championship events in the world, in terms of federations and actual numbers.
European Athletics has also committed money and effort to building interest in the youngest demographic, with free streaming, engaging clips, and fun stories! RunBlogRun will embed the SPAR European XC Champs for our readers!
The 2026 SPAR European Cross Country Championships will be held in Belgrade, Serbia, on Sunday 13 December, marking the second time the event has returned to the Serbian capital since 2013.
The event is once again expected to attract the cream of continental distance running. Italy’s Nadia Battocletti is the defending champion in the women’s race, having won her second successive senior women’s race at Lagoa 2025.
Last year’s event also saw Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo stun world 10,000m champion Jimmy Gressier to win the senior men’s race.
To learn more about the SPAR European Athletics Cross-Country Championships, click here!
