Aachen has been named as the main 2026 equestrian World Championships venue – as Burghley loses its bid to host the eventing.
It was confirmed during an FEI board meeting, at the FEI General Assembly on 18 November, that the showjumping, dressage, para dressage, eventing, driving and vaulting World Championships will be held in Aachen, Germany, from 10–23 August 2026. Al Ula in Saudi Arabia will host the endurance on 17 October 2026.
In August, the FEI revealed the five shortlisted bidders across the disciplines: Aachen, which applied to host six disciplines; Burghley and the Netherlands’ Boekelo, which both applied to host the eventing; and Samorin, Slovakia and Al Ula, which both applied to host the endurance. Burghley had held the World Championships twice before, in 1966 and 1974. Aachen is known for its summer CHIO, and the venue held the 2006 World Equestrian Games.
FEI president Ingmar de Vos said the allocation is a “significant decision for the future of equestrian sport”.
“We examined every aspect of the bids we received and especially the sporting infrastructures, the conditions for the horses, accessibility and sustainability. The FEI is delighted to have secured such outstanding hosts for our most prestigious championships three years in advance, which allows plenty of time for preparation and planning,” he said.
“I would like to congratulate the winners, who submitted outstanding bids. We are all well aware of Aachen’s unique track record of organising extremely successful large-scale events. We were impressed with Al Ula’s proposal, which not only contains all the components of a successful event, but seeks to showcase the heritage and potential of an entire region.”
Mr de Vos thanked all organisers who took part in the process, for their “strong bids and commitment to the sport”.
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“It was not easy to choose between such strong bids. We hope that those who didn’t get it this time will consider bidding for future events,” he said.
CHIO Aachen general manager Michael Mronz thanked the FEI for its “trust”, and said the venue “feels honoured” to host the championships with the German equestrian federation.
“We would like to invite the world of equestrian sport to Aachen so that we can celebrate an unforgettable event together in 2026,” he said.
Former Burghley course-designer Captain Mark Phillips told H&H: “I think it’s sad that in 2022 the FEI went down a devolved route with different disciplines being at different venues, which worked really well for television audiences, because it meant it wasn’t an overdose of equestrian television over a short period of time. After one World Games the FEI has gone back to allocating it all to one venue.”
Al Ula named as 2026 equestrian World Championships venue for endurance
An FEI spokesman said Al Ula is undergoing “spectacular development as a nature, cultural, education and sporting centre”, and the venue is home to the annual Fursan Endurance Cup.
“The Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation (SAEF) and the Royal Commission for Al Ula have collaborated to secure this honourable hosting opportunity,” said SAEF president HH Prince Abdullah Bin Fahad Al Saud.
“This responsibility weighs greatly upon us, and we are confident that Al Ula will deliver an authentic and unprecedented sporting experience within a unique and fascinating context.”
It was also decided at the board meeting that Samorin will host the 2025 European Dressage Championships, from 28–31 August. The endurance Euros will run at Castiglione del Lago, Italy on 6 September 2025, and the vaulting at Stadl Paura, Austria, from 30 July– 3 August 2025. The driving will take place in Lähden, Germany – around the end of August/beginning of September, with the date to be confirmed.
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
