Tickets have already sold out for some sessions at the 2026 World Championships in Aachen, as organisers prepare for the biggest equestrian event since 2018.
The Aachen team revealed some details of the 13-day programme in an event to mark a year until the action kicks off, on 11 August. The venue hosted the World Equestrian Games in 2006, and the organisers said: “It’s time to say ‘Welcome home’.”
“We are very excited, and it’s a great honour for us to host the World Championships,” said Aachen president Stefanie Peters. “It’s 20 years after WEG; I think everybody’s still looking back and raving about that fantastic event. In 2026 we would again like to provide equestrian sport with the best possible stage such a great and global event deserves. Looking back to 100 years’ experience in hosting such events, I think this experience can really support us in having a successful FEI World Championships.
“This is what we’re working for. And of course, we would like also to give the experience to visitors, everybody who’s part of the championship, so they really go back home with an unforgettable moment.”
H&H reported after the last WEG, in 2018, that it might be the last joint World Championships for all FEI disciplines as there had been “no realistic bids”, so the FEI invited bids for individual disciplines. In 2022, the dressage, para dressage, jumping and vaulting were hosted by Herning, Denmark, and the eventing and driving by Pratoni Del Vivaro, Italy. Monpazier in France hosted the endurance event in 2024.
Two weeks of sport
Aachen will stage the dressage, eventing and vaulting in the first week, and the jumping, four-in-hand driving and para dressage in the second.
“We’re thrilled to be back with dressage in the main stadium,” said Aachen board member Birgit Rosenberg. “Everybody who remembers 2006 has the picture in mind of the floodlit night freestyle, it was very special, with a packed main arena; an atmosphere and number of spectators that’s quite unusual for dressage. And this will again be something we very much look forward to; freestyle night on Saturday, after a thrilling cross-country day.”
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The vaulting will run in the dressage arena, with a temporary roof and capacity for 6,500 spectators, where the para dressage will run the following week. The jumping will be in the main arena, the team final also under floodlights on the Friday, and the driving on the cross-country course.
The organisers said they are delighted to host the para dressage; there will be a test event for this next spring, and the discipline will be part of CHIO Aachen in future. Investment in the venue includes the extended cross-country course, used at last month’s CHIO.
Dennis Peiler of the German equestrian federation said the event is a major opportunity to promote equestrianism in the country.
“The connection between these championships and the theme of learning to ride, and so riding school horses, is of particular importance to us with a 100+ school horses initiative, the German federation and Aachen 2026 are committing to the future of riding schools in Germany,” he said. “The initiative offers perhaps the opportunity to receive funding. We want to create a spirit of optimism around the topic of horses, and to show that properly practised equestrian sport is fully aligned with horse welfare.”
There will be a major opening ceremony, involving “many horses, artists and performers”, and a quadrille of 64 stallions.
“Everybody who knows Aachen knows it stands also for fascinating shows and entertainment and it’s also a social event,” Ms Rosenberg said, adding that the team is committed to preparation, and ensuring horse welfare is at the forefront of all aspects of the event.
Aachen general manager Michael Mronz added that tickets have been sold to more than 40 countries – and the freestyle and the team and individual jumping finals have sold out.
“The good news is that exactly one year till the start, there are some tickets available,” he said. “But hurry up, if you want to join Aachen 2026.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
