After 28 Years, Spain Welcomes European Judo Back in Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is back on the European Judo map as the "Millennium Team" Cadet European Judo Championships 2026 begin in Spain. For Royal Spanish Judo Federation President Juan Carlos Barcos, the event marks a long-awaited return, with Spain hosting a European Championships again after almost three decades.

Barcos described the moment as a special one for Spanish Judo. His reaction reflects how significant this championship is, not only for the federation but also for the wider national Judo community.

According to Barcos, the path to bringing the event to Gran Canaria started three years ago during a visit from European Judo Union President Dr Tóth László. He had travelled to the island for the Spanish Championships, and a simple question helped spark a much bigger project: why not organise a European Championships there?

From that point, the work began. Barcos credited the support of the local authorities as a key reason the plan became reality, underlining that the championship’s return to Spain was built through cooperation over several years.

Spain’s wait to host a European Judo Championships is finally over.

Gran Canaria itself is also part of the story. Barcos spoke warmly about the island and said he believes visitors will leave with strong memories, not only from the competition area but also from the setting around it.

That combination gives this edition of the Cadet European Judo Championships a different kind of energy. It is not only about medals and performances on the tatami, but also about what it means for Spain to welcome a major continental Judo event again.

For young athletes arriving in Gran Canaria, the championship opens in a place that clearly means a lot to the hosts. For Spanish Judo, it feels like more than an event on the calendar. It feels like a return, a milestone, and a moment the federation has been working toward for years.

While the competition is only just getting underway, the significance of the location is already clear. After 28 years, Spain is once again staging a European Championships, and Gran Canaria is at the center of that new chapter.

Gran Canaria gives the Cadet Europeans a memorable setting.

The opening of the 2026 championship therefore carries both sporting and symbolic weight. For the organisers, for the federation, and for Spanish Judo, this is a moment that has been a long time coming.

Source: EJU.net