Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships 2026
The Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships 2026 head to Varna, Bulgaria from 27-31 May, bringing together Europe's top rhythmic gymnasts for one of the key events of the season. Fans can watch the final two days of competition live and free on Eurovision Sport.
Event Facts:
- Location: Varna, Bulgaria
- Dates: 27-31 May 2026
- Streaming: Finals (30-31 May) live and free on Eurovision Sport
- Disciplines: Senior Individual All-Around & Apparatus Finals (Hoop, Ball, Clubs, Ribbon), Senior Group Apparatus and Junior Individual Apparatus Hoop, Ball, Clubs, Ribbon
- Qualification Pathway: Serves as a qualification event for the 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Frankfurt
European Rhythmic Gymnastics Schedule
All times listed below are in local Varna time (EEST) and are subject to change. Eurovision Sport will stream Saturday & Sunday's finals sessions live.
| Date | Session |
|---|---|
| Saturday 30th May | 10:00 - Senior All-Around Final (Hoop, Ball) |
| 12:25 - Senior All-Around Final (Clubs, Ribbon) | |
| Sunday 31st May | 12:00 - Senior Individuals Hoop & Ball Finals |
| 13:20 - Senior Individuals Clubs & Ribbon Finals | |
| 16:00 - Senior Groups 5 Balls Final | |
| 16:50 - Senior Groups 3 Hoops & 2 Pairs of Clubs Final |
Recap: Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships 2025, Tallinn
The 2025 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships were held from 4-8 June 2025 at the Unibet Arena in Tallinn, Estonia, and delivered a defining set of results across both individual and group competitions, with several nations asserting themselves ahead of the new Olympic cycle. Italy emerged as the standout nation in the team standings, securing the team gold medal through consistent performances across the individual events.
In the individual competition, Ukraine's Taisiia Onofriichuk claimed the all-around title, marking a major breakthrough on the senior European stage.
Bulgaria's Stiliana Nikolova was one of the dominant individual performers of the championships, winning three apparatus gold medals (Hoop, Ball and Clubs), and silver in the individual all-around; reinforcing her status as one of Europe's leading rhythmic gymnasts heading into 2026.
In the group events, Spain delivered a clean sweep, winning all three senior group finals, underlining their strength, precision, and cohesion across the group disciplines. Israel claimed silver in the senior all-around competition, with Hungary achieving bronze, while France secured silver and Italy bronze in the 5 Ribbons final. In the 3 Balls & 2 Hoops final, Ukraine won silver and Germany took bronze, underlining the depth and competitiveness across the European group field.
What to Expect from the 2026 European Championships in Varna
Varna, a coastal city on the Black Sea, provides a fitting backdrop for the championships. Bulgaria has a rich history in rhythmic gymnastics, consistently producing Olympic and world champions, and the home crowd is expected to create a strong atmosphere throughout the competition.
The 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships will take place at the Palace of Culture and Sports in Varna, one of Bulgaria's best-known indoor sporting venues. The venue is particularly familiar to rhythmic gymnastics fans, having previously hosted the 1987 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships and the 2021 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships.
This year's event also carries added significance as a qualification route to the 2026 World Championships in Frankfurt, raising the stakes for individuals aiming to secure their place later in the season.
It is also worth noting that the Dutch team will not participate due to a registration error, impacting the overall field and opening opportunities for other nations to step into the spotlight.
Best Gymnasts to Watch in Varna
The 2026 European Championships field features Olympic medallists, reigning European champions, and some of the biggest names in rhythmic gymnastics. Several of the sport's leading stars have already been confirmed for Varna.
Stiliana Nikolova (BUL)
Home favourite Stiliana Nikolova arrives in Varna as one of the headline names of the championships. The Bulgarian star is the 2024 European all-around champion and won three apparatus gold medals at the 2025 European Championships in Tallinn (Hoop, Ball and Clubs).
Known for her exceptional execution and high-difficulty routines, Nikolova consistently scores among the highest in Europe across hoop, ball, clubs, and ribbon.
Taisiia Onofriichuk (UKR)
Ukraine's Taisiia Onofriichuk enters the championships as the reigning European all-around champion after her breakthrough victory in Tallinn in 2025, where she became the first Ukrainian gymnast in almost 30 years to win the European all-around title. She has already collected multiple World Cup medals during the 2026 season including two all-around golds and 4 golds across Hoop, Ball and Ribbon.
Sofia Raffaeli (ITA)
Italy's Sofia Raffaeli remains one of the most recognisable athletes in rhythmic gymnastics and continues to be a major medal contender at every international event. The Italian star has built a reputation for combining expressive artistry with elite-level difficulty. She won the all-around title at the 2022 World Championships and helped Italy to win the Team title at last year's European Championships (2025). Her consistency across all apparatus makes her a serious challenger in both the all-around and individual finals.
Darja Varfolomeev (GER)
Germany's Darja Varfolomeev remains one of the sport's defining figures after becoming the 2025 World all-around champion and the 2024 Olympic all-around champion earlier in the Olympic cycle. She made history by becoming Germany's first rhythmic gymnastics world all-around champion in nearly five decades.
Varfolomeev continues to deliver some of the highest difficulty scores in the world, particularly on ribbon and clubs. At the 2025 European Championships she retained the ribbon title.
Watch Gymnastics Live on Eurovision Sport
Fans can watch the Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships 2026 finals live and free on Eurovision Sport (30-31 May), subject to broadcast restrictions, alongside a wide range of world-class gymnastics events.
More gymnastics available to stream include:
- FIG Apparatus World Cup
- Artistic Gymnastics World Championships
- Junior Artistic Gymnastics Championships
- Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships
- Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships
Stream live events, full replays, and highlights anytime on Eurovision Sport.