Nearly 10,000 empty seats mar European Athletics opener in Birmingham

The European Athletics Championships came to Birmingham's Alexander Stadium on Monday for the first time in the event's 92-year history — but a significant portion of the 23,500-capacity venue sat empty on opening night, with attendance figures showing the stadium was only 56-59% full across the day's sessions.

Ticket prices draw criticism

Category A tickets on the home straight for Monday's sessions cost 150 pounds, with no concessions available for juniors. For Tuesday's men's 100m final the same seats were priced at 110 pounds — compared to a similar ticket at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome costing far less. BBC commentator Steve Cram remarked on air that spectators could not justify the prices.

Athletics supporters took to social media to describe the pricing as extortionate. Jenny Meadows, co-coach of world champion Keely Hodgkinson, posted that it was a shame some sessions could not fill the venue. Despite the criticism, Amy Hunt won the women's 100m final on Monday evening in a near-empty stadium, storming to her first senior international title at age 24.

Organiser response

Birmingham 2026 organisers said they were delighted with ticket sales, which had far surpassed targets, and that some final evening sessions were fully sold out. They attributed lower attendance during morning and afternoon sessions to typical patterns for major championships.

Context

The European Athletics Championships rotate across European cities. Birmingham's hosting is a prestige moment for UK athletics, but the controversy over prices risks overshadowing the sporting achievements. Follow the championships for results and highlights.