Limassol, Cyprus, will welcome the future of European karate as it hosts the 2026 EKF Cadet, Junior & U21 Championships from February 6 to 8. The event will take place at the Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center and will be the first continental championships of the year.
More than 1,200 young athletes from 47 European countries are expected to compete for the continental titles. Across 39 categories, champions will be crowned in the cadet, junior, and under 21 divisions. The championships continue to grow in size and quality, confirming their role as a key platform for the next generation of elite karate athletes in Europe.
Cyprus returns as host of an EKF age group continental championships after last welcoming the event in 2023 in Larnaca. The country has a long history of major karate events, having previously staged the championships in Limassol in 2016 and Nicosia in 2001. Cyprus has also been a regular destination for international karate competitions, including the Karate 1 Series A in Larnaca in 2023 and 2024, and the Karate 1 Youth League in Limassol in 2019, 2021, and 2022.
The previous edition of the EKF Cadet, Junior & U21 Championships was held in 2025 in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, where more than 1,100 athletes from 48 countries competed. Italy topped the medal table with 6 gold medals and 14 medals overall, followed by France with 6 golds and 11 medals, and Ukraine with 4 golds and 13 medals.
Fans around the world will be able to follow the action live, as the 2026 EKF Cadet, Junior & U21 Championships will be broadcast in full on the WKF YouTube channel.