2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships

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The 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships will be held May 27 – 31, 2026, in Varna, Bulgaria.

The tournament is organized by European Gymnastics (a continental union that represents the interests of Europe in the International Gymnastics Federation) in collaboration with the Bulgarian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation.

Venue, Competitors’ Structure, and Prize Pool Overview for the 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships

The 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships will take place at the Palace of Culture and Sports, the complex of three indoor sports halls in the city on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast.

A record-breaking 42 national federations have registered for the event. The competition will feature:

• 101 Senior individual gymnasts
• 134 Junior individual gymnasts
• 26 Senior groups

Specific total prize money figures for the 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships haven’t been publicly disclosed by European Gymnastics yet. However, for similar premier Rhythmic Gymnastics events (like the European Cup), distribution typically follows a structured format for top finishers:

• Individuals: Top earners can receive between €2,500 and €8,000 for podium finishes in specific formats, such as “Cross Battles.”
• Groups: Winning teams often receive approximately €10,000, with smaller amounts for silver and bronze.

Participating Teams & Gymnasts in the 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships and Qualification Overview

The federations confirmed for the tournament in Varna include major contenders: Bulgaria (host), Italy, Israel, Germany, Spain, and Ukraine.

Full member list: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Great Britain, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, North Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, Slovakia, Sweden, and Turkey.

Neutral athletes: Gymnasts from Russia and Belarus are permitted to compete as “Authorized Neutral Athletes” under a neutral flag, as of January 1, 2026.

While full nominative lists are typically finalized closer to the event, several top-ranked gymnasts are expected to star based on recent international standings:

• Darja Varfolomeev (GER): The reigning World and Olympic champion.
• Stiliana Nikolova (BUL): A multiple European gold medalist and top local favorite.
• Taisiia Onofriichuk (UKR): Recent individual all-around winner at the 2025 European Championships.
• Sofia Raffaeli (ITA): A consistent podium finisher in European and World series.
• Margarita Kolosov (GER) and Anastasia Simakova (GER).

The European Championships are open to gymnasts from all member federations of European Gymnastics:

1. Federation eligibility: National federations in good standing with European Gymnastics can register a maximum of two to three senior individual gymnasts and one group.
2. Athlete requirements: Gymnasts must hold the nationality of the country they represent and possess a valid FIG (International Gymnastics Federation) license.
3. National selection: Each country uses its own internal selection policy to choose specific athletes. For example, British Gymnastics requires gymnasts to compete in designated selection events and meet specific performance standards in the build-up to the tournament.
4. Age limits: Senior gymnasts must turn at least 16 years old in the year of competition (born 2010 or earlier), while Juniors are typically aged 13–15.

Structure and Competition Format of the 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships

The 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships follow a multi-stage progression. The competition is divided into three primary phases: qualifications, all-around finals, and apparatus finals.

Unlike head-to-head “best-of” matches common in other sports, rhythmic gymnastics uses a score-based ranking system.

• Qualification system:
  • Senior individuals: Each gymnast performs routines with different apparatus. For the All-Around final, their three highest scores are typically summed to determine their rank. Only the top 24 gymnasts (a maximum of two per country) advance to the all-around final.
  • Apparatus finals: The top 8 gymnasts on each specific apparatus advance to the finals for that discipline (max two per country).
• Performance structure:
  • Individual routines last between 75 and 90 seconds.
  • Group routines last between 2:15 and 2:30 minutes.
  • Groups perform two distinct exercises: one with five of the same apparatus (e.g., 5 balls) and one with a mixed set (e.g., 3 hoops and 2 pairs of clubs).
• Elimination: There’s no “knockout” bracket in the European Championships format. Instead, gymnasts are eliminated if they fail to rank within the top scoring thresholds (top 24 for all-around or top 8 for individual apparatus) during the qualification phase.

Favorites in the 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships, Betting Options, and Where to Watch

The 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships feature several world-class favorites competing in Varna. Top contenders for the podium include established champions and rising stars who have dominated the early 2026 season:

• Stiliana Nikolova (BUL): The home favorite, she’s currently in peak form, recently leading qualifications at the 2026 Sofia World Cup.
• Darja Varfolomeev (GER): The reigning World and Olympic champion remains a top-tier threat across all apparatus.
• Taisiia Onofriichuk (UKR): A strong European contender who recently showcased gold-medal form at the Grand Prix Thiais 2026.
• Alina Harnasko (ANA): Competing as an Authorized Neutral Athlete, she recently won the all-around title at the Grand Prix Thiais 2026 in April.
• Sofia Raffaeli (ITA): A consistent podium finisher expected to lead the Italian challenge.

While rhythmic gymnastics is a niche betting market, major international sportsbooks offer several ways to engage. You can check a comprehensive betting sites rating to find platforms that cover gymnastics events.

Most popular betting markets:

• Outright winner: A straightforward bet on which gymnast or national group will win the gold medal.
• Podium/place betting: Wagering on an athlete to finish in the top 3 or top 8 (making the finals).
• Head-to-head (matchups): Betting on which of two specific gymnasts will achieve a higher final rank, regardless of their overall position in the tournament.
• Total points (over/under): Predicting whether a gymnast’s total score (e.g., out of 80 for the all-around) will be above or below a specific number set by the bookmaker.

Reputable global operators known for offering coverage of gymnastics include bet365 and 1xBet, both of which provide extensive pre-match and live betting lines.

The tournament will be widely available through both free and premium streaming services:

• Eurovision Sport: The primary platform for free-to-air coverage of the finals across Europe.
• GymTV.online: The official streaming service of European Gymnastics, typically offering pay-per-view packages for full coverage of both qualifications and finals.
• National broadcasters: Major networks like BBC Sport in the UK often provide live coverage via iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

Pros & Cons of Favorites in the 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships

Here are the pros and cons for the top contenders heading into the 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championships in Varna. These insights reflect their current form following the 2026 World Cup series and Grand Prix events.