Dafne Schippers Tournament Director European Indoor Athletics Championships 2025

Dafne Schippers (picture: BSR agency/ Joris Verwijst)

In exactly 365 days, the 2025 European Indoor Athletics Championships will begin, from 6 to 9 March, at the Omnisport in Apeldoorn. The organization announced today that none other than Dafne Schippers has been appointed as the tournament director. Another announcement is that ticket sales for this internationally highly regarded indoor athletics event, with the theme “Moving People,” will start at 9:00 AM today. The latest update is that, at the time of publication, all regular tickets for Saturday and Sunday night are already sold out.

Dafne Schippers is honored with her new role. In September 2023, the two-time world champion announced her retirement from top-level sport. Six months later, it’s time for her first big new challenge. Schippers will take on the role of tournament director for the 2025 European Indoor Athletics Championships.

Dafne Schippers said the following during the presentation: “How nice it is to have a tournament in your own country. It was great to finish on the highest podium at the Olympic stadium in 2016. I gave myself a year to discover what I want now and where I’m going to find new energy. I love staying in this world; athletics will always be my sport, so I really love that I can remain involved like this. It’s a huge honor. Half an hour’s drive from home, such a massive European Championship in my own country – I can’t say no to that. I’m really looking forward to it. As a child, I had to be dragged inside from playing outdoors, so I think it’s very important that kids are moving more now, and hopefully, I can contribute to that. I think that can improve a bit.”

Saturday and Sunday Nights Sold Out
The full program and ticket sales for the various sessions can be found on the tournament website. For four days, Omnisport will be packed with athletics competitions. Regular tickets for Saturday and Sunday nights are sold out. Stay tuned to our socials for ticket updates.

Social Commitment
In addition to the sporting highlights, the Social Activation Program (MAP) has also been launched. This program initiates various social activities related to the 2025 European Indoor Athletics Championships. A few examples include the FIRST Lego League, the Midwinter Marathon in collaboration with the Gelderland business community, and the implementation of 100% smoke-free athletics and running events.

Moving People
The organizing committee’s ambition is to create an unforgettable and inspiring event under the motto “Moving People.” The goal is to further promote the sport of athletics among both young and old.

“Moving people” is what we aim to achieve with EICH2025. Touching people with the wonderful qualities of athletics, the mother of all sports: being dynamic, pushing yourself to the limit, and performing as a team,” says Pieke de Zwart, General Director of the Athletics Union.

Sunita Biharie, Alderman for Sports of the Municipality of Apeldoorn: “We are extremely proud that the European Indoor Athletics Championships will take place here in Apeldoorn, at Omnisport, next year! Over the coming year, we will offer our residents many ways to enjoy the event. Athletics is incredibly versatile, and so will our program of side events. In addition to sports, we will also focus on cultural and social activities, engaging all the different target groups in our city.”

Helga Witjes, Deputy for Sports of the Province of Gelderland, sees many benefits in hosting such a large international tournament in the province.

“We look forward to welcoming Europe’s best athletes to our province in exactly one year’s time. A major international sporting event is so much more than just the performances of top athletes. It truly brings people together and creates joy. Through an extensive program of activities, we are encouraging our residents to get moving in the lead-up to the event. These activities are open to everyone. In this way, we are further establishing Gelderland as the sports province of the Netherlands.”