The Netherlands secures the 2028 European BMX Championships for Papendal as part of the Dutch Cycling Festival and takes the next step towards the World Championships

As part of the Dutch Cycling Festival, a year-round programme positioning the Netherlands as the heart of international cycling in the Olympic year 2028, the country will host the 2028 European BMX Racing Championships at Sportcentrum Papendal. The announcement was made today during the UCI BMX Racing World Cup in Papendal. At the same time, the partners involved expressed their ambition to bring the UCI BMX Racing World Championships to the Netherlands within the next five years.

The European Championships will take place on Papendal’s BMX track, home to the Dutch national BMX teams and a long-standing venue on the international UCI BMX Racing World Cup calendar. The Netherlands has been among the world’s leading BMX nations for decades, with Olympic medals, world titles, and a strong international reputation for hosting elite sporting events.

The announcement was made during the UCI BMX Racing World Cup, where sporting excellence, organisational strength, and international ambition came together. The awarding of the European Championships marks not only an important milestone for Dutch BMX, but also for the continued development of international cycling events in the Netherlands.

A strong coalition behind the Dutch BMX ambition

The European BMX Championships are the result of close collaboration between public and private partners:

• KNWU (Royal Dutch Cycling Union) – celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2028 and using the Dutch Cycling Festival to deliver a strong international cycling events programme with social impact.
• Sportcentrum Papendal – the Netherlands’ national high-performance sports centre and home of Dutch BMX, featuring a UCI-certified track that has hosted twelve editions of the UCI BMX Racing World Cup.
• Province of Gelderland – partner and driving force behind elite sport and international events in the region.
• Municipality of Arnhem – host city and partner of the event.
• TIG Sports & Events – entrepreneurial and risk-bearing organiser of the European Championships and organiser of leading international sporting events in the Netherlands since 2004.

On the road to a BMX World Championships in the Netherlands

By securing the European Championships, the partners are taking an important step towards a long-term ambition: bringing the UCI BMX Racing World Championships to the Netherlands within the next five years.

With a world-class track, a national training centre, proven organisational expertise, and a strong international position within the sport, the Netherlands is well placed to host the world’s premier BMX event in the future.

Partner statements

Maurice Leeser, Managing Director of the KNWU

“The European BMX Racing Championships at Papendal will be a fantastic addition to the Dutch Cycling Festival during the KNWU’s centenary year in 2028. The collaboration with the Province of Gelderland, Gelderland Sports Federation, Sportcentrum Papendal, and TIG Sports & Events has made it possible to bring this championship to the Netherlands. Papendal has been a home for Dutch and international BMX for many years and is therefore the perfect venue for this event. Together, we want to inspire children and young people to get on their bikes through the power of elite sport.”

Willem Overdiep, Managing Director of TIG Sports & Events

“For TIG Sports & Events, bringing the European BMX Championships to Papendal is both a logical and ambitious next step. We have organised major international cycling events in the Netherlands for many years and know what it takes to deliver a championship of this calibre — from a sporting, organisational, and commercial perspective.

Together with our partners, we want to create an event that leaves a lasting impression on athletes, fans, and international federations. At the same time, we see the European Championships as an important step towards our ambition of bringing the BMX World Championships to the Netherlands in the future.”