02.03.2026
Jyväskylä bids to host the 2028 European Youth Table Tennis Championships
The Finnish Table Tennis Association has submitted a bid to host the 2028 European Youth Championships in Jyväskylä. If awarded to Central Finland, the event would bring Europe’s best under-15 and under-19 table tennis players to the new Hippos sports centre in July 2028.
The European Youth Championships are expected to attract approximately 600 players from more than 40 European countries. Over ten days, the tournament will determine continental champions in singles and doubles competitions in two age categories, as well as in team events. The Executive Board of the European Table Tennis Union will decide on the host country in July in Portugal.
If successful, the event would represent a major investment for the Finnish Table Tennis Association. The current estimated event budget is approximately €1.2 million. Jyväskylä’s bid emphasised competition-standard training and event facilities, as well as accommodation, catering, transport and other supporting services.
“We held discussions with nine different cities, so the level of interest in hosting the event was considerable. We conducted a thorough assessment of six cities. In the end, Jyväskylä offered the strongest overall package, and the new Hippos centre, scheduled for completion in 2027, will provide exceptionally impressive facilities,” says Henri Pelkonen, Executive Director of the Finnish Table Tennis Association, who led the host city evaluation process.
The decision to pursue the championships in Jyväskylä was also warmly welcomed in Finland’s capital of sport.
“The new Hippos centre in Jyväskylä will offer modern, versatile, international-level facilities for the European Championships, serving athletes, teams and spectators alike,” says Emmi Hyvönen, Communications Director of the City of Jyväskylä.
Bidding for the European Championships further strengthens Jyväskylä’s position as one of the most attractive hubs for sport, physical activity and health in the Nordic countries.
“Encouraging young athletes is particularly important to us. The event would reinforce the city’s role as a host of international sporting events and give young players the opportunity to shine in the best possible conditions. We are very much looking forward to welcoming young table tennis stars, their support teams and international guests to Jyväskylä,” Hyvönen adds.
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Source: Press release of the city of Jyväskylä, 27.2.2026; https://www.jyvaskyla.fi/uutinen/2026-02-27_jyvaskylaan-haetaan-poytatenniksen-junioreiden-em-kisoja-2028
Further information:
Emmi Hyvönen
Communications Director, City of Jyväskylä
emmi.hyvonen@jyvaskyla.fi
+358 50 312 5370
Henri Pelkonen
Executive Director, Finnish Table Tennis Association
henri.pelkonen@sptl.fi
+358 40 537 1449
Picture: PES-Arkkitehdit Oy