FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 – Equestrian World Championship

Welcome Home – The Return of the Equestrian World Championship to Aachen

Aachen is the world capital of equestrian sports. Since 1924, the Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein (ALRV) has hosted the CHIO Aachen – the official world tournament of equestrian sports, held every July. In 2006, the World Equestrian Games took place in Aachen's Soers; all disciplines in one place for the first time, an organizational achievement in international equestrian sports that remains unsurpassed to this day. Twenty years later, the FEI World Championships return – and with them, the motto "Welcome Home". The event's logo reflects Aachen's identity, and the city is preparing for approximately 13 days of world-class competition.

Six Disciplines, 13 Days, One Stadium

From August 11 to 23, 2026, six disciplines will take place – five Olympic disciplines and Para-Equestrian:

• Jumping (August 18–23) – Warm-up, Speed Competition, two Championship rounds, and Individual Final
• Dressage (August 11–15) – Grand Prix Team, Grand Prix Special, Grand Prix Freestyle
• Eventing (August 13–16) – Dressage test, Cross-Country, Jumping
• Driving (August 20–23) – Dressage, Marathon, Obstacle Driving
• Vaulting (August 13–16) – Compulsory, Technical, and Freestyle tests, Pas de Deux, Team
• Para Dressage (August 19–23) – five Grades (I–V), Individual and Team, Freestyle Final

The Aachen Soers – The Equestrian Stadium of the World

The venue is the Allianz Park in Aachen's Soers, known as "the Soers". The ALRV's equestrian facility, with its main stadium (40,000 seats), Stadium 2, Stadium 3, as well as a dedicated Cross-Country course and Marathon course, is one of the largest equestrian facilities in Europe. The opening ceremony will feature over 250 horses on the grounds – a spectacle that the FEI has announced as "spectacular equestrian displays". The traditional Soers Cross-Country course is being refurbished for the Eventing competition.

The Economic and Cultural Dimension

Around 650 athletes from 35 nations, approximately 800 horses, over 4,500 volunteers over the 13 days – the World Championship is not only a sporting event but also a social occasion for the entire Aachen region and the tri-border area (Germany, Netherlands, Belgium). Complementing the event, the city of Aachen is presenting the cultural program "Aachen WM Special" in the city center between the Markt, Katschhof, and Münsterplatz, featuring concerts, food markets, and an augmented reality art route.

Aachen, Equestrian Sports, and World Heritage

Aachen is an independent city in western North Rhine-Westphalia, located in the tri-border area with the Netherlands and Belgium. Charlemagne made the city his imperial residence; Aachen Cathedral has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1978. In sports, the city of Charlemagne and emperors stands for equestrian sports: no other place in the world has developed such a continuous equestrian identity over decades as the Soers. The 2026 World Championship is further proof of this special status.