From Mondo Duplantis to Mattia Furlani and to Jessica Schilder, Birmingham 2026 will be packed with star-studded names in the field.

After their success at the World Championships in Tokyo, some of Europe's finest field athletes are now setting their sights on the big event of 2026. The European Athletics Championships takes place at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham from August 10-16 and here are 10 stars set to compete.

Mondo Duplantis - pole vault 

Having already secured European gold medals in Berlin, Munich and Rome, Duplantis will be gunning for his fourth consecutive title next summer. The Swede looked immense this past season, going unbeaten and setting four world records in the space of seven months. That included a clearance of 6.30m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

In a recent interview with European Athletics, Duplantis also stated that he wants to light up the Alexander Stadium with a world record in Birmingham.

Even though the Swede will be the heavy favourite at the championships, watch out for Greece's Emmanouil Karalis, the world silver medallist who improved his personal best to 6.08m in 2025.

Mykolas Alekna - discus throw

Mykolas Alekna failed to top the world discus throw podium in Tokyo but he will likely be the favourite to regain his European title next summer. The Lithuanian improved his own world record not once but twice in 2025, recording respective marks of 74.89m and 75.56m in Ramona, USA.

Sweden's Daniel Ståhl, who beat Alekna to the gold medal in Japan, is a big championships performer and will no doubt give his rival challenges in Birmingham. Slovenia's Kristjan Čeh has a world title to his name and will also be one to watch. The home favourite will be Lawrence Okoye, who broke his own British record with 70.76m in Ramona.

Pedro Pichardo - triple jump

Pedro Pichardo left it late to secure his second consecutive world title in Tokyo but the Portuguese athlete recorded a mark 17.91m on his sixth jump, leapfrogging Italy's Andrea Dallavalle in the standings. That championships experience will make Pichardo tough to beat in Birmingham as he aims to regain his European title next year.

Dallavalle was so close to a world gold medal and might well fancy his chances of going one better next summer. Whoever gets the gold medal could come down to the form of Spain's Jordan Díaz, with the current Olympic and European champion boasting a personal best of 18.18m.

Mattia Furlani - long jump

It's been an incredible couple of years for Mattia Furlani, with the Italian backing up his silver medal from last summer's European Athletics Championships with gold in Tokyo. The 20-year-old is still so young but already has a catalogue of standout performances on the biggest stages.

So can Furlani top the podium in Birmingham? His closest challengers could well end up being Switzerland's Simon Ehammer and Greece's Miltiadis Tentoglou, with the latter being the double Olympic champion.

Leonardo Fabbri - shot put 

Leonardo Fabbri has a knack of producing his best when it matters the most, with the Italian securing a world shot put bronze medal in Tokyo. He also topped the 2025 standings with a best throw of 22.82m.

That mark was, by a distance, the biggest throw by a European athlete this past season, with Fabbri's compatriot Zane Weir next with 21.84m.

Yaroslava Mahuchikh - high jump 

A double European high jump champion from Munich and Rome, Yaroslava Mahuchikh will be going for a hat-trick of titles in Birmingham. The Ukrainian also topped the Olympic podium in Paris and set a world record of 2.10m last year.

Poland's Maria Żodzik placed ahead of Mahuchikh at the World Athletics Championships, with the pair claiming silver and bronze respectively. Could home favourite Morgan Lake top the podium in Birmingham as well? The Brit broke her own national record with 2.00m at the Zurich Diamond League final.

Tina Šutej - pole vault

A world pole vault bronze medallist from Tokyo, Tina Šutej placed third behind the strong American duo of Katie Moon and Sandi Morris. The Slovenian has a myriad of major championships medals to her name in the event – including European bronze from Munich three years ago – but is yet to top the podium. Could Birmingham finally be her moment?

Even though Molly Caudery suffered heartbreak with a freak injury during her warm-up at the World Athletics Championships, expect the Brit to challenge for gold on home soil. The last time she competed at a major championships in front of the British crowd was at last year's World Indoor Championships in Glasgow. Caudery won the title there so could history repeat itself?

Malaika Mihambo - long jump

She might've missed out on world gold to America's Tara Davis-Woodhall in Japan but Olympic and double world long jump champion Malaika Mihambo is still one of the biggest names in the event. The German has four European medals to her name – two of which are gold – and will be aiming for a hat-trick in Birmingham.

Her closest challenger could be France's Hilary Kpatcha, who placed fourth in Tokyo and recorded her personal best of 7.02m in 2025. Jazmin Sawyers, the 2023 European indoor champion, returned to competition this past summer after a 20-month absence due to a ruptured Achilles.

Jessica Schilder - shot put

One of the best performing athletes of 2025, Jessica Schilder secured a world indoor shot put silver medal before claiming the Diamond League title and then world outdoor gold in Tokyo. The Dutch athlete also set national indoor and outdoor records of 20.69m and 20.47m respectively.

Sweden's Fanny Roos and Germany's Yemisi Ogunleye – the latter is also the Olympic champion – are more than likely to contend for the gold medal in Birmingham.

Jorinde van Klinken - discus throw/shot put 

One of Europe's most versatile field athletes, Jorinde van Klinken boasts major medals in both the discus throw and shot put. At the last edition of the European Athletics Championships in Rome, the Dutch athlete claimed silvers in both events, so don't be surprised if she doubled up in Birmingham.

Van Klinken placed second to the imperious Valarie Allman in the discus throw at the World Athletics Championships, so is likely to be the favourite next summer. Her biggest challenge could come from Croatia's Sandra Elkasević, who is a double Olympic and world champion but now aged 35.

In 2026 these athletes will be battling it out for European titles in Birmingham from August 10-16. Tickets are still available here.