Celebrating four decades of history between SPAR and European Athletics.

The European Athletics Championships is always a celebration of all that is great about the sport and its competitors across the continent, as medals are fought for and limits are pushed.

But there is extra significance to this summer, as it marks an important milestone in an influential partnership that has stood the test of time. For three decades now, SPAR has stood alongside European Athletics as Principal Partner, building one of the longest-running and most successful sponsorships in European sport.

Since 1996, the partnership has supported more than 50 federations, sponsored over 76 major athletics events, connected with millions of fans across Europe, and helped showcase generations of athletes. Today, that legacy culminates in Birmingham 2026, a championships featuring seven days of competition, 50 events, 150 medals, and an anticipated 1,332 hours of live TV coverage.

Backed by SPAR's presence in 50 countries, 13,580 stores and 14.7 million customers every day, the partnership demonstrates the power of long-term commitment, shared values, and sport's ability to inspire communities across Europe.

The partnership by numbers

🏆 76 — major European Athletics events sponsored

🌍 50+ — European federations supported

📢 Millions — fans reached through stadium, broadcast and digital channels

📺 6.45M — hours of viewership during the 2024 European Championships in Rome

🏃 1,600+ — athletes competed in Rome 2024

🥇 150 — medals to be awarded at Birmingham 2026

📅 50 — championship events at Birmingham 2026

📡 1,332 — hours of live TV coverage expected at Birmingham 2026

🙌 3,000 — volunteers bringing major championships to life

🛒 14.7M — SPAR customers worldwide, every day

From the age-group championships and showpiece indoor events to the big occasions in the stadiums, out on the roads, and the raw test of cross country, this partnership has been at the heart of many of the major moments in recent athletics history — moments that have captured the attention of Athletics Weekly readers and fans across the world.

Whether it's Paula Radcliffe breaking the European record to win 10,000m gold in Munich back in 2002, a 40-year-old Jo Pavey winning that same title in 2014, Dafne Schippers' sprint heroics in front of her home crowd in Amsterdam a decade ago, or the emergence of superstars such as Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Mondo Duplantis at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin, SPAR has been front and centre for so many truly unforgettable occasions.

But, as well as those high-profile, attention-grabbing moments, the relationship between SPAR and European Athletics goes beyond the track — to grassroots participation and the local communities that the stores serve so well. Shared values of community, health, participation and inclusion have formed the bedrock of a partnership that has evolved with the times, much like the sport itself.

There will be many more headlines written in the coming weeks thanks to the exploits of Europe's star names in Birmingham, but there is even more to look forward to beyond that: the European Cross Country Championships head to Belgrade in December, while Valencia prepares to host the 2027 European Indoor Championships. The partnership between SPAR and European Athletics will keep on running.