Munich Opens the Curtain on the 2026 European Senior Championships

Europe’s taekwondo elite officially begins the 2026 European Senior Championships this Monday, May 11, in Munich, Germany, with an opening day packed with established stars, continental champions, and rising talents looking to make an early statement.

The tournament, hosted on German soil, marks the start of one of the most important events on the European calendar ahead of future Olympic qualification events and World Championships.

Top Seeds of the Opening Day

Day 1 features six official divisions, including four senior Olympic categories and two para taekwondo events.

Senior Men’s -68 kg

The men’s -68 kg division opens as one of the most competitive categories of the tournament with 34 athletes entered. Turkish athlete Berkay Erer arrives as the number one seed, while France’s Theo Lucien is seeded second. Other major contenders include Great Britain’s Matthew Howell, Germany’s Emre Cavusman, and Spain’s Joan Jorquera Cala.

One of the key storylines will be the possible clash involving Howell and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Bystrov, while local favorite Cavusman faces a difficult draw against several experienced international opponents.

Senior Men’s +87 kg

The heavyweight division features 23 competitors led by Great Britain’s Caden Cunningham, currently one of Europe’s top heavyweight athletes. Spain’s Iván García Martínez enters as the second seed, while Ukraine’s Andrii Harbar and Germany’s Kevin Isbrecht complete the group of top favorites.

Croatian veteran Ivan Sapina also returns to action, adding more experience and depth to the category.

Senior Women’s -46 kg

In the women’s field, Turkey’s Emine Gogebakan leads the -46 kg bracket, followed by Hungary’s Kamilah Salim as the second seed. Israel’s Rivka Bayech and Germany’s Liliana Balla (Local) are also considered strong medal contenders.

The category is expected to deliver fast-paced and highly technical matchups, especially in the quarterfinal rounds with spanish Violeta Díaz action.

Senior Women’s -67 kg

Another highly anticipated division is the women’s -67 kg category, led by Greece’s Styliani Marentaki and Hungarian star Luana Marton. Spain’s Lena Moreno Reyes, Serbia’s Aleksandra Perisic, and Germany’s Vanessa Koerndl are also among the athletes to watch.

The combination of established names and emerging talents makes this one of the most open divisions of the championship.

Para Taekwondo Also Takes the Spotlight

The 2026 European Championships will also feature para taekwondo competition on opening day.

K44 Men’s -58 kg

Israel’s Asaf Yasur enters as the top favorite in a division filled with internationally experienced athletes. Turkey’s Ali Can Ozcan is seeded second.

K44 Women’s -47 kg

In the women’s division, Turkey’s Nurcihan Ekinci Gul leads the bracket alongside France’s Zakia Khudadadi, one of the most recognized figures in world para taekwondo

With strong anticipation surrounding the opening matches and highly competitive brackets across all divisions, Munich officially launches a week expected to deliver world-class action and thrilling performances in European taekwondo.