Euro U21s Start Sunday: Valencia Opens Its Brand-New Tarongers Pitch
Valencia has a new hockey home, and Europe’s best under-21s get first use of it. The EuroHockey U21 Championships 2026 were officially opened on Thursday at the brand-new Tarongers field, with the competition itself starting on Sunday.
Sixteen national teams from 11 countries will contest the men’s and women’s tournaments on the Valencian turf. Twenty-four of the games, from Pitch 1, will be streamed live on EuroHockeyTV with an €8.99 event pass.
This is the sixth time Valencia has hosted the European U21 championship, but the first at Tarongers. The venue has had a full rebuild: new stands, changing rooms, offices and recording towers, which is why Thursday’s ceremony carried a certain pride.
“This is the sixth time we’ve hosted this European Championship in Valencia, but it will be the first time it’s held at this new venue,” said Jesús Gracia, president of the Valencian Community Hockey Federation. “This facility aims to become one of the best hockey venues in all of Europe.”
The speeches came thick and fast. Luis Cervera, the Valencian government’s Director General of Sports, headed the dignitaries’ list, alongside José Ricardo Vila and FHCV events coordinator Carlos Viard, who paid tribute to the crew that moved the whole event to the new ground at short notice.
“Moving this international event to this new pitch has been a major challenge for the entire FHCV team,” Viard said. “I want to thank everyone on the team who made it possible to organize this competition under the best possible conditions.”
Also present were the Spanish U21 team managers, Javier Perea and Sonia de Ignacio-Sinó, and Ivet Martí, the women’s captain. Spain get the double home-crowd bounce this week, men and women both, and that brings its own pressure.
The tournament is organised by the Valencian Community Hockey Federation together with the Royal Spanish Hockey Federation, with backing from the Valencian government, the provincial council and Visit Valencia.
Our take
The U21 Euros are the shop window. This is where you spot the names that show up in senior squads two years later, and Valencia keeps landing the hosting gig because it does the job properly. A purpose-built venue opening with a continental championship is a statement of intent. For our money, keep an eye on the Spanish sides. Home turf at a junior Euros is either fuel or weight, and we’ll know which by Wednesday.
EuroHockey context: the EuroChamps 2027 format explained, our Spain men Jornada 6 preview, the New Zealand U21 men squad, and the International Events page.
