2026 ESC Youth Leagues Final lineups set

The European Shooting Confederation is excited to announce that all qualification rounds for the 2026 European Youth Leagues are complete, officially locking in the best young teams in Europe for the upcoming Air Rifle/Air Pistol and Shotgun Finals.

For several years, the ESC Youth Leagues have provided Europe’s youngest athletes aged 14 to 18 with the opportunity to compete in teams and challenge for championship titles – often the very first in their sports careers.

Latvia, as the host country of the Air Rifle/Air Pistol League, suggested expanding the competition to give more rising talents a chance to perform at the highest level. The ESC Presidium fully supported the idea, increasing the Finals format to 12 teams in the Rifle and Pistol disciplines.

Here are the official finalists ready to compete for the championship titles:

AIR RIFLE
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, and Ukraine.

AIR PISTOL
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, and Ukraine.

The lineup for the European Youth League Shotgun events has also been decided:

SKEET
Bulgaria, Cyprus, Great Britain, Hungary, Poland, and Ukraine.

TRAP
AIN, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Slovakia, Spain, and Ukraine.

The full lists of athletes and team names can be found here.

The ESC is also proud to share that SCATT and Megalink have officially joined the Youth Leagues as partners. The newly crowned champions will be awarded professional training systems and electronic targets to help them continue their journey to the top.

The Shotgun Final will take place in Pleven, Bulgaria, from 15 to 19 October 2026. Shortly after, the Air Rifle/Air Pistol Final will be held in Jūrmala, Latvia, from 21 to 25 October 2026.

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