Lagoa will become fourth town in Portugal to host the event
Lagoa has been chosen to host the 31st European Cross Country Championships in December 2025.
The announcement was made on Thursday morning in the capital of Lithuania, Vilnius, following the successful bid presented by Lagoa Council and the Portuguese Athletics Federation.
“Following a rigorous selection process and multiple visits to the region, European Athletics placed their trust in Portugal, specifically in Lagoa, marking Portugal’s fourth time hosting the European Cross Country Championships,” Lagoa Council says in a statement to the press.
“Lagoa has once again been chosen to host a major sports event, this time on a European scale, having been recognised for its ability to host and organise significant events and for the ideal conditions available in the region for sports and accommodating thousands of visitors, including teams from various participating countries, athletes’ families, members of the media, and sports enthusiasts,” it adds.
Lagoa will become the fourth town in Portugal and second in the Algarve to host the championships, after Oeiras in 1997, Albufeira in 2010 and Lisbon in 2019.
“This presents a fantastic opportunity for Lagoa to develop the necessary infrastructure for hosting both national and international cross-country events. The planning and construction for the 2025 European Cross Country Championships are already underway,” the council guarantees.
Meanwhile, Lagoa Mayor Luís Encarnação has described the announcement as a “moment of great satisfaction.
“We have long aspired to host an event of this magnitude. It will undoubtedly be a significant challenge, but Lagoa is up to the task,” he said.
