Waterford is set to welcome some of Europe’s best young inline hockey players this week, with the 2026 European U17 Inline Hockey Championships taking place at the SETU Arena from Thursday, August 20th until Sunday, August 23rd.

The four-day championship brings together eight nations, with the action getting underway this afternoon as teams battle it out for European honours.

The opening day features four round-robin fixtures, beginning at 3.30pm when the Czech Republic face Great Britain.

That will be followed at 4.50pm by Belgium against Italy, before Slovenia take on Slovakia at 6.10pm.

The official opening ceremony takes place at 7.30 pm, ahead of Ireland’s first game of the championships.

Ireland will take to the floor at 8 pm, facing France in the final game of Thursday’s schedule.

The championships will continue throughout Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with the SETU Arena providing the stage as the competing nations look to progress through the tournament and ultimately claim European silverware.

For Waterford, the event represents another major international sporting occasion for the city, bringing players, coaches, officials and supporters from across Europe to the region.

With four days of competition ahead, the SETU Arena will be at the centre of European U17 inline hockey from today through to Sunday, with Ireland hoping to make home advantage count in front of a Waterford crowd.

European U17 Inline Hockey Championships – Thursday, August 20th

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