We're excited to announce that tickets go on sale today for the inaugural 2018 European Championships. The Championships are a new multi-sport event and will take place from 2 -12 August 2018. More than 250,000 people are expected to cheer on over 4,500 of Europe's elite athletes across seven different sports. Tickets are sure to be snapped up quickly, with prices starting at only £10 and being sold on a first come first served basis.
The event, which will be staged every four years, is being co-hosted by Glasgow and Berlin and brings together the existing European Championships of athletics, aquatics, cycling, rowing, gymnastics and triathlon. Joining them will also be an exciting new European Golf Team Championship. The European Athletics Championships will take place at Berlin's famous Olympiastadion, with all the other sports happening in and around Glasgow.
The announcement of tickets going on sale also coincided with the unveiling of the first European Championships ambassador. Scotland's own Ross Murdoch has been chosen to fill this role and will no doubt be eager to add to his medal tally in his home city. Ross, who won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2016 European Swimming Championships, is an outstanding example of Scottish sporting excellence and a natural choice to take on the role of ambassador.
The city of Glasgow is still riding the high of hosting the 'best ever' Commonwealth Games in 2014. The warm Scottish welcome that became the signature of those Games will once again be rolled out to athletes and spectators alike. The 2018 European Championships, which are funded by the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council, are a direct part of the Commonwealth legacy and ensure that Scotland continues to be recognised as a global leader in the delivery of sporting events.
As well as high-quality sporting action, Glasgow will also be developing a dynamic cultural festival to run alongside the Championships. The city's iconic George Square will form the beating heart of this festival, bringing Glasgow to life through a programme of exciting events. Merchant City Festival, the centrepiece of Glasgow's summer events calendar will also form an integral part of this festival. Through a ground-breaking cultural partnership between Glasgow and co-hosts Berlin, this cultural festival will highlight the creative scenes of both cities in a programme which is truly European.
Whether it's your favourite event, you're returning to see an event you watched at the Commonwealth Games, or you are witnessing for the first time, there are plenty reasons to get involved. You also get to be part of an event which will showcase Scotland to the world. The entire championships will be broadcast to a massive audience of more than 1.03 billion across the continent. As well as this, digital platforms will push this number even higher and bring the Championships to an even wider international audience.
So what are you waiting for? Make sure you get your tickets before they all disappear! With this much talent and sporting prowess on display, tickets are certain to start going fast. You can find out more about the European Championships by heading over to the website. We look forward to seeing you in the stands cheering along!