Romania produced a dominant performance at the 2026 European Ju-Jitsu Championships and Cups, securing the top position in several categories after four days of competition that brought together athletes from across Europe.
The event, held at Pitești Arena from 11 to 14 June, attracted more than 600 participants, including around 500 athletes representing 22 countries. The competition programme featured the European Ju-Jitsu Contact Championship, the European No-Gi Championship, the No-Gi Teams Championship, and European Cup events in Gi and U14 No-Gi.
The Pitești tournament also marked the introduction of the first European Ju-Jitsu Contact Championship, adding a new format to the continental calendar.
Romania made the most of home advantage in the inaugural Contact Championship, finishing first in the nations ranking with 49 medals, including 23 gold, 19 silver and seven bronze. Israel finished second with 12 medals, followed by Montenegro and Ukraine.
European No-Gi Championship
In the European No-Gi Championship, Israel led the medal standings after collecting 34 medals, including 15 gold. Ukraine recorded the highest overall medal total in the competition with 47 medals, while Austria secured third place. Croatia finished fourth and Romania completed the top five.
The European Cup competitions highlighted the strength of youth and development programmes across the continent. Ukraine topped the standings with 65 medals, including 24 gold, followed by Romania with 57 medals and Israel with 35.
Romania also secured two bronze medals in the European No-Gi Teams Championship, adding to an overall successful campaign across different disciplines and age categories.
The results underlined the growing competitiveness of European Ju-Jitsu, with several nations demonstrating strong programmes across senior and youth divisions. Israel continued to establish itself as a leading force in No-Gi competition, while Ukraine showed consistent performances across multiple categories. Austria and Croatia also produced notable results.
Opening ceremony
The opening ceremony was attended by representatives from the Ju-Jitsu European Union, local authorities and Romanian sports officials, including Robert Perc, Honorary President of JJEU, Dana Mortelmans, Vice President of JJEU, Cristian Gentea, Mayor of Pitești, and Petre Bulmagă, President of the Romanian Martial Arts Federation.
The championships were organised by the Romanian Martial Arts Federation’s Ju-Jitsu Department, in partnership with the Municipality of Pitești and the Pitești Local Council, under the auspices of the Ju-Jitsu European Union, with support from the National Agency for Sport and the Ju-Jitsu International Federation.
The successful organisation of the 2026 edition in Pitești reflects the continued expansion of Ju-Jitsu in Europe, with the new Contact Championship becoming one of the main talking points of the continental event.
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