Great Britain will host 2026 World Rowing Indoor Championships
International rowing stars will head to Birmingham this December, as the World Rowing Indoor Championships runs alongside this year’s British Rowing Indoor Championships
The ultimate fitness challenge just got even bigger, as we join up with World Rowing to host the World Rowing Indoor Championships.
The Championships will run alongside the 2026 British Rowing Indoor Championships (BRIC), taking place at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham on 5-6 December 2026.
The 2026 World Rowing Indoor Championships will be the first time the competition has been in person since 2024, with virtual racing taking place over the last two years. Hotly anticipated, Great Britain are now set to host the event for the first time.
“It will be a sight to see, so if you are not competing, do try and get down to watch, as it will be an incredible event.” – Tom Solesbury, British Rowing CEO
The British Rowing Indoor Championships has always been an incredible display of power, with athletes of all ages and abilities competing for medals across times and distances on a packed race floor with lights, cheering crowds and big screens for spectators to follow along the action. Olympic, Paralympic and World Champions from the GB Rowing Team are frequent BRIC competitors and are set to compete in 2026. Running alongside the Worlds, the competition will be bigger and better than ever.
Indoor rowing is an incredible workout, using 85% of the body’s muscles. Professional and amateur athletes alike use it as a cross-training tool, and it’s fast gaining traction in the fitness competition world, including The CrossFit Games and HYROX.
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Year after year BRIC draws the attention of the global indoor rowing community. Hosted at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), the race floor is easily accessible both from Birmingham International Railway Station and Birmingham Airport.
“We are incredibly excited to be welcoming the World Rowing Indoor Championships to Great Britain,” said our CEO Tom Solesbury. “Working alongside World Rowing gives us even more chances to share the power and excitement of indoor rowing with the UK and beyond.
“The British Rowing Indoor Championships has always attracted international competitors and we cannot wait to see who will be joining us in Birmingham in December. It will be a sight to see, so if you are not competing, do try and get down to watch, as it will be an incredible event.”
Vincent Gaillard, Executive Director, World Rowing added: “We are thrilled to see the World Rowing Indoor Championships returning to in-person. The spirit of indoor rowing thrives on atmosphere, camaraderie and shared experience, and the British Rowing Indoor Championships provide the ideal platform to bring that energy back in 2026.”
What are the British Rowing Indoor Championships (BRIC)?
Last year’s British Rowing Indoor Championships (BRIC) was one for the books, with four World and nine new British records set, and 71 British Championships Records broken, across two incredible days of competition. This year, BRIC will be bigger than ever, holding the first in-person World Rowing Indoor Championships since 2024.
BRIC is open to enter from ages 11+, offering 2,000m 500m and timed events for all categories, Open and Womens, including:
- U23
- Junior
- Lightweight
- Masters (all ages from 30-100+)
- Adaptive
- Relay
How can competitors race the World Rowing Indoor Championships?
World Rowing Indoor Championships competitors can expect 2000m, 500m and relay race distances across all age groups. Adaptive athletes will also be included in the World Rowing Indoor Championships, with IAR categories across 2000m and 500m.
Full details for the 2026 World Rowing Indoor Championships, including registration, qualification pathways and event programming will be announced in due course. The World Rowing categories will align with the currently-published British Rowing Schedule (2000m and 500m on Saturday and relays on Sunday.)
