2026 EUROPEAN UNDER 16 CHAMPIONSHIP

Find more information about the tournament below, in Related Content.

. Spain overwhelmingly dominates the tournament's record: 8 gold, 11 silver and 4 bronze medals in the team category and 15 gold, 11 silver and 8 bronze medals in the individual category

. Following their recent successes in the European Team Championships in other categories, the Spanish quartet faces this challenge with maximum ambition.

The European Under-16 Championship and the Parador de El Saler, on the outskirts of Valencia, join forces for the largest and most uncertain edition in recent memory. For the first time in its history, Spain is hosting the event for the first time in its 31 editions, which, with this year, form its core, with the aim of rewarding the best young golfers in Europe.

A team competition is held simultaneously - based on the three best scores of each team - and two individual competitions, male and female, which have generated over time an unquestionable fact: Spain is the main reference based on the results obtained since the first edition was held in 1995.

Eight gold, eleven silver and four bronze medals in the collective field and fifteen gold, eleven silver and eight bronze medals in the individual field, place the Spaniards at the top of the list of achievements that they now aspire to improve.

The challenge, however, is tremendously complex, simply because of the breadth of contenders - no less than thirty-three hopefuls for victory meet in Valencia on this occasion - and the well-known quality of many of them, who have made it practically a feat over time to occupy the podium in any of the three categories at stake.

The Spanish team this time consists of Martín Cervera from Andalusia, Jorge de la Riva from Galicia, Chanya Huaysan from Andalusia and Rut Díaz from Madrid, all of them captained by Jordi Folch, with Antonio Gonzálbez as vice-captain and Paola Echart and Felipe Rodríguez as coaches.

All members of the Spanish team have experience in prestigious international tournaments as regular members, despite their young age, of the Spanish national teams.

Special mention for the outstanding sporting record of Martín Cervera, Spanish champion Benjamin 2021, Alevín 2023 and Under 16 2026, winner of the England International Under 14 2025, of the Evian Junior Cup Individual 2025, apart from contributing to the triumph of Andalusia in the Spanish Armed Forces Children's Championship 2024 and 2025 and Under 18 category in 2026.

His teammate Jorge de la Riva won the 2025 Belgian International Under 14 tournament after being named runner-up in the 2021 Spanish Benjamin category and third in the 2023 Alevín category, leading Galicia to the runner-up position in the 2025 Spanish Children's Armed Forces Championship.

The female members also boast outstanding sporting careers. Chanya Huaysan, this year's top performer in the National Junior Women's Ranking Tournament, is the current Spanish Under-16 runner-up, demonstrating a clear sense of teamwork through her contributions to Andalusia's victories in the 2024 Spanish Armed Forces Children's and Pitch & Putt Championships.

Rut Díaz shows the same collective disposition, with brilliant contributions in Madrid's victories in the Spanish Armed Forces Under 16 Women's Championship 2025 and in the Spain – England Under 16 Match of this same year, apart from being proclaimed in her day runner-up of Spain Alevín 2022 and Infantil 2024.

The competition system consists of three days of stroke play with three categories running simultaneously: men's, women's, and team. In the team category, the three best scores from each of the four players representing each country are counted on each day.

Spain, the country with the best record in this Under-16 European Championship

Spain's last victory in this Under-16 European Championship dates back to 2011, when Mario Galiano, Harang Lee, Clara Baena, and Iván Cantero claimed the title in Hungary. Previously, Spain had won in 1995, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 – a total of eight victories including 2011 – making them the most successful nation in the 30 editions held to date.

Germany follows in the standings with six victories, France (5), Italy (4), Czech Republic (3), England (2), Finland and Sweden (1).

Spain's extensive and outstanding record in this tournament also includes 11 silver medals - Italy, with 4, is the second country on this list - and 4 bronze medals, the same as France.

Likewise, no other country has accumulated so many individual winners, a total of 15: Sergio García, Jorge Hao, Lucía Mar, Carmen Alonso, Emma Cabrera, Pablo Martín, María Hernández, Azahara Muñoz, Rafael Cabrera, Carlota Ciganda (the last two, twice), Harang Lee and Covadonga Sanjuán (also twice).

Eleven silver and eight bronze medals complete the list of podium finishes achieved by Spanish golfers in this Under 16 European Championship, an accumulation of great results that place Spain at the top of the rankings.