Aachen WEG Special, August 11 - 23, 2026
The World Equestrian Games will bring the world to Aachen - and us right into the middle of the action. From August 11 to 23, 2026, 650 athletes from 35 countries will come to Aachen. With a total of 800 horses, they will compete in six disciplines, cheered on by 500,000 visitors.
We’re bringing the tournament’s atmosphere to downtown and warmly welcome you all to the Aachen World Championships Special! Whether it’s culture, culinary delights, or thrilling concerts—all of which are free of charge: The supporting program for the 2026 Aachen World Equestrian Games, organized by MAC, will let us all experience the city’s special atmosphere. In addition to renowned artists, there will be panel discussions with the riders, art installations, and plenty of space to relax and socialize while enjoying Euregional specialties. So if you can’t make it to the stadium, simply enjoy the event at one of the public viewing locations around the city. None of this would be possible without the support of numerous sponsors, especially the two main sponsors, Sparkasse Aachen and STAWAG, to whom we extend our heartfelt thanks!
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The supporting program
You can find the condensed schedule for the Aachen World Cup Special, including a concert overview, events, and additional information, here
About the supporting program in English
World Equestrian Games Aachen 2026
© ALRV Arnd Bronkhorst
Unforgettable moments, world-class performances, and sporting history. Add to that an electric atmosphere in packed stadiums and throughout the city. These are the ingredients of a major event taking place from August 11 to 23, 2026, at the Soers in Aachen: The FEI World Championships Aachen 2026.
More about the World Equestrian Games
© yella park
World Equestrian Games Chess:
A special promotion by the city marketing department
Horse figures as tall as children, knights taking on kings—a game for young and old alike: These are the ingredients of an oversized chess game featuring horse characters, which will be set up between the cathedral and city hall from July 10 to August 2, running parallel to the Archimedes Sandbox. Anyone who’s interested is welcome to come play or learn how to play chess. All the pieces are visually inspired by the World Equestrian Games and make a great souvenir of this sporting highlight in Aachen.
The golden knight (approx. 115 cm, €600) can be purchased here: aachen.
de/schachfiguren. For information and inquiries, please contact marketing@mail.aachen.de
events
What else?
Andreas Steindl, © Photo: fotograf-aachen.de // Andreas Steindl - www.fotograf-aachen.de - info@fotograf-aachen.de - 0049/179/4549095 - Sparkasse Aachen - BLZ 390 500 00 - Account 10 71 92 73 78 - VAT rate 7% - Tax number 201-5410-5246
Foodmarket
Aachen, a city in the heart of the border triangle, offers international specialties and typical Aachen fare on Katschhof and Münsterplatz. For example, Öcher Pommes, Aachen Bahkauv Brew, wine from our French neighbors or poffertjes from the Netherlands. And then there's the agony of choice: crumble rolls plain or in ice cream? There's sure to be something for everyone. The stalls are open daily from 11 a.m. until the end of the event day.
And if you don't want to buy anything from one of the many stalls, simply bring your own picnic. Benches and tables are available for a cozy get-together. You can follow the action in the Soers on a screen at the Katschhof.
The horse. Three museums
The happiness of this earth. Dürer, Rubens, Goya: Horses in art
To mark the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, the Suermondt-Ludwig Museum is presenting a major exhibition that can be seen as a tribute to the horse in the visual arts. https://suermondt-ludwig-museum.de/
Tradition - Innovation - Emotions. 100 years of CHIO
The Centre Charlemagne – Aachen’s New City Museum is hosting a photo exhibition centered on the CHIO, featuring spectacular, amusing, and curious images from Aachen’s equestrian tournaments over the past 100 years. https://centre-charlemagne.eu/
Centaur - Man and Horse. A film installation
To mark this year’s World Equestrian Games, two short films will be screened on a projection screen in the central exhibition hall of the Ludwig Forum Aachen: *Centaur* (2020) and *Horses Across the Meadow* (2013). https://ludwigforum.de/
Digital art in the spirit of equestrian sport
In collaboration with students from Aachen, artist Tim Berresheim has developed an augmented reality route from the city center to the Soers. Small foal sculptures with QR codes are located at six sites. Scanning the codes reveals impressive content, such as digitized equestrian artifacts, figures, and much more. In addition, users can move freely between the scenes and take photos or videos directly from within the app.
The AR art route leads through places off the beaten track and connects places such as the area behind the Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, the Elisengarten, the Büchel, a park near the Neuer Aachener Kunstverein (NAK) and, of course, the Allianz Park in the Soers. It is accessible free of charge and invites you to explore the city in a new and surprising way.
Arrival
© City of Aachen / Andreas Hermann
aachen tourist service
The 2026 World Equestrian Games in Aachen? Time to get to know the city better. The aachen tourist service's Old Town and Town Hall tours take you to historic places, impressive architecture and exciting stories from many centuries. Stroll through the old town, discover famous landmarks and take a look behind the scenes of the town hall. Explore Aachen away from the hustle and bustle of events and get to know the many facets of the city. Secure your place and add special impressions to your stay. Perfect for a relaxing break between events.
Map
Press
© © City of Aachen/Louise Hieronimus
Aachen WEG Special: The supporting program for the 2026 World Equestrian Games
The World Equestrian Games bring the world to Aachen and the Aachen WEG Special brings the atmosphere and enthusiasm of the show from the Soers to the city center. A varied mixture of culture, culinary delights and rousing concerts will ensure a World Championship flair.
More
Minister President Hendrik Wüst visits Aachen and promotes the World Equestrian Games at the Soers
Local time from Aachen, 23.03.2026
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© City of Aachen / yella park
World Equestrian Games and Olympic Games: Aachen offers the biggest possible stage for equestrian sport
A world-class event is just around the corner: the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026, taking place from August 11 to 23. Another could follow: the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr region, with Aachen serving as the equestrian venue.
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© ALRV Arnd Bronkhorst
FEI World Championships kick-off in 365 days
World-class sports and royal splendor at the 2020 FEI World Championships in Aachen
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City of Aachen/Harald Krömer
World Equestrian Games chess match at the Katschhof
From Friday, July 10, to Sunday, August 2, the city marketing department will set up an oversized chess set on the Katschhof, bringing the equestrian flair to the city even before the competitions.
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© yella park
WDR report | 23.01.2026
WDR Lokalzeit from Aachen: It all started with a few sketches - the result is chess pieces for the World Equestrian Games in horse design.
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Main sponsors
Savings Bank Aachen
STAWAG
Sponsors
Energy partner
Media partnership
