One of the biggest weeks in the European amateur golfing calendar is set to get underway.
528 golfers representing 29 countries and 88 different teams are ready to tee off in the 2025 European Team Championships across the continent.
Six separate tournaments will be contested this coming week from 8 to 12 July (Tuesday to Saturday) at five venues in five countries.
The European Team Championships have been a staple of the European golfing calendar since the first editions of the men’s and ladies’ events in 1959, and across the years have seen virtually all of Europe’s biggest golfing stars represent their countries before turning pro.
Teams will compete for the European titles at four events this week, in the men's, ladies', boys' and girls' categories, while two Division 2 tournaments, for men and boys, will also be contested for teams looking to be promoted to the first divisions of their categories.
FORMAT - HOW DOES IT WORK?
Contested across five-days, the events are made up of two days of stroke play qualifying then three days of match play.
Each team, consisting of six players, completes two individual stroke play rounds on Days 1 & 2 with five of each team's six scores counting towards their stroke play qualifying totals.
The top eight teams from the stroke play rounds of each championship qualify for the medal-contention 'Flight A' match play bracket. The next eight teams will compete in Flight B, and (where applicable) the remaining teams in Flight C.
Nations go head-to-head in match play on the last three days, with two foursomes matches in the morning and five singles matches in the afternoon.
In the match play brackets, teams are seeded based on their qualifying position, (1 vs 8, 2 vs 7 etc.). Winning teams advance in their brackets, while losing teams, and all those with no chance of winning medals, continue to play a shortened format of one foursomes match and four singles matches against other ‘defeated’ teams to determine final position.
To win the title, a team must qualify for Flight A (top-eight in the stroke play qualifying) and then win all three of its matches. Teams finishing second and third are awarded silver and bronze medals.
In the Men’s and Boys’ tournaments, the bottom three teams will be relegated to the Division 2 events for 2026.
EUROPEAN AMATEUR TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP – KILLARNEY GOLF & FISHING CLUB, IRELAND
Regularly ranked as one of the strongest events in Europe for strength of field (by WAGR), the tournament is also the oldest European Championship still contested today alongside the ladies’ equivalent.
16 teams will compete for the men’s European title in the heart of County Kerry, Ireland, at Killarney Golf & Fishing Club, which offers a blend of rich history, exceptional golfing facilities, and stunning natural beauty. Founded in 1893, the club is situated within Killarney National Park, overlooking the serene Lough Leane and framed by the majestic McGillicuddy Reeks Mountain range.
The Killeen Course, measuring 7,252 yards (6,631 metres) with a par of 72, has hosted the Irish Open six times and is renowned for its challenging layout and picturesque lakeside views.
This year’s championship marks 50 years since the same event was held at Killarney which saw Scotland lift the trophy after defeating Italy in the final.
Sweden enters the championship as the defending champion, having clinched the title in 2024 at Royal Park I Roveri in Italy. The Swedish team will aim to retain their title, but will face tough competition to do so.
Historically, England are the most successful country at the event with 11 European Amateur Team Championship victories, followed closely by Scotland with eight, and Ireland and Spain, each with six. These nations are expected to field strong teams, eager to add another title to their storied histories.
EUROPEAN LADIES’ TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP – GOLF DE CHANTILLY, FRANCE
The 42nd European Ladies’ Team Championship is set to take place at the prestigious Golf de Chantilly in France. This year’s event will feature 20 national teams, each comprising six players, competing for the coveted European women’s team title.
Founded in 1909, Golf de Chantilly is renowned for its rich history and exceptional course design. The Vineuil Course, the championship layout, was originally designed by John Henry Taylor and later redesigned by Tom Simpson and Donald Steel. Situated in the forested region of Hauts-de-France, approximately 50 kilometers north of Paris, the course will offer a challenging test for Europe's elite women amateurs this week.
Germany enters the championship as the defending champion, having won the title in 2024 at Real Sociedad Hípica Española Club de Campo in Spain.
EUROPEAN BOYS’ TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (JEAN-LOUIS DUPONT TROPHY) – GOLF RESORT KASKADA BRNO, CZECH REPUBLIC
16 teams will contest the first division of the European Boys’ Team Championship this year at Golf Resort Kaskada Brno. Located approximately 15 km from Brno's city center, it features a 27-hole championship course designed by renowned architect Keith Preston. The course is set in a picturesque valley between the towns of Kuřim and Jinačovice, offering a challenging layout complemented by thirteen lakes that come into play on several holes.
The European Boys' Team Championship is typically a tough event to pick out favourites, with six different winners in the last 10 editions. England, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Spain and Italy are all amongst the regular challengers. However, after a shock result last year, both Spain and Italy will tee it up in Division 2 this week.
France are always a team to watchout for as well, especially this year, as they will arrive in Czech Republic with the determination to retain the Trophy from their 2024 win.
Perhaps surprisingly, the last time a GB&I team won the event was in 2004. England, the winners that year, and the country with the most gold medals in the event, will likely be the favourites among the GB&I teams to end a 21-year wait for the boys' title this week. The English team has finished on the podium in the last three championships, including two runner-up performances.
EUROPEAN GIRLS’ TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP – SLALEY HALL, ENGLAND
Opened in 1999 and designed by Neil Coles, Slaley Hall Golf Club, nestled in the scenic Northumberland countryside near Hexham, England, boasts two distinguished 18-hole championship golf courses: the Hunting Course and the Priestman Course. Both courses have played host to numerous prestigious events, including European Tour tournaments. The Hunting Course, set to provide the test for Europe’s elite girls, has been dubbed ‘the Augusta of the North’.
The hosts enter the tournament as defending champions. The English side ended a 19-year wait for the girls' trophy in England last year, defeating Germany in the final with a dramatic comeback. They'll have 17 other teams to beat, including strong French and Spanish squads, to defend their title on home soil this week.
EUROPEAN AMATEUR & BOYS’ TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS, DIVISION 2 – ZALA SPRINGS GOLF RESORT, HUNGARY
18 teams in the boys' and amateur division 2 tournaments, nine in each, will compete for spots in the Men’s and Boys’ Division 1 events for 2026.
The Division 2 championships were formerly contested in a shortened format compared to the others, with just two days of match play following the stroke play qualifying rounds as opposed to three. However for the first time last year, the format was extended to match the four titled events taking place this week with two rounds of stroke play and three rounds of match play.
Although medals and a trophy are awarded to the top teams, the real prize is earning promotion to the European-titled championships for the following year. In the Men’s tournament, Austria, Belgium, Scotland and Wales will be teams to watch for the promotion spots, while Italy and Spain are some of the bigger teams on the boys’ side.
Zala Springs Resort will set the stage this week. Designed by renowned architect Robert Trent Jones Jr., the 18-hole, par-72 championship course spans 6,351 meters, harmoniously integrating with the surrounding vineyards and lakes.
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