The ISU Figure Skating European Championships 2026 are coming to Sheffield in January, and for one homegrown athlete, it marks a full-circle moment. Luke Digby, now one of Team GB’s leading competitors, first experienced the Championships in Sheffield as a flower boy during the 2012 edition. Thirteen years later, he returns to the same arena as a history-making athlete, having helped secure Britain’s highest European pairs finish in over three decades.
To help ensure the event inspires the next generation, the Sheffield-based company Tickets for Good has partnered with the organisers to provide access for those who might otherwise be unable to attend. An initial free allocation of tickets was snapped up in days, and a new batch of discounted tickets is available now.
The partnership aims to amplify the Championships’ impact in the city and make a world-class event on home ice feel closer to the people who live here. British Ice Skating has already seen rising interest in the sport following major international results, including World Championship bronze for Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson and a top-five European finish for Digby and his partner Anastasia Vaipan-Law.
David Hartley, Event Director, said:
“Bringing the ISU Figure Skating European Championships back to Sheffield is a huge moment for our sport, and we want the whole city to feel part of it. Partnering with Tickets for Good helps us open the doors to more people who might not otherwise get the chance to experience a world-class event on their doorstep. Stories like Luke Digby’s — from flower boy in 2012 to representing Team GB on home ice — show exactly why this week can be so powerful for the next generation.”
Bethany Rutt, Head of Business Operations at Tickets for Good, said:
“As someone local to the region, it’s really special to see the European Championships come to Sheffield. Luke’s journey from flower boy to elite athlete is a lovely example of what early exposure to live sport can do. We’re proud to be part of making that kind of experience more accessible and we hope this event sparks something in the next generation too.”
The ISU European Figure Skating European Championships 2026 take place at the Utilita Arena Sheffield from 13 to 18 January. With Olympic spots on the line and home crowd support expected to be fierce, it marks a rare chance to see Europe’s elite skaters compete just weeks before the Winter Games.
While Tickets for Good is rooted in Sheffield, its reach is growing fast. The platform now works with over a third of all top-tier women’s football clubs in the UK and recently launched in the US, where partners include the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. In the UK, it has partnered with Chelsea FC, Sheffield FC, Manchester Storm and Nottingham Panthers, with more sports and cultural organisations joining every month.
Tickets for Good exists to make the positive impact of live events available to everyone, offering free or discounted access to people in the NHS, education, charity sector and those affected by the cost of living crisis. For more information about the Championships, visit https://www.europeans2026.com/. Discounted tickets for Tickets for Members are available now, visit https://www.ticketsforgood.org/ to get started.
