Kick-off 2026 World Rowing Championships: Staatsloterij Named Title Sponsor, Paulis and Rienks Appointed Regatta Directors
The organizers of the 2026 World Rowing Championships have announced that Staatsloterij will be the title sponsor of this global event. Starting in September 2025, Ilse Paulis and Nico Rienks will jointly serve as the sporting regatta directors. In collaboration with the Royal Dutch Rowing Federation (KNRB), World Rowing, the City of Amsterdam, Topsport Amsterdam, and TIG Sports & Events, the duo is working toward an international world-class event in Amsterdam, combining sporting excellence with organizational strength.
Artist Impression 2026 World Rowing Championships
Modernized Bosbaan
The event, now officially titled the Staatsloterij 2026 World Rowing Championships, will take place from 24 to 30 August 2026 at the Bosbaan in Amsterdam. Located in the heart of the Amsterdamse Bos and adjacent to the Zuidas district, the Bosbaan has a rich sporting history and is a proven venue for international rowing competitions. The venue is currently undergoing extensive renovations to be fully prepared for this global event.
1,200 Para and Elite Athletes
More than 1,200 para and elite athletes from over sixty countries are expected to compete in both Olympic and non-Olympic disciplines. Among them will be the successful Dutch national team, which is sure to receive strong support from the home crowd.
Two Sporting Directors, Shared Leadership
For the first time, the World Rowing Championships will be led by a two-person directorship. Ilse Paulis, Olympic champion from Rio 2016, and Nico Rienks, double Olympic champion and former national coach, will lead the event together. Both are deeply rooted in rowing and are eager to bring their experience and insight in high-performance sport to this role.
Ilse Paulis (photo: Michael Graste) and Nico Rienks (photo: Merijn Soeters)
Ilse Paulis: “Ready for tomorrow.”
“The Netherlands is a world-class rowing nation — our top athletes have proven that for years, and so have our fans,” says Ilse Paulis, Olympic champion and tournament director of the 2026 World Rowing Championships. “This World Championship is our chance to show that to the world: a future-focused, inclusive tournament where sport, experience, and pride come together, with possibly more than 45,000 spectators.”
“In 2014, I had the chance to compete in front of a home crowd — with my family and friends in the stands, decked out in orange along the course. Becoming world champion on home water was one of the most incredible moments of my career. I want every fan to feel that same energy. In 2026, they’ll be able to cheer for our rowers up close — and truly experience what makes this sport so special.”
Nico Rienks: “A championship you don’t want to miss.”
“In 2014, we already showed that the Bosbaan is a world-class venue. It was a fantastic event. Unfortunately, TeamNL’s results fell short back then. I wish everyone a medal, but for the home crowd, Dutch medals are the most thrilling!” says co-director Nico Rienks. “With that experience, a strong team, and great ambitions, we’re building an inspiring tournament — a place where athletes compete for medals and spectators experience goosebump moments. This will be a World Championship you truly don’t want to miss — both on and off the water.”
Staatsloterij Named Title Sponsor of 2026 World Rowing Championships
Staatsloterij is a game of the Dutch Lottery (Nederlandse Loterij); the largest supporter of sport and physical activity in the Netherlands. A portion of the proceeds from its games is invested back into both elite and grassroots sports. As title sponsor of the 2026 World Rowing Championships, Staatsloterij is making an additional contribution to the development of rowing in the Netherlands.
Michael Kastelijns, Managing Director of Lotteries at Nederlandse Loterij:
“In August 2026, the Bosbaan will be the stage for rowing spectacle. It almost has to be, especially after TeamNL Rowing’s success in Paris. As Staatsloterij, we’re proud to be the title sponsor of this beautiful sporting event on home soil: the World Rowing Championships. Especially in the year of Staatsloterij’s 300th anniversary. A unique opportunity to immerse 45,000 Dutch rowing fans, all TeamNL supporters, and sports enthusiasts worldwide in orange joy.”
The Dutch campaign image
Small Country, Big Achievements
The 2026 World Rowing Championships are part of a broader sports summer in the capital. Around the same time, the Hockey World Cup will also take place. Two international top tournaments, close to each other, within one region, collaborating — this underscores the sporting appeal of the “Papendal of the Zuidas”, as Amsterdam is known to many top athletes and policymakers.
Jean-Christophe Rolland, President of World Rowing, is looking forward to returning to the Netherlands:
“The Bosbaan is a historic high-performance venue in the international rowing world. The World Championships of 1977 and 2014 are engraved in our collective memory — moments of sporting success and unity. To return once again to Amsterdam, a city that combines tradition and innovation, promises a championship that will go beyond just the races on the water.”
About Staatsloterij
Staatsloterij was founded in 1726, making it the oldest lottery in the Netherlands. It holds 16 draws annually: 12 regular monthly draws (every 10th of the month), the King’s Day draw, the July 1st draw, the October 1st draw, and the New Year’s Eve draw.
Staatsloterij is part of the Dutch Lottery (Nederlandse Loterij). Almost all proceeds are donated annually to Dutch sport through NOC*NSF, to 18 charities in the fields of health, activity, and wellbeing, and to Dutch society via the Ministry of Finance. In 2024, €54.6 million was contributed to Dutch sport, including €773,961 to the KNRB.
About the World Rowing Championships
The Staatsloterij 2026 World Rowing Championships will take place from 24 to 30 August 2026 at the Bosbaan in Amsterdam. This will be the third time that the global tournament is held at the Bosbaan in the Netherlands, following previous editions in 1977 and 2014. The event is organized by the KNRB, World Rowing, the City of Amsterdam, and TIG Sports & Events.
