Lagoa, in southern Portugal, is where we lay our scene.  Some of the best runners on the track will come to round out a successful and, in some cases, historic year, whilst others are clutching at the last chances of redemption. The European Cross Country Championships bookend a year of high drama and intrigue in the sport as the continent's best toe the line.

Ingebrigtsen's absence leaves the men's title wide open

The main headline surrounds the man who has spent the past decade making these championships his own. 

Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the 8-time champion, has withdrawn following a rollercoaster year.

No injury has been specified in connection with his withdrawal. In a statement, Norwegian Athletics Association Sporting Director Erlend Slokvik said, “Jakob has had a very good training period at altitude in recent weeks, and has decided to skip the European Cross Country Championships to focus fully on the 2026 season. We support the decision and look forward to the upcoming season.”

Therefore, the opportunity for the title to be seized by another has arisen. Many names have been proposed in recent weeks, until Monday evening when the French athletics federation confirmed the entry of the man who will no doubt be the clear favourite. Jimmy Gressier. Gressier is a 3-time Under23 Champion, with a bronze coming out of his first and most recent outing at the senior race in Dublin 4 years ago. 

But arriving in Portugal to steer his country to gold off the back of a sensational 10,000 metre title in Tokyo. Many will already have their bets in on who the men’s champion will be. 

Filip Ingebrigtsen will represent Norway with other standout names, including Great Britain's Scott Beattie and Rory Leonard. The training partners put on a clinic in cross-country running during last month's trials at Sefton Park. As they took a 1-2, a significant distance ahead of the pack.

2-time European champion Leonard emphasised the hopes of the British team following the race  'It was a bit pedestrian in the first half mile, I realised I don't race like this, so I threw in a fast, hard 400." "It's all about what happens in three weeks in Portugal. I think a team medal again, potentially a gold, is on the cards."

With teammate Beattie looking to avenge his travel document errors that denied him from competing last year, I'm just happy to be going to Portugal after last year's passport debacle, so I'm just happy to get that one off my back, obviously delighted to win, but obviously it's more important in three weeks' 

Another hot favourite is Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo. The 28-year-old took bronze in the individual race last year, helping Spain's efforts to seize the overall team title. With a national record over 3000m and a 10k pb of 28:04, he will be many people's outside bet. 

You would also be silly to rule out an Irish team of incredible strength. Efrem Giday, Darragh McElhinney and Jack O’Leary will look to be the points scorers over a flat and firm 7km.

Battocletti is the one to beat

In the women’s race, the likes of the Netherlands' Diane Van Es will be looking to be the one to challenge the clear favourite and Lagoa, a European Champion. The 26-year-old has previously achieved the feat at the Under 23 level in Lisbon six years ago, when she claimed the team title. 

Defending champion Nadia Batocletti will be going for her 11th medal at the championships. After silver in the 10,000m and Bronze in the 5000m in Tokyo, the Italian will be more than ready to round out the year with another title. 

After finishing in second place in the mixed relay last year, the newly crowned European indoor champion over 1500m, Agathe Guillemott, will move up to the individual race. A national record holder over the mile, 1500m, and 2000m, Guillemott will look to write the wrongs of Tokyo, where she exited in the semi-finals of the 1500m. 

On the British side, Liverpool Cross Champion Cari Hughes is looking to build on her team bronze in 2021 and her team silver last time out in Antalya. Having set the new Welsh record in the Steeplechase earlier this year, the Ynis Mon athlete will look to end the year on a high. 

"Honestly, I'm over the moon with that" "It's been a difficult two weeks, I think, leading up I had to miss Cardiff due to issues with my body, just wasn't ready. To come here and take the win, I really can't believe it.", Hughes Said following her win at Sefton Park. 

Hughes will lead a team of experience, including European 10k bronze medalist Megan Kieth, 2-time team gold medalist Abbie Donnely, last year's under-23 champion Phoebe Anderson, and 4-time medalists Poppy Tank and Izzy Fry.

Barnicoat is going for four in a row

In the U23 race, eyes will look towards Great Britain's Will Barnicoat. Since toeing the line at his first Eurocross in 2022 as an under-20, Barnicoat has not finished lower than first, taking his joint tally to six titles as he heads into what will be his final year in Lagoa. 

Looking to book a spot in the British team for the World Championships next month, as his country's highest finisher in the event since Mo Farah in 2010. Barnicoat has his sights set on closing out 2025 in dominant fashion, taking his fourth consecutive individual European title. 

In the build-up to the championships, Barnicoat told British Athletics, “Going in as a third-time defending champion is a pleasure. More of a privilege than a pressure. I’m looking forward to going and trying to defend my title for a third time. I’m really chill about it. I mean, I’ve done it before, I’ve defended it once."

He will be pushed all the way by Ireland's Nick Griggs, who is a six-time medalist at these championships. 

The major name missing from the lineup is Niels Laros. After taking an 800m and 5000m double at the under-23 championships, the Dutchman pulled out of the 5000m at the World Championships in September due to injury. 

Mononen and Forero to duel for U23 crown

To the Women’s Under 23 race, where Finland's Ilona Mononen and Spain's Maria Forero are seen as the favourites. 

Mononen took the Steeplechase title in Bergen earlier this year before breaking the national record in Tokyo. With an individual silver in Brussels in 2023 to a Bronze in Antalya last year, the 21-year-old will be keen to complete the set in Lagoa.

Maria Foereo, on the other hand, was a 5000m champion in Bergen over the summer and has a serious pedigree in this competition, having been a 5-time medalist, including two gold medals in 2022. 

The British team will be led by Megan Harris and feature Emily Parker, who comes off the back of an extremely impressive 2025 across various distances. As well as Rebecca Flaherty, Mia Waldmann, India Barwell and Beatrice Wood. All will look to put in performances worthy of earning a spot in the Tallahassee senior squad. 

Rabjohns looking for redemption

Willem Renders of Belgium is one of the names looking to make their mark on the Men’s U20 race. The European U20 5000M champion from the summer will look to carry his form over. 

For Great Britain, Liverpool Cross champion Michael Clark will lead the team, having come through a sprint finish against Will Rabjohns, who will be filled with vengeance following a European championships that didn’t end his way after stepping off the track in the 800m final before going on to win, only to be disqualified. 

Fitzgerald looks to bow out a champion

In the Women’s U20, all eyes are on Britain's Innes Fitzerald as she looks to close out her time in the age grade with another dominant win. 

The Exter Harriers' performance in Liverpool was spellbinding, a distance so far it allowed her to stop and remove dirt from her spikes before carrying on with no competition close. 

Fitzgerald is on for a hat-trick of wins before she graduates to U20 level. She will be pushed by an intriguing Irish team featuring debutants Eimear Cooney and Abby Smith, who will be flanked by the experience Lucy Foster, Emma Hickey and Anna Gardiner.

Home heroes and British expectations in Mixed Relay

Finally, the mixed team relay brings home the star of Portuguese athletics for the 2025 World 1500m champion, Isaac Nader, as well as 2-time European indoor medalist Salome Afonso.

The British team sees the return of Callum Elso to a GB vest for the first time since his Achilles tear at the Glasgow World Indoors last year. Jack Higgins picks up his second senior vest of the year, having had a run out at the European indoors in Apeldoorn. Holly Dixon and Ava Lloyd will make their senior debuts following impressive track seasons. 

Lloyd steps up following a 5th place finish in the 1500m at last year's World U20. 

The Irish team, including Andrew Coscoran, Eimear Maher, Laura Nicholson and Cian McPhillips, who placed an incredible fourth in that hectic men's 1500m final in Tokyo, are a strong quartet that certainly should not be counted out. 

Lots of action and even more headlines set to be written. It all kicks off from 11:30 am GMT on Sunday, and you can catch it on the BBC.