The federal council of the Finnish Athletics Federation (SUL) has granted the 2026 Athletics Championship, the Kaleva Games (Kalevan Kisat), to Jyväskylä. The City of Jyväskylä and the Jyväskylä Field Athletes (JKU) jointly applied for competitions for 2026, which is the 100th anniversary of Harju Stadium. Harju Stadium will be renovated and expanded by the time of the Kaleva Games.

For the first time in 34 years, Jyväskylä will host a men’s basketball national team game. Finland’s national team, Susijengi, faces Ukraine at LähiTapiola Areena on Thursday, August 18, as they gear up for EuroBasket 2022. This will also be the first national team game for Lauri Markkanen, the premier star of Finnish basketball, in his hometown.