Bochum, February 2026. Germany has been selected to host the European Cybersecurity Challenge (ECSC) 2026, Europe's flagship competition for young cybersecurity talent, supported by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA).
From 12 to 16 October 2026, Nachwuchsförderung IT-Sicherheit e.V. (NFITS), together with ENISA and the City of Bochum, will welcome around 500 participants to the RuhrCongress Bochum. Finalists are expected to compete in up to 45 national teams, after qualifying through national selection events that attract more than 30,000 participants overall.
During the competition, teams solve practical challenges across areas such as web security, cryptography, reverse engineering, and digital forensics, collecting points for each task solved.
"ECSC brings together Europe's most promising young cybersecurity talents and shows what the next generation can achieve. Hosting ECSC 2026 is a strong signal for skills development in Germany and for Bochum as a hub for cybersecurity."
— Patrick Reich, Chair of NFITS
Call for Sponsors
Organising ECSC 2026 is a major undertaking. NFITS is currently seeking sponsors and partners who want to support cybersecurity education and gain visibility among Europe's top emerging talent.
Interested? Reach out at sponsors@ecsc2026.de.
About the European Cybersecurity Challenge (ECSC)
The ECSC is an annual competition supported by ENISA that brings together national teams of young cybersecurity talents to compete, learn, and connect with the wider cybersecurity community.
About Nachwuchsförderung IT-Sicherheit e.V. (NFITS)
NFITS is a non-profit association dedicated to promoting young talent in information security through education, competitions, and community initiatives.
NFITS also organizes the Cyber Security Challenge Germany (CSCG) and the German Hacking Championship (DHM).
Press Contact
Nachwuchsförderung IT-Sicherheit e.V.
Lars Adolph
media@ecsc2026.de
+49 174 2372295