Everything is now in place for ScaffChamp 2026, the international scaffolding championship that returns to Vilnius, Lithuania, on 5–6 June.
Now in its seventh year since 2019, the contest brings together 20 teams from across Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas to compete on speed, accuracy and safety, all watched live by a global audience online. Reigning champions Lithuania’s RNDV will be back to defend the title.
Here is everything you need to know, from the line-up and the format to where the venue is and how to watch from home.
When and where is ScaffChamp 2026?
ScaffChamp powered by Layher 2026 takes place over two days, on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 June. The main competition and awards fall on the Saturday, with the build-up, registration and briefings on the Friday.
The event is held at the Baltic Scaffolders Association headquarters on Salinink? g. 82 in Vilnius, the same site that has hosted recent editions. It is co-organised by Layher Baltic and the Baltic Scaffolders Association, with support from Layher Germany.
What actually happens at ScaffChamp
ScaffChamp is a live skills competition rather than a trade exhibition. Teams are set the same scaffolding structure to erect against the clock, working to a supplied design and under close supervision, before the build is inspected and scored.
The competition runs on Layher’s Allround system, so every team works with identical equipment and the result comes down to planning, technique, communication and discipline under pressure.
The opening day typically covers team registration, an official welcome and a technical briefing in which competitors are walked through the design, the judging criteria and the safety requirements before they build.
How the competition is judged
The 2025 edition ran to a two-round format, with 10 teams competing in each round. Each team is timed during the erection phase, after which referees scrutinise the finished structure and apply penalties for any faults or safety breaches.
Speed alone does not win it. Teams are assessed on a combination of time, technical accuracy, teamwork and crucially safety, with design reading and clear communication often proving decisive. That balance is why a fast build can still be beaten by a slower, cleaner one.
Who is competing in 2026?
ScaffChamp confirmed its full 20-team line-up in February, after roughly five months of registrations. The 2026 field features a record number of new regions.
Australia and Peru will make their first appearances, while the United States returns to the competition. Europe sees the largest expansion, with new entries from Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Greece and Spain.
Returning European teams include Romania, Lithuania, Germany, Poland, Italy, the UK, Ireland, Sweden and Estonia, the last of which has not competed since the inaugural 2019 event. Asia is again represented by Mongolia, a returning side that has proved popular with spectators.
No African team will take part in 2026, although organisers said discussions had been held with teams from the region and that they hoped to see Africa represented in future. Layher Baltic’s Oleg Abramov said the selection process had been deliberately rigorous to keep the contest fair and professional. The individual company names behind each country had not been released at the time of writing.
The reigning champions
Lithuania’s RNDV go into 2026 as defending champions. At ScaffChamp 2025 the team took the overall title and the Health & Safety Award, a double honour earned through a disciplined, methodical build.
It was not a one-off effort assembled for the competition: RNDV’s championship squad is drawn entirely from its day-to-day operational staff, and the team had finished fourth on its debut in 2024 before refining its approach to design interpretation, time management and working under pressure.
What is at stake: the belt and the awards
The headline prize is the ScaffChamp championship belt, awarded to the overall winning team. Alongside it sit a small number of category awards, four main awards in the 2025 edition, including the Health & Safety Award, which recognises the cleanest and safest build rather than simply the fastest.
For competing companies, the appeal is as much reputational as it is the silverware. ScaffChamp has become a recognised benchmark for technical standards across different countries, and a strong showing is widely treated within the trade as a mark of professional credibility.
The venue
All of the action is concentrated at the Baltic Scaffolders Association HQ in Vilnius. Capacity is limited by the site and by crowd-safety requirements, and organisers warned that tickets could sell out, so anyone planning to attend in person is advised to book early. Tickets are sold online through Paysera, and discount codes are expected to be released through event partners in the run-up to the competition.
Vilnius: the host city
Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, is a compact and walkable city of around 600,000 people in the south-east of the country. Its medieval Old Town is one of the largest surviving in Northern Europe and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its baroque churches, narrow cobbled streets and the hilltop Gediminas’ Tower overlooking the centre. The self-declared “republic” of Užupis, a bohemian quarter just across the river, is a popular detour for visitors.
For practical purposes, Lithuania is in the eurozone, so the currency is the euro, and card payment is accepted almost everywhere. English is widely spoken, particularly among younger people and in hospitality. Early June is one of the better times to visit: days are long and mild, with temperatures typically in the high teens to low twenties Celsius, though it is worth packing for the odd shower.
Getting there and getting around
For UK readers, the most straightforward route is a direct flight to Vilnius International Airport (VNO). Ryanair and Wizz Air both fly direct from London, principally from Luton and Stansted, with a flight time of around two hours and forty minutes.
Direct fares are often very cheap if booked early. From elsewhere in the UK, or if direct flights are sold out around the event, connecting options run through hubs such as Riga with airBaltic, Frankfurt or Munich with Lufthansa, and Warsaw with LOT.
Vilnius airport is unusually close to the city, only about four miles south of the centre, which makes transfers quick and cheap. A train links the airport to the central station in roughly eight minutes for under a euro, and there are also regular buses. Taxis and ride-hailing apps (Bolt is widely used in Lithuania) are readily available from outside arrivals and are inexpensive by UK standards.
The competition venue sits on the southern side of the city, on the same side as the airport, so it is easily reached by taxi or ride-hailing in a short hop. If you are staying in the Old Town, allow a little extra time on the Saturday morning, as competitors and spectators will be heading to the site ahead of the 10:30 broadcast start.
How to watch the 2026 live stream
If you cannot get to Vilnius, the whole competition is broadcast free online. ScaffChamp 2026 will be streamed live on YouTube on Saturday 6 June, with the broadcast beginning at 10:30 Baltic time — that is 08:30 in London.
The stream covers the full event, including team presentations, commentator analysis, interviews, partner segments, the results and the awards ceremony. The live broadcast has become one of the few platforms where the wider trade can watch competitors work under pressure and compare standards across countries; the 2025 stream drew more than 10,000 viewers worldwide.
How ScaffChamp grew from a regional contest
ScaffChamp began in April 2019 as the First International Scaffolders Championship, with nine teams from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland. The planned 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, before the contest returned in 2022 with six teams and around 200 guests.
The event was rebranded as ScaffChamp in 2023, when it drew 15 teams and more than 400 guests, and it has continued to widen its international reach since. The 2025 edition brought together 20 teams from 17 regions, with competitors travelling from as far afield as Mongolia, Chile and the United States.
The full two-day agenda
All times are Baltic (EEST). Lithuania is two hours ahead of the UK in June, so for British Summer Time, subtract two hours — the Saturday broadcast start of 10:30 is 08:30 in London.
Friday 5 June — first day
- 11:00–11:45 — Registration and opening
- 12:00–12:10 — Official start, greetings and introduction to the event
- 12:10–14:00 — Activities and contests for participants and guests, run by partners
- 14:00–14:30 — Team presentations
- 14:30–14:35 — Dr Alan Osborn’s donation fund for men’s health
- 14:35–15:00 — Teams draw
- 15:00–15:30 — Participant briefing and introduction to the structure and tasks
- 15:30–16:30 — Free time and partner activities
Saturday 6 June — ScaffChamp day
- 09:30 — Team registration, equipment inspection and safety briefings
- 10:30 — Start of the broadcast
- 10:35–10:50 — Team parade and presentation
- 10:50–13:00 — First round of 10 teams
- 13:00–13:15 — Short break and partners’ section
- 13:15–15:25 — Second round of 10 teams
- 15:25–15:35 — Dr Alan Osborn’s fund section
- 15:35–16:00 — Results and awards
- 16:00–18:00 — Afterparty with DJ
ScaffMag will be following ScaffChamp 2026 throughout the weekend, with coverage of the results and reaction once the belt has been decided.
