Amsterdam has been announced as the host city for the 2016 European Athletics Championships.

The European Athletics Council awarded the event to the Dutch city ahead of rival bids from Istanbul and Split.

It will be the 23rd staging of the championships and will follow on from 2010's Barcelona, the 2012 renewal in Helsinki and 2014 in Zurich.

"We are sure that we can look forward to a fantastic event," European Athletics president Hansjorg Wirz said.

"We are very pleased to confirm that Amsterdam will be the hosts of the European Athletics Championships in 2016."

It has also been announced at the Helsinki Council meeting that Serbian capital Belgrade will host 2013's European Cross Country Championships.