The 1966 European Karate Championships, the 1st edition, was held in Paris, France from May 7 to 9, 1966.

In 1961, Jacques Delcourt was appointed President of French Karate Federation, which was at that stage an associated member of the Judo Federation.

[1][2] In 1963 he invited the six other known European federations (Italy, Great Britain, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Spain) to come to France for the first-ever international karate event, and Great Britain and Belgium accepted the invitation.

[3][1][2][4]