Category: All UK & Europe

Woman Who Found Love at Lisdoonvarna Festival Brings Other Singles to Ireland

Posted on September 21, 2026
Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival

BBC NEWS – Colorado communications consultant Mary Timby met her Irish boyfriend at the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival after becoming frustrated with dating apps. The 170-year-old festival takes place throughout September and can attract up to 80K visitors for matchmaking, dancing and social events. Timby has now partnered with IRL dating company Met Through Friends to organise group trips to Lisdoonvarna. An initial form attracted 560 responses, and the first group of eight singles will travel to Ireland this month.

See full article at BBC

European Online Dating Market to Reach $1.63B by 2031

Posted on September 6, 2026
Research and Markets logo

GLOBE NEWSWIRE – According to a report from Research and Markets, Europe’s online dating market is expected to grow from $1.22 billion in 2026 to $1.63 billion by 2031, an annual growth rate of 5.99%. In 2025, subscriptions and other paid services generated 60.72% of total market revenue. Mobile apps generated 71.15% of revenue, compared with 28.85% from desktop and web platforms. Ofcom found that 18% of UK adults aged 18–24 and 17% of those aged 25–34 used dating services in May 2024. The report estimates that only 3% to 5% of free users become paying customers, although subscribers can generate up to 90% of a platform’s revenue.

See full article at Globe Newswire

The YouGov Relationships Survey

Posted on August 24, 2026
relationships

YOUGOV – A YouGov survey of 1,882 Britons found that two-thirds are currently in a relationship, with 90% of those describing themselves as happy. Work and mutual friends remain the most common ways couples meet, while dating apps account for one in nine relationships overall.  Most single Britons are happy being unattached, although 25% want a relationship now; 42% say they remain single because they have not met the right person, while 29% find dating stressful or difficult. 

See full article at YouGov

Tinder Events Expands to Zurich and Geneva

Posted on August 5, 2026
Tinder logo

WATSON – Tinder is expanding its Events feature to Zurich and Geneva following a 60-event pilot in Los Angeles. Users can discover offline activities, including karaoke, board games, quizzes and painting workshops, directly in the app. Independent event organizers handle the events and ticket sales, while attendees receive a profile badge to help them reconnect afterward. Tinder Events is now available in ten cities and is expected to reach 26 by the end of September.

See full article at Watson

UK Muslim Matchmaking Platform Faces Backlash Over Child Marriage Video

Posted on July 13, 2026
Nikkahgram

THE SUN – Nikkahgram, a Muslim matchmaking platform operating in the UK, has faced calls to be shut down after posting a video suggesting fathers should marry off their daughters when they reach puberty. The video was removed following criticism, and the company said it does not promote marriage under the age of 18.

See full article at The Sun

Turkey Blocks Access to Dating App Hornet

Posted on June 18, 2026
Hornet

BIANET – Turkey has once again blocked access to LGBTQ+ social networking and dating app Hornet, following a June 2026 court order. The platform has more than 100 million users globally and over 3 million users in Turkey. The move comes less than three years after Turkey’s Constitutional Court ruled that a previous ban on Hornet violated freedom of expression and freedom of communication, leading to the app’s reinstatement in 2023.

See full article at Bianet

Swiss Dating Startup noii Expands to Germany With Real-Life Events

Posted on April 28, 2026
Logo for the dating service 'noii'

STARTUPTICKER.CH – noii has launched in Germany, starting with its first event in Stuttgart, followed by expansion to Munich and Cologne. Originally launched as a video speed dating platform in 2022, noii shifted fully to offline dating events in 2025 after strong demand for real-life interactions. The model is already working in Switzerland, where noii hosts up to 15 events per month across six cities with ~2K participants. 

See full article at StartUpTicker.ch

Dutch Company Behind 1,600 Fake Dating Sites in 32 Countries

Posted on April 15, 2026
online dating

NL TIMES – Four Fingers Management, a Dutch company, is linked to 1,623 fake dating sites across 32 countries. Users chat with employees posing as fake profiles and are led to believe real meetings are possible, while paying per message. In 2018, the Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) raided several fake dating companies and imposed fines. The regulator now calls the findings “very concerning,” but has not said whether it will investigate Four Fingers Management.

See full article at NL Times

Pure Dating App Is Launching in London and Paris

Posted on April 14, 2026
Pure campaign

PURE – After a US campaign in NYC and LA, the safety-first dating app for Gen Z is launching in Europe. PURE is rolling out a six-week campaign across London and Paris focused on real-world experiences and local activations. Pure closed 2025 with $100M in annual gross revenue, 95% YOY registration growth, and 46% revenue growth. The app now ranks among the top 8 grossing lifestyle apps in the US, the UK, and France. The product positions itself as an alternative to swipe-based apps, focusing on safety, privacy, and more intentional connections, with features like verification tools, disappearing chats, and AI moderation.

See full article at Pure website

France Signs Charter With Dating Apps to Fight Homophobic Ambushes

Posted on March 30, 2026
France signs charter with dating apps to fight homophobic ambushes

RFI – France has signed a charter with major dating apps, including Tinder, Grindr, Bumble, and Happn, to combat rising homophobic ambushes, where victims are lured by fake profiles and attacked. The agreement focuses on three pillars: prevent, report, and protect. Platforms will improve reporting tools, retain and share data with law enforcement (even after account deletion), promote verified profiles, and strengthen bans. France positions this as a first-of-its-kind coordinated effort between government, tech platforms, and advocacy groups to tackle targeted anti-LGBT+ violence.

See full article at RFI