World Athletics Ultimate Championships

The Ultimate Championships, aka World Athletics Ultimate Championships, is an upcoming international biennial track and field sporting event to be held by World Athletics.[1] The first edition will be held from 11 to 13 September from 2026.[2]

The inaugural edition of the three evening event will have a prize fund of US$ 10 million, with winners receiving US$ 150,000, by far the largest prize money in the sport, and will be held in Budapest, Hungary.[1][2]

Format

The Ultimate Championships was devised by World Athletics to ensure that the sport had a global championships for elite athletes towards the end of every track year. Unlike the primary World Athletics Championships or Olympic Games, but similar to the Diamond League final, the event consists only of direct semi finals and finals. Events will feature 8 athletes for field events, 16 athletes for individual track events and 8 teams for relays, with invitations decided by the world rankings, augmented by World and Olympic champions.[1][2]

On 22 November 2024, the list of events was announced by World Athletics. It included a new mixed 4 × 100 metres relay, not before contested at a global championship level.[3]

Championships

Edition Year City Country Date Venue No. of
Events 		No. of
Countries 		No. of
Athletes 		Top of the
medal table
1 2026 Budapest  Hungary 11-13 September National Athletics Centre tbd future event

References

  1. ^ a b c "World Athletics Ultimate Championship: a new global championship for the sport | News | TBC 26 | World Athletics Ultimate Championships". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  2. ^ a b c "World Athletics Ultimate Championship: New event with record prize fund to launch in 2026". BBC Sport. 2024-06-03. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  3. ^ "Host broadcaster Tata Communications and HBS to showcase Ultimate Championship as full list of disciplines announced". World Athletics. Retrieved 22 November 2024.