• Defending champions United States seeking a 12th victory in this event
• Belgium challenging for a third title after their wins in 2022 and 2024
• Jamaica, the Netherlands and Hungary eyeing podium returns

The United States have dominated this event since it was introduced at the 1991 World Indoor Championships in Seville, winning 11 titles, including six in a row between 2006 and 2016.

And they are the defending champions, having finished ahead of Jamaica and Hungary at the 2025 edition in Nanjing.

None of the athletes who earned gold in China last March will be present in Poland – but such is the US depth of talent that title hopes remain buoyant.

Among those upon whom the United States will be able to call is Khaleb McRae, who ran the third leg when they were narrowly beaten by Botswana at last year’s rainswept final at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.

Last month McRae set a short track world record of 44.52 (pending ratification) at the World Indoor Tour Silver meeting in Fayetteville. He then went on to win the US indoor title in 45.01.

Backing up the 25-year-old national indoor champion will be Chris Robinson, who won the mixed 4x400m at last year’s World Relays and finished second to McRae at the US Indoor Championships.

The main challenge to the United States looks likely to come from Belgium, who are, by contrast, fielding athletes who have performed with distinction as team members in recent years.

Having won gold at the past two World Indoor Championships where they have competed in the men’s 4x400m, in 2022 and 2024, Belgium are now seeking a third title – and concentrating their energies entirely on the relay.

All four of the men who brought the baton home first in Glasgow two years ago are back – Jonathan Sacoor, Dylan Borlee, Christian Iguacel and Alexander Doom, the European and 2024 world indoor individual champion.

The other team members are hugely experienced. Robin Vanderbemden helped Belgium earn bronze at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, and last year he was in the quartet that finished second at the World Relays. Julien Watrin, meanwhile, was a member of the team that won world indoor gold in 2022.

The Netherlands, whose last 4x400m relay involvement in these championships saw them earn bronze at the 2024 edition in Glasgow, have proved a consistent force in recent years.

Last year they won gold at their home European Indoor Championships before finishing eighth at the World Championships in Tokyo.

Liemarvin Bonevacia – who ran in Tokyo last year – remains an exuberant and effective competitor, and he will be aided and abetted by Tony van Diepen, a co-member of the team that took silver behind the United States at the Olympic Games in 2021.

Hungary include three of the men who earned bronze in Nanjing last year, including European champion Attila Molnar, who this year set a European short track record of 45.01.

Poland, Czechia, Portugal and Venezuela are the other countries in contention.

Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics

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