World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 | Witness the Wonder
Exactly 250 days before the start of the competition, the starting pistol has been fired and the race has begun for athletics fans to buy their tickets and packages for the biggest sporting event in Hungary's history, the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23.
From 19 to 27 August 2023, the competition will take place over nine days and will feature the world's best athletes in Budapest, one of the most spectacular cities in Europe. This is the first time that the World Athletics Championships will be held in central Europe, giving Hungarian fans and audiences in neighbouring countries their best chance to “Witness the Wonder” of this amazing event.
With the Christmas gift-giving season in full swing, the launch of ticket sales is perfectly timed for athletics fans to treat themselves, and for those who want to give their favourite fan the gift of a lifetime.
Over nine days, there will be nine evening and five morning sessions in the brand-new, purpose-built National Athletics Centre and five more opportunities to see the road races in the World Heritage centre of Budapest, where spectators will be able to cheer on the athletes in the marathon and race walking events.
The slogan of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 is “Witness the Wonder”, because nothing compares to the experience of live athletics at the highest level. It is a magical experience to see the best athletes in the world perform in person.
There are tickets available for all budgets, starting from $7 for morning sessions and $16 for evening sessions, with Category 1 tickets for the closest seats to the races on a weekend evening costing around $60.
Weekday evening ticket prices range from $16 to $44.*
Weekend evening ticket prices: from $21 to $54.*
Ticket prices in the morning: $7*
Three types of packages are available, one for the first weekend and one for the second weekend, the latter being a three-day package with the addition of Friday. The third package is valid for all days of the World Championships.
Flying start - opening weekender package (19-20 Aug, 2 days): $53-116*
Final weekend – Cheer them home package (25-26-27 Aug, 3 days): $73-168*
All in – Superheroes package (19-27 Aug, 9 days): $174-410*
Various discounts are also available, including 25% reductions on the price of tickets for those under 18, over 65 and for families. Wheelchair users can enter the competition for free and an accompanying person can enter with the cheapest ticket available on the given day.
“In the preparations for the World Athletics Championships, the most important task in 2022 was to start selling tickets and I am particularly pleased that this was done before Christmas, so that everyone has the opportunity to give their loved ones a ticket or season ticket to the World Championships this holiday season. I am proud that Hungary will host the third biggest sporting event in the world, and I am sure that every athlete and every spectator who visits us will enjoy themselves in our beautiful capital." said Ádám Schmidt, State Secretary and Government Commissioner for the World Championships.
“It is an exciting moment when we will actually open the gates to hundreds of thousands of spectators and start selling tickets for the World Athletics Championships. We have tried to give everyone the opportunity to see the wonder of the competition between 2000 athletes from more than 200 countries," added Balázs Németh, CEO of Budapest 2023 Zrt.
Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics added: ”We’re delighted to be going to Central Europe for the outdoor world championships for the first time. Hungary has a very rich sporting history and has shown itself to be an outstanding host of major sports events, including athletics competitions, and Budapest is a stunning city, that will provide the perfect backdrop for the world’s best athletes. The Local Organising Committee hopes to organize the best World Championships ever and I applaud their ambition. We should always try to raise the bar higher at our premier event, just as our athletes do.”
The magic begins on the very first day of competition (Saturday, 19 August) when the strong men of athletics take to the field in the shot put, a contest that could be decided by only a few centimetres. between world-class shot putters, Ryan Crouser, Joe Kovacs and Tom Walsh. On Sunday evening (20 August), the programme features the fastest men on earth in the men’s 100 metres and the best male endurance runners in the men’s 10 000 metres final.
Monday evening (21 August) features the women’s 100 metres semi-finals and final, perhaps with the three fantastic Jamaican sprinters, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson. This session could also feature four current world record holders in four different events. Sydney McLaughlin in the women’s 400m hurdles heats, Karsten Warholm in the men’s 400m hurdles semi-finals, Yulimar Rojas in the women’s triple jump final and Grant Holloway (60mH WR) in the men’s 110m hurdles semi-finals and final.
Anybody who wants to relive one of the best moments of the Tokyo Olympic games should buy a ticket for the men’s high jump final on Tuesday (22 August), where friends and rivals Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Essa Barshim are due to compete again for a gold medal.
Day 5 (23 August) could mark the start of an incredible double if Olympic and world champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone decides to take on both the 400 metres and 400 metres hurdles.
Thursday night (24 August) may offer a chance to see world records as this session features the finals in the women’s 100 metres and 400 metres hurdles, events in which both these world records were broken at this year’s World Championships in Oregon.
On the final weekend there will be 18 finals in 3 days and a host of fascinating stories. Both 200 metres finals take place on Friday (25 August). On Day 8 (Saturday, 26 August) Armand Duplantis will have another chance to beat his own world record in pole vault in one of the most spectacular events of the World Championships. On these two days we will also see the world’s best relays, and the gladiators of track and field in the men’s decathlon.
The last night (Sunday, 27 August) will feature an amazing array of stars competing in seven finals, including the 4x400 m relays, a possible duel between Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Joshua Cheptegei in the men’s 5000 metres, an equally enthralling rematch in the women’s 800 metres between Athing Mu and Keely Hodgkinson, and the excitements of the women’s high jump and men’s javelin throw.
In addition to the competition on 20 August, all the athletes and visitors can experience a very special celebration to commemorate the foundation of Hungary by the nation’s first king, St Stephen. The highlight of the day will be a spectacular fireworks display launched from bridges and ships on the Danube.
For information on ticket sales and World Championships news, sign up for the WCH Budapest 23 Newsletter and follow our social media channels! Witness the Wonder in Budapest!
Tickets are available online at: tickets.wabudapest23.com
* Prices are subject to change according to the current USD/HUF exchange rate