World Athletics Ultimate Championship

The World Athletics Ultimate Championship is a groundbreaking new global championship event set to define which athlete is the best of the best – pitting world champions, Olympic champions, the Wanda Diamond League winners and the year’s best performing athletes against each other, to crown the ultimate champion.

Taking place bi-annually over three evening sessions, the Ultimate Championship will showcase the best of athletics, including sprints, middle and long-distance races, relays, jumps, and throws. Around 400 athletes selected primarily based on world rankings will represent their national teams to ensure that individual success is underpinned by national pride. The prize pot is the highest ever in track and field history, USD 10 million, with gold medallists set to receive USD 150,000.

Designed as the ultimate outdoor athletics season finale with an aim to captivate millions of television viewers worldwide, the global championship event will feature a thrilling and fast-moving new format for athletics. The World Athletics Ultimate Championship will end the outdoor athletics season, with the first edition taking place between 11-13 September 2026, in Budapest, Hungary.