10 things to look forward to in 2026

With seven global competitions taking place this year, there are plenty of things to get excited about in 2026. Here are just 10 of the many things to look forward to in the coming months.

 

World Athletics Ultimate Championship

The year 2026 introduces a new pinnacle moment on the global calendar. The World Athletics Ultimate Championship will bring the sport’s biggest stars together in a high-stakes, head-to-head format that rewards excellence across a full season. With huge prize money and the very best athletes competing at the same time, it represents a bold new chapter in how athletics presents itself to the world.

 

World Athletics Cross Country Championships Tallahassee 26

The sport’s fans needn’t wait too long before the first World Athletics Series event of 2026 takes place. In just nine days’ time, the World Athletics Cross Country Championships will once again unite track stars, road runners and emerging talents on a single, demanding course – celebrating endurance, resilience and the shared global language of running. Few events capture the sport’s roots quite like cross country.

 

More record-breaking action on the horizon

When boundaries move, athletics follows. Few exemplify this better than World Athletics Athlete of the Year Mondo Duplantis, who continues to redefine what is possible in the pole vault. As records fall with increasing regularity, 2026 invites a tantalising question: just how high can the bar go? Don’t be surprised to see world records tumble in other disciplines throughout the season too.

 

World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26

For the third year in a row, the World Indoor Championships will showcase speed, power and technical brilliance in its purest form. From explosive sprints to tactical middle-distance races and dramatic field events, the Arena Torun in the Kujawy Pomorze region of Poland promised to deliver world-class performances and unforgettable moments.

 

World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26

Botswana will host this year’s edition of the World Athletics Relays off the back of their triumph in the men’s 4x400m at last year’s World Championships. Expect all the national pride, raw emotion and edge-of-the-seat drama that previous editions have witnessed.

 

Rivalries that keep delivering

Great rivalries are the heartbeat of sport, and athletics has no shortage. The distance-running duel between Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet could continue in 2026, perhaps with a joint attack on the long-standing world 3000m record. Newly crowned world 100m champion Oblique Seville will be keen to maintain his edge over Olympic champion Noah Lyles. And it will be fascinating to see how Femke Bol fares at her new distance of 800m, especially if she takes on Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson.

 

World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26

Road running remains one of the sport’s most accessible and fastest-growing frontiers. This year’s World Road Running Championships brings elite competition to iconic streets, blending championship intensity with the mass-participation spirit that connects the professional sport to millions of runners worldwide.

 

World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26

Few events offer a clearer glimpse into the future. Hosted once again at Eugene’s Hayward Field, the World Athletics U20 Championships provide a proven launch pad for tomorrow’s global stars. History shows that today’s junior champions are often tomorrow’s Olympic and world medallists – and 2026 will be no different.

 

Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26

Precision meets endurance at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships. This will be the first global competition featuring the new standard race walking distances of the half marathon and marathon, which could bring with it a few surprises.

 

A global season powered by one-day meetings

In the absence of a World Championships or Olympic Games, the international one-day circuit takes on added significance in 2026. The Diamond League and Continental Tour Gold series anchor a truly global season, rewarding consistency, encouraging head-to-head racing and allowing storylines to build week by week across continents. Aside from one-day meets, there's also major events such as the European Championships and Commonwealth Games that will provide much excitement and intrigue during a busy season.