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With just three sessions across three thrilling days, our goal is to make every moment exceptional. Each session features a horizontal jump, a throwing event and exciting track finals – showcasing the full range of athletics experience.

The inaugural Ultimate Championship will take place from 11-13 September 2026 at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary.

Tickets will go on sale towards the end of 2025.

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World Athletics will oversee the event’s production and all broadcast partnerships. Our priority is to ensure fans everywhere can tune in via free-to-air television and digital platforms – so no matter where you are in the world, you won’t miss a moment of the action.

Only the best of the best will compete. Automatic qualifiers include:

• 26 Olympic champions from Paris 2024
• 26 World champions from the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25
• 25 Diamond League winners from the 2026 season
• Plus the best performers of 2026 based on the World Rankings qualification system

No. The Ultimate Championship is about performance, not quotas. There is no limit on how many athletes from a single country can qualify. If multiple top-ranked athletes come from the same nation, they all compete.

No! The Ultimate Championship is in addition to the World Championships, which remains a great event that our athletes and fans cherish. This new event is in response to growing demand from fans, sponsors and athletes for more high-profile, fast-paced showcase competitions.

There has never been a better time. Demand for world-class athletics events is at an all- time high. 2026 is the only year without a major global event like a World Championships or an Olympic Games. Since 2023, World Athletics has collaborated with fans, athletes, coaches and broadcasters to design a new innovative format that meets modern expectations for elite competition.

The World Championships spans nine days with 13 or 14 sessions. In contrast, the Ultimate Championship will be a three-day event with just three evening sessions – each of around three hours. This means not every event can be included – but each session offers a carefully curated mix of track events, jumps and throws, ensuring the entire stadium is buzzing and fans are on the edge of their seats.

With a compact schedule of just three sessions over three days, every minute matters. Each session will feature a horizontal jump, a throws event and track finals, ensuring a dynamic mix and an intense non-stop fan experience.

The detailed timetable will be released in the coming months – stay tuned for updates.

The Ultimate Championship will close out the season in 2028 following the LA28 Olympic Games. Just like in 2024, when athletes delivered some of their best performances in the Diamond League after Paris, the 2028 edition will harness the same momentum and energy, ending the year on high.

Each ultimate champion will receive the top prize of US$150k. But every athlete will go home with something, recognising their status of being amongst the best athletes in the world.