Here’s all you need to know about the qualification pathway for the inaugural Ultimate Championship slated for September 2026.
World Athletics has officially released the qualification system and a new “Road to” tracking tool for its groundbreaking Ultimate Championship, set to debut in Budapest from September 11-13, 2026.
This new pinnacle event aims to bring together the sport’s biggest names—including reigning world and Olympic champions, Diamond League winners, and the season’s top performers—for a definitive showdown. The three-day competition promises an intense, action-packed schedule to determine the best of the best.
The qualification journey has already begun, with Olympic champions from Paris and world champions from Tokyo securing their spots. The newly published criteria detail how other elite athletes can earn an invitation to compete for a share of the record-breaking US$10 million prize fund, the largest ever in a single track and field event.
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To enhance transparency and fan engagement, World Athletics has also launched the “Road to the Ultimate Championship” online tool. This feature allows athletes, media, and supporters to follow the qualification standings in real-time for each discipline throughout the qualifying window.
How athletes can qualify
The invitation criteria outline several pathways for individual athletes to secure a place in Budapest. Invitations will be extended to:
Reigning World Athletics champions. Reigning Olympic champions. Wanda Diamond League champions. The top performers of the year, based on World Rankings.
A key feature of the invitation system is that there will be no limit on the number of athletes from a single country in any given event, ensuring the competition features the world’s absolute best, regardless of nationality.
For the mixed 4x100m and 4x400m relays, the top six teams from the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone 26 will receive automatic invitations. The final two spots will be awarded to the teams with the fastest times recorded between August 22, 2025, and September 1, 2026.
A new format for a new era
The Ultimate Championship will feature a condensed, high-stakes format. The program includes a range of track and field events, from sprints and hurdles to distance races and field disciplines like the long jump, high jump, and javelin.
Each of the three evening sessions will be packed with finals. In many track events, two semi-finals of eight athletes each will see only the top four from each race advancing to the final. Meanwhile, the 1500m, 5000m, and all relay events will be straight finals, adding to the pressure and excitement.
