World Athletics Ultimate Championships

The Ultimate Championships, aka World Athletics Ultimate Championships, is an upcoming international biennial track and field sporting event to be held by World Athletics. The first edition will be held from 11 to 13 September from 2026.

The inaugural edition of the three evening event will have a prize fund of US$ 10 million, with winners receiving US$ 150,000, by far the largest prize money in the sport, and will be held in Budapest, Hungary.

Format

The Ultimate Championships was devised by World Athletics to ensure that the sport had a global championships for elite athletes towards the end of every track year. Unlike the primary World Athletics Championships or Olympic Games, but similar to the Diamond League final, the event consists only of direct semi finals and finals. Events will feature 8 athletes for field events, 16 athletes for individual track events and 8 teams for relays, with invitations decided by the world rankings, augmented by World and Olympic champions.

On 22 November 2024, the list of events was announced by World Athletics. It included a new mixed 4 × 100 metres relay, not before contested at a global championship level.

Men's disciplines

Track events	Field events
100 metres	Pole vault
200 metres	High jump
400 metres	Long jump
800 metres	Hammer throw
1500 metres	Javelin throw
5000 metres
110 metres hurdles
400 metres hurdles

Women's disciplines

Track events	Field events
100 metres	Pole vault
200 metres	High jump
400 metres	Long jump
800 metres	Triple jump
1500 metres	Javelin throw
5000 metres
100 metres hurdles
400 metres hurdles

Mixed-sex disciplines

Track events
4 × 100 metres relay
4 × 400 metres relay

Championships

Edition	Year	City	Country	Date	Venue	No. of Events	No. of Countries	No. of Athletes	Top of the medal table
1	2026	Budapest	Hungary	11-13 September	National Athletics Centre	tbd	future event

External links

• World Athletics Ultimate Championships