The 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship was held at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary, from 11 to 13 September 2026. Organised by World Athletics, it was an inaugural biennial invitational that featured top athletes in selected disciplines (including defending Olympic and world champions) competing for shares of a US$10 million purse.
Qualification The Ultimate Championship is a limited-field invitational, with individual track events limited to 16 entrants, and field events limited to eight entrants. Direct qualification slots are offered to:
The gold medalist from the 2024 Summer Olympics. The gold medalist from the 2025 World Athletics Championships. The winner of the event at the 2026 Diamond League final.
The remainder of the field in each individual event will be determined by the World Athletics Rankings for the period from 2 September 2025 to 1 September 2026. There is no limit on how many athletes from a single country can be in the field for a single event.
For relay events, the 2026 World Athletics Relays served as the main qualifier, with the top six teams in its mixed 4 × 400 metres and mixed 4 × 100 metres events qualifying for the Ultimate Championship. Two more teams will qualify based on their performance during the competition period between 22 August 2025 to 1 September 2026. Only one team can qualify per-country in relays.
The following athletes have automatically qualified for the Ultimate Championship based on winning a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics or 2025 world championships, or winning the Diamond League finals:
Men's Event 2024 Olympic Champion 2025 World Champion 2026 Diamond League final winner100 m 200 m 400 m 800 m 1500 m 5000 m 110 m hurdles 400 m hurdles High jump Pole vault Long jump Hammer Javelin
Women's Event 2024 Olympic Champion 2025 World Champion 2026 Diamond League final winner100 m 200 m 400 m 800 m 1500 m 5000 m 100 m hurdles 400 m hurdles High jump Pole vault Long jump Triple jump Javelin
Wildcards Additionally, several athletes received exceptional invitations to compete at the 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship. Among the international invitees were Josh Kerr (Great Britain) and Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Norway), who were both added to the men's 1500 metres. Their inclusion expanded the field to 13 athletes. Gianmarco Tamberi (Italy) was also granted an invitation in the men's high jump. As host nation, Hungary received exceptional invitations for Patrik Enyingi (400 m), Luca Kozák (100 m hurdles), Sára Mátó (400 m hurdles), Boglárka Takács (100 m and 200 m), as well as the Hungarian mixed 4 × 100 m and 4 × 400 m relay teams.
Schedule SSemi-finalsFFinal
+Men Date →11 Sep12 Sep13 Sep Event ↓ 100 mSF200 mSF 400 mSF 800 mSF 1500 mF 5000 mF 110 m hurdlesSF 400 m hurdlesSF High jumpF Pole vaultF Long jumpFHammer throwF Javelin throwF
+Women Date →11 Sep12 Sep13 Sep Event ↓ 100 mSF200 mSF 400 mSF 800 mSF 1500 mF 5000 mF 100 m hurdlesSF 400 m hurdlesSF High jumpF Pole vaultF Long jumpFTriple jumpF Javelin throwF
+Mixed Date →11 Sep12 Sep13 Sep Event ↓4 × 100 m relayF4 × 400 m relayF
+ Detailed event schedule Day One—Friday, 11 September 7 PM Track Events Event Division Round Men / Women / Mixed relay Final mixed400 m Semi-finals men400 m Semi-finals women100 m hurdles Semi-finals women110 m hurdles Semi-finals men5000 m Final men800 m Semi-finals women100 m hurdles Final women110 m hurdles Final men Field EventsHigh jump Final womenHammer throw Final menPole vault Final menLong jump Final women Day Two—Saturday, 12 September 6 PM Track Events400 m Final women400 m Final men800 m Semi-finals men400 m hurdles Semi-finals women100 m Semi-finals women100 m Semi-finals men1500 m Final women400 m hurdles Semi-finals men800 m Final women100 m Final women100 m Final men Field EventsJavelin throw Final womenPole vault Final womenLong jump Final men Day Three-Sunday, 13 September 6 PM Track Events400 m hurdles Final women200 m Semi-finals men400 m hurdles Final men200 m Semi-finals women5000 m Final women800 m Final men relay Final mixed1500 m Final men200 m Final men200 m Final women Field EventsJavelin throw Final menHigh jump Final menTriple jump Final women 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship schedule World Athletics. 19 December 2025
Medal table The following table is notional, 1st=gold, 2nd=silver and 3rd=bronze. The champion receiving a trophy as no medals were officially given with second and third place.
Results
In the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, medals are not awarded; instead the champion alone received a trophy in each event. Other participants received prize money according to their placings. The tables below show the top three finishers in each event.
Men EventChampionSecond Third 9.85 9.90 9.93 19.52 19.76 19.79 43.39 44.15 44.23 1:41.91 1:42.28 1:42.44 3:29.35 3:29.68 3:30.73 12:59.24 13:00.05 13:00.13 12.94 12.95 13.01 45.98 46.40 46.78 2.37 m 2.30 m 2.26 m 6.20 m 6.15 m 5.95 m 8.35 m 8.34 m 8.07 m 81.46 m 80.30 m 78.90 m 91.09 m 86.18 m 85.89 m
Women EventChampionSecond Third 10.62 10.74 10.76 21.47 , 21.77 21.93 49.07 49.28 49.56 1:55.88 1:56.26 1:56.74 3:57.55 3:57.72 3:58.16 14:30.36 14:32.39 14:32.62 12.22 12.34 12.39 52.45 52.68 53.09 1.99 m 1.95 m 1.91 m 4.90 m = 4.90 m 4.85 m = 6.90 m 6.78 m 6.77 m 15.06 m 15.04 m 14.90 m 68.92 m 68.05 m 64.84 m
Mixed EventChampionSecond Third Ronnie BakerAnavia BattleCourtney LindseyKayla White 39.64 Ackeem BlakeTina ClaytonKadrian GoldsonJonielle Smith 39.72 Romell GlaveImani LansiquotJeremiah AzuSuccess Eduan 40.26 Chris BaileyAlexis HolmesJacory PattersonAaliyah Butler 3:08.32 Ben JefferiesYemi Mary JohnToby HarriesCharlotte Henrich 3:09.40 Jonas PhijffersLieke KlaverKeenan BlakeMyrte van der Schoot 3:09.57
Participating nations 381 athletes from 65 federations are entered into the championships. Participating Federations (1) (12) (2) (8) (6) (3) (1) (1) (1) (1) (14) (2) (2) (1) (4) (3) (1) (3) (12) (12) (11) (27) (2) (1) (17) (host) (3) (14) (39) (5) (14) (1) (1) (1) (1) (17) (4) (11) (12) (1) (1) (8) (4) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (3) (1) (2) (6) (10) (1) (2) (8) (2) (1) (1) (5) (80) (1) (1) (1)
References
External links 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship