World Athletics introduce new Ultimate Championship with 1.3 Billion prize pot

World Athletics has announced the launch of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, a groundbreaking new global championship event set to transform the athletics calendar and define which athlete is the best of the best.

The event will pit World champions, Olympic champions, the Wanda Diamond League winners and the year’s best-performing athletes against each other to crown the ultimate champion.

Highlighting this revolutionary competition is a record-setting prize pot of US$10 million (circa Ksh 1.3 billion), the largest ever offered in the history of track & field athletics with gold medalists set to receive US$150,000 (around Ksh 19.5 million).

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This innovative event, debuting 11-13 September 2026 and set to be held every two years, will first be hosted in Hungary’s capital city of Budapest, promising a spectacular conclusion to the summer athletics season.

Designed as the ultimate season finale with an aim to captivate millions of television viewers worldwide, the global championship event will feature a thrilling and fast-moving new format for athletics.

Taking place over three evening sessions, each under three hours in duration, the Ultimate Championship will showcase the best of athletics, including sprints, middle and long-distance races, relays, jumps, and throws, ensuring a spectacle that both existing and new fans will not want to miss.

Athletes will represent their national teams to ensure that individual success is underpinned by national pride.

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Setting a new benchmark for financial rewards in the sport, the World Athletics Ultimate Championship will feature a total prize pot of US$10 million, underscoring World Athletics' commitment to pay its athletes more, provide them with additional earning opportunities and increase their recognition.

All athletes competing at the championship will be financially rewarded and the ultimate champions will receive US$150,000 each. Athletes will also benefit from greater promotional rights, allowing them to commercially activate and enhance their personal profiles.

Chosen following a competitive process – which saw interest from a number of major global cities – and after hosting arguably the most successful World Athletics Championships in history last year, Budapest will welcome nearly 400 of the world's top athletes for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship between 11-13 September 2026.

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“With only the best of the best on show and cutting straight to semi-finals and finals, we will create an immediate pressure to perform for athletes aiming to claim the title of the ultimate champion,” said World Athletics President Seb Coe.

“The World Athletics Ultimate Championship will be high on action and excitement for fans, setting a new standard for track and field events. Featuring athletics’ biggest stars, it will be a must-watch global sports event and means track and field will host a major global championship in every single year, ensuring for the first time that athletics will enjoy a moment of maximum audience reach on an annual basis.”

“Budapest is truly honored to be the inaugural host city for the highly innovative World Athletics Ultimate Championship. Having successfully hosted the 2023 World Athletics Championships, recent World Aquatics Championships, major UEFA events and many more, Budapest is ready to deliver again,” said Balázs Furjes, IOC member for Hungary and previous co-leader of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 organising committee.

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World Athletics Ultimate Championship

Global championship event: Launching in 2026, the championship will take place every two years and serve as a grand conclusion to the track and field season.

Compact format: A three-day event, with each evening session packed with semi-finals and finals for track disciplines, and straight finals for field disciplines.

Elite athlete participation: Featuring 8-16 of the world's top-ranked athletes per discipline, with selections based primarily on world rankings. Approaching 400 athletes from about 70 countries will compete, representing the pinnacle of global athletic talent.

Prize money: A total prize pot of US$10 million, with winners receiving US$150,000, setting a new benchmark for financial rewards in athletics.

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