World Athletics Ultimate Championship
The Ultimate Championship, aka World Athletics Ultimate Championship, 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.
World pole vault record-holder Mondo Duplantis was announced as the inaugural Ultimate Star. Duplantis mentioned he was set to showcase the sport like never before and felt excited to be a part of the championship.
Jamaican sprint superstar Usain Bolt, eight-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4 × 100 metres relay, has been announced as the ‘Ultimate Legend’, as to collaborate with World Athletics in the promotion of the new global season-ending championship in Budapest.
Format
The Ultimate Championship 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.
| 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 | - |
| 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 | - |
| Track events |
| 4 × 400 metres relay |
| 4 × 100 metres relay |
Automatic qualifiers
The following are eligible for automatic qualification to the 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship.Mixed-sex disciplines
| Event | 2024 Olympic Champion | 2025 World Champion | 2026 World Athletics Relays |
| Mixed 4x400m relay |  Eugene Omalla, Lieke Klaver, Isaya Klein Ikkink, Femke Bol, Cathelijn Peeters.png" />Eugene Omalla, Lieke Klaver, Isaya Klein Ikkink, Femke Bol, Cathelijn Peeters|NED |