The World Athletics Continental Tour is set for its biggest season yet in 2026, with more than 280 meetings already confirmed across the global calendar. The prestigious series, which brings together elite track and field competitions around the world, continues to grow in scale and influence as it enters another landmark year.
Divided into four competitive tiers—Gold, Silver, Bronze and Challenger—the status of each meeting is determined by the quality of competition and the level of prize money offered. This year’s expansion also marks an important milestone for the sport as several countries prepare to host Continental Tour events for the first time.
Nations including Egypt, Ethiopia, South Korea, Lesotho, Oman, and Saudi Arabia will stage meetings, highlighting the rapidly expanding global reach of athletics. The addition of these hosts signals the growing appetite for world-class track and field competition across new regions.
At the top of the circuit, the World Athletics Continental Tour will feature 11 prestigious Gold-level meetings spanning five continental areas. These competitions are expected to attract many of the world’s leading athletes as they fine-tune their form throughout the season. The series continues to provide a crucial platform for both established stars and emerging talents to compete on an international stage.
The Gold-level campaign begins in Australia with the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne on 27–28 March, traditionally one of the first major events of the outdoor athletics season. From there, the tour moves to Africa for the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi on 24 April, an event that has quickly become one of the continent’s most celebrated track and field competitions.
Later in the season, the World Athletics Continental Tour will continue to deliver world-class competition across Europe, Asia and North America. Many athletes will use these meetings as vital preparation for the season’s major championships, including the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, scheduled for 11–13 September in Budapest. Fittingly, the Hungarian capital will also host the final Gold-level stop of the Continental Tour season.
The scale and competitiveness of the circuit were evident in 2025, when more than 20,300 athletes from nearly 200 countries competed across the series. That remarkable season produced three world records, 10 area records, 222 national records and more than 10,000 personal best performances, underlining the Continental Tour’s importance in the global athletics calendar.
As anticipation builds for another thrilling campaign, fans around the world can look forward to a packed schedule of elite competition, rising stars and unforgettable performances.
Gold level meetings in the 2026 World Athletics Continental Tour
27-28 March: Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne (AUS)
24 April: Kip Keino Classic – Nairobi (KEN)
17 May: SEIKO Golden Grand Prix – Tokyo (JPN)
29 May: Irena Szewińska Memorial – Bydgoszcz (POL)
3 June: Paavo Nurmi Games – Turku (FIN)
6 June: USATF Lone Star Grand Prix – College Station, TX (USA)
13-14 June: USATF LA Grand Prix – Los Angeles (USA)
16 June: Ostrava Golden Spike – Ostrava (CZE)
21 June: FBK Games – Hengelo (NED)
26 June: Boris Hanžeković Memorial – Zagreb (CRO)
14 July: Gyulai István Memorial – Budapest (HUN)
