World Athletics Ultimate Championship: New event with record prize fund to launch in 2026

World Athletics has announced a new global championship to start in 2026 which will feature the biggest prize fund in the sport’s history.

The World Athletics Ultimate Championship will see world champions, Olympic champions, Diamond League winners and the year’s leading athletes go up against each other while representing their national teams.

The event will have a $10m (£7.87m) kitty with gold medallists receiving $150,000 (£118,000).

Competition will take place over three evening sessions and will include sprints, middle and long-distance races, relays, jumps and throws.

World Athletics says it will be “the ultimate season finale” and will be a “thrilling and fast-moving new format for athletics”.