World Athletics boosts athlete investment
The international federation is channelling historic levels of funding directly into the sport, fuelling a massive surge in worldwide competitions, grassroots developmental programmes, and direct financial compensation for competitors. According to its newly published 2025 Annual Report, World Athletics oversaw a massive expansion on the track this past year. A total of 9,067 competitions were ……
World Athletics has significantly increased its investment in the sport, with the international federation allocating substantial funding to various aspects of athletics. According to the 2025 Annual Report, the number of competitions worldwide surged to 9,067, a marked rise from the previous year's 7,791. The Continental Tour expanded to include 262 meetings, giving athletes more local opportunities to compete and earn world ranking points.
The pinnacle of the season, the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, set a new record with athletes from 84 nations achieving a top eight finish. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe emphasized the global reach of the organization, stating that the event's success marked an unprecedented scale. Looking ahead, the governing body is focusing on direct athlete compensation, with preparations underway for the inaugural Ultimate Championship in Budapest in September 2026.
This three-day event will feature a $10 million prize pot, with individual discipline winners receiving $150,000 each, and all competitors guaranteed financial rewards. Over the next four years, World Athletics aims to distribute more than $50 million in prize money. Other innovations include the debut of the mixed 4x100m relay in Guangzhou and the official addition of the 300m hurdles to the rulebook.
On the grassroots level, 630,000 children participated in Kids’ Athletics Day. The financial growth of World Athletics, driven by a 15% increase in underlying revenues to $69.2 million, enabled the federation to distribute $13.4 million in grants while maintaining a balanced budget. Coe concluded that the sport's year-round activity is a result of substantial behind-the-scenes investment, both financially and through resources from headquarters, area associations, and member federations.
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