Andy Devaney
The World Indoor Tour is set to break new ground in 2026, boasting a record calendar of nearly 80 meetings across 24 countries — the largest in its history. From Boston to Bucharest and Torun to Tokyo, the indoor season is now truly global, giving athletes and fans a winter athletics feast like never before.
Less than three months remain until the first Gold-level meet of the World Indoor Tour season, and anticipation is already sky-high. The series begins on 13 December in Bucharest, Romania (Challenger), and wraps up 12 March in Uppsala, Sweden (Silver) — a three-month showcase of speed, strength, and showmanship under the lights.
From its humble beginnings in 2020 with just seven events, the Tour has exploded to 77 competitions on the 2025-26 schedule. The growth mirrors the sport’s surging global interest, bringing elite-level athletics to new cities and venues that were once off the map for winter competition.
Eight Gold-Level Events, One Glorious Finish
At the sharp end of the World Indoor Tour sits eight Gold-level meetings, offering the highest stakes, biggest crowds, and fattest prize cheques. The action kicks off on 24 January in Boston, USA, with the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, before heading to New York for the Millrose Games and Ostrava for the Czech Indoor Gala.
From there, the spotlight shifts to Madrid (6 Feb), Karlsruhe (8 Feb), Belgrade (11 Feb), Liévin (19 Feb), and Torun (22 Feb) — the latter doubling as a curtain-raiser for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26, taking place in the same Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena from 20–22 March.
2026 World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold Calendar:
- 24 Jan: New Balance Indoor Grand Prix – Boston, USA
- 1 Feb: Millrose Games – New York, USA
- 3 Feb: Czech Indoor Gala – Ostrava, Czechia
- 6 Feb: World Indoor Tour Gold Madrid 2026 – Madrid, Spain
- 8 Feb: INIT Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe – Karlsruhe, Germany
- 11 Feb: Belgrade Indoor Meeting – Belgrade, Serbia
- 19 Feb: Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais Trophée EDF – Liévin, France
- 22 Feb: ORLEN Copernicus Cup – Torun, Poland
Points, Prizes, and Prestige
The World Indoor Tour isn’t just about winning races — it’s about mastering consistency. Each event offers points towards an overall title in specific disciplines. For 2026, the Gold-level scoring events are:
Women: 400m, 1500m, 60m hurdles, high jump, long jump
Men: 60m, 800m, 3000m/5000m, pole vault, triple jump, shot put
Points are awarded as follows:
1st – 10pts | 2nd – 7pts | 3rd – 5pts | 4th – 3pts
Each athlete’s top three performances count toward their total, with the overall winners receiving a US$10,000 bonus — and, perhaps more importantly, a wild card entry to the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26.
Every Gold-level event will also pay a minimum of US$7000 per individual discipline, ensuring the World Indoor Tour continues to attract the world’s elite athletes chasing both records and rewards.
The Road to Torun
The 2026 season promises not just medals but milestones. With its record scale, international spread, and connection to the Indoor Championships, the World Indoor Tour has never been more significant for athletes fine-tuning their form ahead of the outdoor year.
From Bucharest to Torun, it’s three months of thunderous starts, soaring jumps, and record-breaking runs — proof that even in the coldest months, athletics remains one of the hottest shows on Earth.
