From 2026 onwards, a new world championship in athletics will be organized with the best of the best competing for more than 100 million kronor.
The Secretary General of the Swedish Athletics Federation had only heard rumors before Monday's presentation of the new championship, "World Athletics Ultimate Championship".
What the international athletics federation WA has now presented is that the first championship will be held in Budapest, September 11-13, 2026. The winners in each event will receive $150,000 (more than 1.5 million kronor) – the largest prize sum in the history of athletics.
The highest-ranked in each event, between 8 and 16, will be allowed to participate.
Since the new championship will take place every year, it will coincide with the European Championships every year and the Olympic Games every four years. However, since the new tournament will take place in September, which is the end of the season, it will not conflict with the European Championships and the Olympic Games.
Olsson does not believe that any stars will choose to skip the European Championships to instead focus on the bigger prize money from the new championship.
