The inaugural event takes place at the Budapest National Athletics Centre in 2026, and it will then be held every two years

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World Athletics has appointed Tata Communications and HBS as the host broadcaster of the new World Athletics Ultimate Championship.

The event takes place at the Budapest National Athletics Centre in 2026.

The agreement builds on the five-year global host broadcasting services deal covering World Athletics Series events that was announced between World Athletics and Tata Communications in June.

World Athletics says HBS will bring “years of experience as a world-class host broadcaster to the World Athletics product, leading the push to innovate and expand viewership around the exciting launch of the new Ultimate Championship event and across all World Athletics Series events during the five-year cycle.”

As well as bringing in HBS, World Athletics has also appointed Infront to lead international media rights sales for the World Athletics Ultimate Championship to market the made-for-TV event.

The World Athletics Ultimate Championship aims to define which athlete is the best of the best. The inaugural edition will be held across three evenings on 11-13 September 2026 in Budapest, and will then be held every two years, in the years where there is no World Athletics Championships.

Each session will be under three hours in duration, with athletes representing both themselves and their national teams, wearing national kit. The event will be an accelerator for innovation in athletics, using data collected from across the sport.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said: “This new global event will be a game-changer for our sport and for our athletes. We want to bring our fans athletics like they have never seen it before – with the best of the best athletes in our sport competing head-to-head in a passion-fuelled, high octane, festival of sport, with sound, light and innovation.

“We are also delighted to announce Tata Communications and HBS as host broadcaster. They have an unparalleled track record for delivering world-class live content across multiple platforms and will deliver an innovative and engaging product for our audiences across the globe, a product that is already exciting broadcasters as our highly experienced and talented media partner Infront embarks on its role to sell the rights with a focus on free to air platforms.”

Dhaval Ponda, Tata Communications vice president and global media head, added: “Tata Communications is thrilled to partner with World Athletics for the Ultimate Championship, a groundbreaking addition to the global track and field calendar. The latest collaboration marks a new era in fan engagement, one that will deliver a more immersive, high-energy and unparalleled viewing experience. We’re excited to showcase the exceptional athleticism and drama of this unique and innovative format to billions worldwide, pushing the limits of what sports broadcasting technology can achieve.”

Julien Ternisien, Infront Senior Vice President Summer and Winter Sports, said: “The Ultimate Championship is poised to bring a fresh energy to athletics, engaging audiences worldwide in a way that is new and exhilarating. We are excited to bring our experience and expertise to this landmark event, continuing our partnership with World Athletics alongside the Diamond League to push the boundaries of how the sport is presented and consumed.”

HBS CEO Dan Miodownik, added: “We are very excited and honoured to be starting this new project with World Athletics, it is a real opportunity to help shape the way coverage of athletics evolves over the coming years – and to have the new Ultimate Championship involved in this mission adds an additional level of interest.

“Our partnership with Tata Communications brings together a major leader in technology and infrastructure communication with the experts in host broadcasting, and we believe this perfect match will combine with World Athletics’ ambitious vision. Our selection of long-term athletics experts NCP as our live editorial partner ensures we will bring unparalleled entertainment, through world-class coverage, to athletics fans around the world, as well as attracting new audiences across traditional and new media platforms.”