The Wanda Diamond League has announced its 2026 calendar, featuring 14 meetings plus the Final, reaffirming its consolidated structure and global reach. Cities such as Doha, Rabat, Rome, Paris, London, and Zurich will once again host the main events of the series, which remains the most prestigious annual competition in world athletics outside the Olympic Games and the World Championships.
Beyond the calendar, the Diamond League has become a decisive economic platform for elite athletes. According to the latest World Athletics reports, the organization’s annual revenues grew by 10.5 percent in 2024, reaching 59.8 million dollars, with 44 million coming from sponsorships and broadcast rights driven by new deals with Sony and Honda.
Prize growth and economic impact
Since its creation in 2010, the Diamond League has shown steady growth in financial rewards for athletes. In its first edition, total prize money exceeded 6.6 million dollars, increasing to around 8 million between 2013 and 2014. In 2025, the figure will reach a record 9.24 million dollars, complemented by an additional 18 million in promotional payments to athletes and about 6 million invested in services such as travel, accommodation, and medical support. Equal prize money for men and women remains a core principle of the competition.
This sustained growth has made the series a stable and reliable model that complements the Olympic and World Championship cycles. As several athletes have said in previous seasons, competing in the Diamond League “is not only about racing the best — it’s about being able to live professionally and sustainably from the sport,” underlining its financial relevance in a discipline historically dependent on single major events.
From 2025, a new “Diamond+” prize system will come into force, offering greater rewards and broader distribution among competitors. In standard disciplines, winners will earn up to 10,000 dollars per meeting and up to 30,000 in the Final. In Diamond+ events, the rewards will rise to 20,000 and 50,000 dollars, respectively. For the first time, athletes finishing between ninth and twelfth place will also receive fixed payments, both in track and field events. Each meeting will feature four Diamond+ disciplines (two men’s and two women’s), while the Final will include eight. The system is designed to provide fairer financial recognition and ensure income stability across a wider group of professional athletes.
Broadcasting rights and global reach
The 14-meeting format plus the Final has remained unchanged since 2010, reinforcing the series’ continuity and identity. In 2025, a new deal with FloSports will stream 14 of the 15 meetings in the United States, expanding the competition’s digital reach. In Europe, coverage remains secured through regional broadcasters such as RTS and BBC, maintaining a worldwide audience. According to World Athletics, television and sponsorship revenues already account for three-quarters of the organization’s total income.
The combination of strong broadcast partnerships, a growing digital presence, and consistently high in-stadium attendance — with events like Zurich’s Weltklasse regularly selling out — has turned the Diamond League into a globally competitive media product capable of sustaining long-term investment.
The Diamond League today blends sporting prestige with a solid economic structure that supports athletes beyond results. Its evolution in prize money, stable format, and commercial expansion consolidate its role as one of the key pillars of modern athletics.
