Ultimate Guide To The 2026 World Athletics Relays
Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo celebrated by a home crowd in Gaborone Stadium, a key figure in Botswana’s rise in global sprinting. Credit photo: Monirul Bhuiyan for World Athletics
The world’s leading relay teams head to Gaborone, Botswana, on 2–3 May for the 2026 World Athletics Relays, where medals, qualification places and global momentum are on the line. Athletics Weekly previews the key athletes, storylines, past editions and why this championship could be a landmark moment for African athletics.
After thrilling performances at the World Indoor Championships in Torun, athletes are back on track for the World Athletics Relays Gaborone 2026. This event sets the stage for European sprinters heading to the 2026 European Championships in Birmingham and the Ultimate Championships in Budapest.
Over two days, from May 2nd to 3rd, the world’s leading nations will compete for medals in the eighth edition of the event. It will be the first time Botswana, and Africa, host a World Athletics Series event, marking a significant milestone for African sport and its global reputation. Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, hosts this edition following previous championships held in China, The Bahamas, Japan and Poland.
Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics, is confident in Africa’s ability to host major events. Indeed, this is the fourth World Championship-level event the country has staged in recent years. He declared:
“World Athletics has seen a meaningful increase in experience, expertise and skills over the last decade from African countries, making them strong candidates for future events.”
Gaborone has also been home to a Continental Tour Gold meeting in 2023 and the Botswana Golden Grand Prix in 2024.
The World Athletics Relays will serve as a qualifier for the 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest and the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing. The programme includes six events: men’s and women’s 4×100m and 4×400m relays, as well as mixed 4×100m and 4×400m relays. The mixed 4×100m relay, which made its global debut at the last edition in Guangzhou in 2025, returns as one of the highlights of the competition. Each federation can enter one team per event, with a maximum of six athletes, from which any four can be selected for each race.
Qualification Rules: How teams reach Beijing and Budapest
Top 12 teams in each relay event qualify for the 2027 World Championships in Beijing.
Top 6 teams in the mixed 4x100m and mixed 4x400m qualify directly for the 2026 Ultimate Championships in Budapest.
How qualification works:
Day One: top two teams in each heat reach the final and secure Beijing qualification.
Day Two: remaining qualification places decided through a second round for non-finalists.
Finalists will compete not only for medals, but also prize money and favourable lane seeding for future global championships.
1st: $40,000
2nd: $20,000
3rd: $10,000
4th–8th: scaled payments down to $2,000
With limited places available, the pressure on athletes has never been higher as they compete for qualification, medals and global recognition.
Qualification Is Not Easy!
THE RULES TEAMS NEED TO FOLLOW
Main GB Athletes To Watch
Credit photo: @zharnel_hughes
Credit photo: @jeremiahazu
Credit photo: @linaruns
Credit photo: @laviai
Wait… USA Will Miss The 4x400?
One of the biggest surprises of these relays is the absence of the United States in the 4x400. That means no rematch of Tokyo 2025’s dramatic 4x400 battle with Botswana, following the US victory at the Olympics the year before.
Fans will now have to wait until 2027, when the World Athletics Championships take place in Beijing.
USATF will only send athletes for the mixed 4x100 and 4x400, as well as the men’s and women’s 4x100 relays.
What’s The Thinking?
Here’s what Jay Holder, USATF Chief Content and Communications Officer, said:
“It is difficult for us to find top-tier US athletes who want to go. A lot of our A-team athletes are not interested in competing in this event. The financial cost of sending B or even C teams to Botswana is also significant. We believe there are better ways to invest in our relay programmes ahead of 2027 and 2028.”
Unlike many federations, the US does not require mandatory participation, and selection is purely performance-based. As a result, many top athletes are not making the trip due to packed calendars, long travel times and limited financial incentives.
In fact, World Athletics offers $40,000 in prize money for first place, split across the relay squad, often not enough to offset travel costs, recovery time and training disruption.
For hosts Botswana and fans, the disappointment is clear. The home crowd will miss a potential clash with their biggest rival, although the wait may only increase anticipation for future showdowns.
Past Editions In Review
GUANGZHOU, CHINA, 2025
Athletes competing in Guangzhou, where South Africa dominated the relays with standout performances across sprint events. Credit photo: UNA GRANA/Fidal
The 2025 World Athletics Relays was the seventh edition of the championship and the first held in Guangzhou. Originally planned for 2023, it was postponed due to COVID-19. The event also served as a qualifier for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
It was the first edition to feature the mixed 4x100 relay. South Africa was the standout nation, winning both men’s relays and setting two world leads.
A total of 734 athletes from 43 federations competed.
NASSAU, BAHAMAS, 2024
Men’s 4x100m relay action in Nassau, a crucial Olympic qualification event for Paris 2024. Credit photo: UNA GRANA/Fidal
The 2024 World Athletics Relays took place in Nassau for the fourth time, having also hosted the first three editions in 2014, 2015 and 2017.
The event mainly served as a qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics, with the top 14 teams in each event securing automatic qualification. Each relay featured 32 national teams competing over two days.
The standout performance came in the mixed 4x400 relay, where the United States set a championship record, while Ireland claimed a national record with third place.
SILESIA, POLAND, 2021
Podium ceremony in Silesia, where Italy’s women’s 4x100m team secured gold in a tightly contested final. Credit photo: UNA GRANA/Fidal
The 2021 World Athletics Relays took place in Chorzów on the first weekend of May. The Silesian Stadium hosted 37 nations, with several major teams absent, including the United States, Jamaica and Canada. Zambia made its debut.
The oldest athlete competing was Ángel David Rodríguez, 41, while the youngest was Imaobong Nse Uko, 17.
Why Botswana In 2026?
The Influence Of Home Stars
Gaborone Stadium, Botswana’s National Stadium, the country’s top venue for football, athletics, and tennis - and set to host the World Athletics Relays for the first time in Africa. Credit photo: Coach Carter
Botswana was declared as the designated country to host the relays during the 237th World Athletics Meetin Council. It was selected because of the country’s increasing influence in the athletics sphere, demonstrating its ability to host high-profile competions such as the Botswana Golden Grand Prix and a World Athletics Tour Gold event.
The nation’s Minister of Sport and Arts, Jacob Kelebeng, reported in an interview:
“Botswana is quite proud of this moment. A national passion will be ignited by the globe Athletics Relays Gaborone 26, which will bring the globe to our borders and highlight our distinct spirit.
Knowing that this event will inspire generations and leave a lasting legacy of triumph and unity, we humbly welcome athletes and fans alike.
”
Botswana’s relay team celebrating silver in the 4x400m at the Paris Olympics, after an amazing battle with the USA Team. Credit photo: @quickiefeed
Moreover, Botswana has emerged as a global force in the relays over the last 2 years. It won the World Relay Championship in the Men’s 4x400 in 2024 and earned the Olympic silver medal in Paris.
The country is the home of global stars, such as Letsile Tebogo, the current 200m Olympic Champion, who has boosted the profile of athletics regionally.
Letsile Tebogo after his 200m Olympic gold in Paris 2024, defeating favourite Noah Lyles in a landmark victory for Botswan. Credit photo: UNA GRANA/Fidal
In this context, politics and economics play also a significant role. On the one hand, bringing the event to Africa for the first time aligns with a broader goal to expand the global reach of athletics also in less developed countries. Additionally, the 60th anniversary of Botswana's independence is being celebrated in 2026, making it a "diamond year" for the country.
Gaborone, Botswana’s capital and cultural hub, combining rapid urban growth with a rising sporting profile. Credit photo: @africaviewfacts
Moreover, it is expected that the competition will increase sports tourism, attract international media from more than 130 nations, and encourage the upcoming generation of African athletes.
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