Budapest 2026: Nigerian athletes face narrow path to Ultimate Championship qualification with a historic $150k for winners

World Athletics has officially unveiled the qualification framework for the inaugural Ultimate Championship, set to take place in Budapest from September 11 to 13, 2026.

Touted as a clash of global titans, the event will bring together Olympic champions, world champions, Diamond League winners, and the highest-ranked athletes of the season for a three-day showdown designed to crown the ‘ultimate’ athlete in each discipline.

For Nigerian athletes, however, the road to Budapest is narrower than most.

With no Olympic gold medals secured at Paris 2024 and no world titles claimed at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo 2025, only two qualification routes remain open: winning their respective events at the 2026 Diamond League Final in Brussels or securing a top spot in the global rankings during the qualification window, which runs from September 2, 2025, to September 1, 2026.

This means stars like Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume, Kanyinsola Ajayi, Nathaniel Ezekiel, Samuel Ogazi, and Tima Godbless must now rely on consistent elite performances throughout the season or deliver a decisive victory at the Diamond League finale to earn their place in Budapest.

The Ultimate Championship will feature limited fields, with most track events capped at 16 athletes and field events restricted to just eight competitors, making qualification even more competitive.

Relay teams also have a chance to qualify, with eight slots available, six for the top finishers at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone 2026 and two for the best-ranked teams at the end of the qualification period.

However, this presents a challenge for the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), led by Tonobok Okowa, which failed to qualify a single relay team for the last World Championships in Tokyo, a first in Nigerian athletics history.

Adding to the disappointment, Nigerian throwers Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, Chioma Onyekwere-Lyons, Obiageri Amaechi, and Oyesade Olatoye will not be eligible for Budapest, as their events are excluded from the competition schedule.

Despite the hurdles, the stakes have never been higher. The Ultimate Championship will feature a record-breaking prize pot of $10 million, with individual event winners receiving $150,000, making it the richest track and field competition in history.

According to World Athletics, the prize pool will be distributed across all events, setting a new benchmark for athlete compensation and promising to attract the very best performers from around the world.