Toruń to Host 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships

Toruń Takes the Baton of World Athletics

In just under two years, from March 20 to 22, 2026, Toruń will transform into the capital of world indoor athletics. The 21st World Athletics Indoor Championships, officially named Kujawy Pomorze 26, will be held in the modern Kujawsko-Pomorskie Arena Toruń — the only facility in Poland designed for a full program of top-tier athletics events. Nearly 700 athletes from over 150 countries are expected.

Poland to Host World Championships for the Second Time

This is not the first time Poland has hosted the global indoor athletics championships. In 2014, a similar event took place in Sopot and is still considered one of the best-organized events in the history of the discipline. The decision to award Toruń the organization of this year's edition was made by the World Athletics Council in March 2023. Symbolically, the same track surface that served athletes during the record-breaking Sopot championships was then transferred to the Arena Toruń and has been its hallmark for years.

Program and Format of Competition

Three days of competition will feature a full program of Olympic indoor events. The competition will open with the decathlon events — men's heptathlon — on Friday morning, March 20. The 3000-meter finals are scheduled for the Saturday evening session, while the 1500-meter final will conclude the Sunday program. The organizers have drawn the starts to maintain maximum tension throughout the three days. A detailed minute-by-minute schedule has been published by World Athletics on the official event website.

Polish Medal Hopes

For Polish fans, the championships in Toruń have a special dimension — the home team is competing for glory in front of their own public. Among the most serious contenders for the podium are:

• Ewa Swoboda — Polish record holder and world indoor vice-champion in the 60m sprint, multiple European indoor champion;
• Anna Wielgosz — European indoor champion in the 800m, one of the best middle-distance runners on the continent;
• Jakub Szymański — European indoor champion in the 60m hurdles;
• Adrianna Sułek-Schubert — medalist at world and European championships in the multi-event, the face of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region and ambassador of the event;
• Maria Żodzik — silver medalist at the world championships in the high jump, with a real chance for gold.

TVP Sport has announced extensive coverage of all competition sessions, and tickets for the event sold out in record time.

Logistics and Fan Zone

The organizers — the city of Toruń, the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship, and the Polish Athletics Association — are finalizing transport and operational preparations to accommodate tens of thousands of guests from Poland and abroad. In addition to the arena itself, special fan zones and interactive exhibitions have been created, and the MOWA Exhibition Center at Toruń Plaza has been officially opened as the official information and cultural point of the event. Title sponsor Orlen has joined the ranks of official event partners.

Medals with a Twist — Design with Character

World Athletics and the organizers have already presented the official medals — distinguished by their characteristic, multi-armed shapes referencing the star and regional Kujawsko-Pomorskie patterns. Gold, silver, and bronze medals will be awarded to the best athletes in the world from March 20–22 — perhaps for the first time so many to Poles.