About World Athletics

We are the world’s oldest, and most universal, sport.

Athletics has existed for thousands of years, but it has never stopped evolving. What began as simple human movement – running, jumping, throwing, walking – is now one of the world’s most exciting, inclusive, and inspiring sports.

Founded in 1912 in Stockholm, World Athletics (originally the IAAF) was created to give the sport a global home: to set rules, recognise records, and organise competitions that unite athletes and fans across every continent.

Today, World Athletics represents 214 Member Federations, making it one of the largest and most universal global sports federations. We continue to evolve as a modern, open organisation, focused on connecting athletics with new audiences worldwide.

World Athletics supports the sport at every level - from playgrounds to podiums.

We help children discover athletics, enable communities to stay active, and give elite athletes the stage to inspire the world.

Our mission is simple: To make athletics accessible to everyone, everywhere. 

As World Athletics moves through its second century, our ambition remains clear:

To inspire participation.

To celebrate human achievement.

To make athletics a force for good - for people and for the planet.

Athletics has always been the foundation of sport. Now, it is shaping the future.

At its core, athletics celebrates the human ability to move.

The sport spans multiple disciplines and environments, including:

• Track (sprints, middle and long distance, hurdles, relays)
• Field (jumps and throws using different implements)
• Road (from 5km races to the marathon)
• Race walking
• Cross country, trail and mountain running

Athletics takes place far beyond the stadium - in schools, city centres, parks, trails and communities across the globe. It is constantly adapting, with fresh formats and innovative competitions such as the World Athletics Ultimate Championship keeping the sport vibrant for new generations.

The World Athletics Championships ranks among the biggest sporting events on the planet, second only to the Olympic Games in global reach and impact.

It brings together more than 2,000 athletes from over 200 nations, making it one of the most diverse and truly global championships in sport. 

Alongside the World Championships, our World Athletics Series, Ultimate Championship, Wanda Diamond League, Continental Tour and World Indoor Tour bring world-class competition to cities large and small. 

From the world’s largest cities to emerging athletics hubs, every event is a celebration of performance, passion and people.