The inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships are set to take place in Budapest from Friday, 11 September, to Sunday, 13 September. This new event aims to provide top-level track and field competition in years when there are no Olympics or World Championships. Among the most anticipated moments is the 1500m race between Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway and Josh Kerr of Britain, two of the sport's leading middle-distance runners. The event will feature many of the world's top athletes across three days of competition, with substantial prize money on offer. The competition is designed to be fast-paced and exciting. For track events such as the 100m, 200m, 400m, and hurdles, two semi-finals will be held with eight athletes each. The top four from each semi-final will advance to the final. In contrast, longer races like the 1500m and 5000m, as well as relays and field events, will go straight to finals. For horizontal jumps and throws, each of the eight athletes will get two attempts across four rounds. Qualification for the event is strict, ensuring only the top athletes compete. Participants must be Olympic champions from Paris, gold medalists at last year’s World Championships in Tokyo, winners of the 2026 Diamond League, or in the top 12 of World Athletics rankings. Wildcards were also given to Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen for the 1500m, guaranteeing a high-profile showdown between them. For UK viewers, the BBC will broadcast all three days of the championships. The first two days will air on BBC Two, while the final day will be shown on BBC One. The event will also be available to stream on iPlayer. World Athletics has pledged a record prize fund of $10 million for the entire championships, with the winners of individual events receiving $150,000. Prize money for relays and other events will be distributed based on specific rankings.