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Daegu to host world athletics championships for amateurs this summer
Athletes compete in a hurdles event at the 2017 World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships at Daegu Stadium in Suseong District, March 23, 2017. Courtesy of World Masters Athletics Championships Daegu 2026
By Park Ung
If you are 35 or older, love athletics or simply want to experience Korea at its sporting best, Daegu has a date for you this summer.
The World Masters Athletics Championships (WMAC) Daegu 2026 will run Aug. 22 through Sept. 3 at Daegu Stadium and surrounding venues, reinforcing the southeastern city's standing as a leading host city for international athletics.
Unlike events centered on elite athletes, the championships welcome amateurs aged 35 and older to compete in age groups across 34 disciplines, with registration still open through June. Some 11,000 participants and family members from 90 countries are expected this year — everyday athletes who love to run, jump or throw, bringing their families along for a celebration of sport and cultural exchange.
The championships hold particular resonance for Daegu, a seasoned host of major international athletics. Having hosted the indoor edition in 2017, Daegu would become the only city to have hosted both editions of the WMAC, with the indoor held in odd-numbered years and the outdoor in even-numbered years.
The city is also the only one to have hosted world athletics events at both the elite and amateurs level, having previously staged the 2011 World Athletics Championships.
Daegu Stadium in Suseong District, Daegu / Courtesy of World Masters Athletics Championships Daegu 2026
For the occasion, Daegu has resurfaced the track at Daegu Stadium, renewing its World Athletics Class 1 certification and obtained course certification for the road race courses, including the half marathon and 10km road race. A World Masters Athletics (WMA)-approved platform will let participants track schedules and results on their mobile devices in real time, with key events livestreamed online.
To ease travel for participants, eight shuttle routes will connect major transport hubs — including Daegu International Airport, Dongdaegu Station and subway stops — to competition venues, with free transit cards for international participants.
With some 8,000 hotel rooms within 20 kilometers of Daegu Stadium set to be secured, themed tours, K-pop performances, a WMA exhibition, a food zone and a flea market are among the cultural offerings planned for participants, their families and spectators. A total of 1,093 volunteers, including 423 interpreters, have been recruited across roles spanning competition assistance, transportation, press support and traffic control.
A WMA delegation that visited Daegu in April to assess the state of preparations came away encouraged by the state of readiness.
“The progress that has been made gives us every confidence that the championship in Daegu will be a success,” WMA Vice President Alan Bell said, adding that Korea stands out as a country that welcomes visitors and offers a safe place to travel.
With experience and preparations both in place, Chin Ki-hoon, secretary-general of the WMAC Daegu 2026 organizing committee, said the city is ready to deliver an event of the highest caliber.
“I am confident this championships will be a wonderful opportunity to experience not only athletics but also the culture, arts and flavors of Daegu,” Chin said.
He noted that the championships are more than a sporting event and a rare chance to experience Korea's energy firsthand.
“We are preparing various programs for athletes, their families and companions to enjoy food, sights, Korean culture and tourist attractions, so that everyone can take in the diverse charms of Korea together,” Chin said. “We will welcome every visitor with care, so that Daegu becomes a city they remember fondly and long to return to.”
Athletes burst off the starting blocks in a sprint event at the 2017 World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships at Daegu Stadium in Suseong District, March 22, 2017. Courtesy of World Masters Athletics Championships Daegu 2026
Track events include the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m and 5,000m, along with hurdles, steeplechase, relays and race walking, for 17 disciplines in total. Field events cover jumps and throws — high jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump, shot put, discus, javelin and hammer — for 11 events in total.
Six non-stadium events, including cross country, a 10km road race, the half marathon and road race walking, round out the program, ensuring participants can compete in events suited to their fitness level. The 10km road race, buoyed by a recent running boom, will be held on roads near Daegu Stadium.
Registration is open through June 23 at wmac2026.com. Entry fees are 39 euros ($45.63) for domestic athletes and 132 euros for international participants.
The first 1,000 international registrants will receive official merchandise or a 30,000 won ($20) voucher. Foreign residents in Korea who are among the first 100 to register will also receive a gift package, including vouchers, valued at approximately 100,000 won. Both incentives are distributed on-site upon identity verification.