World Athletics has announced a revised qualification system for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, increasing the importance of world rankings in determining athlete eligibility. Under the new framework, approximately 40% of competitors will qualify through entry standards, while the remaining 60% will secure places based on World Athletics rankings.
The revised system marks a departure from the qualification structure used at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where entry standards and world rankings each accounted for approximately half of the available places. The changes are intended to provide multiple qualification pathways while placing greater emphasis on athletes’ performances and consistency throughout the qualifying period.
The athletics programme at LA28 will feature 48 events, comprising 23 men’s competitions, 23 women’s competitions and two mixed relays. The mixed 4×100-metre relay will make its Olympic debut alongside the existing mixed 4×400-metre relay, expanding opportunities for mixed-gender competition.
Under the new rules, achieving the prescribed entry standard will not necessarily guarantee an Olympic berth. If the number of athletes meeting the standard exceeds the available quota for an event, qualification will be determined by the best performances recorded during the designated period. In such cases, additional places will not be allocated through world rankings. Each National Olympic Committee will also be permitted to enter a maximum of three qualified athletes in an individual event.
Qualification periods will vary depending on the discipline. Marathon runners can register qualifying performances between November 1, 2026, and April 30, 2028. The qualifying window for the 10,000 metres, combined events, race walks and relays will run from December 19, 2026, to June 18, 2028. Athletes competing in other track and field disciplines will have from June 19, 2027, until June 18, 2028, to achieve the required marks or improve their world rankings.
The marathon qualification system will also recognize performances at designated elite competitions. Athletes finishing among the top five at a World Athletics Platinum Label marathon during the qualifying period will receive an automatic qualifying performance, providing an additional pathway beyond entry times and rankings.
For relay competitions, the top 14 teams at the 2028 World Athletics Relays, scheduled for April 22–23 in the Bahamas, will secure automatic qualification for Los Angeles. The remaining places will be allocated according to eligible performances recorded during the qualification window.
World Athletics has also introduced more demanding entry standards in several endurance and distance events. The women’s marathon qualifying benchmark, for example, has been tightened to two hours, 22 minutes and 20 seconds, reflecting the increasingly competitive standards required for Olympic participation.
The revised qualification framework is expected to influence how athletes and national federations plan their competition schedules over the next two years. With a greater proportion of Olympic places determined by world rankings, consistent performances at recognized international competitions will play an increasingly important role in securing qualification for the 2028 Games.
