The march is experiencing a constant revolution in its tests and formats. At the meeting of the World Athletics Council that took place in Monaco on December 3 and 4, World Athletics has given the green light to a new modification in the distances of this discipline.
Less than three years ago, the legendary 50-kilometer test disappeared from international calendars as a result of its disappearance from the Paris 2024 Olympic program. The 35 km test was introduced. Starting January 1, 2026, the 20 and 35 tours also come to an end.
The 20 kilometer distance, whose last world champions in this event are the Spaniards María Pérez and Álvaro Martín, will be replaced by a half marathon (21.0975 km). As for the 35 – which was not part of the Paris Games, but was one of the formats that were held at the Eugene 2022 and Budapest 2023 World Cups –, it will become a marathon (42.195 km) .
At the 2025 Tokyo World Championships, the 20 and 35 kilometer events will still be official, but those who win the gold will be the last to hold the title in this format.
Another change introduced by World Athletics – the federation chaired by Sebastian Coe – affects the under-20 category: the 10,000 meters will be reduced to five kilometers starting with the World Cup in Eugene in 2026.
Beyond the march, the World Athletics Council has also approved moving the World Cross Country Championships from even to odd years with the aim of “lightening the calendar.” The change will be implemented after the international event scheduled in Tallahassee (United States) in 2026.
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