World Climbing to allocate over €1 million prize money in 2026 season

World Climbing (formerly known as the International Federation of Sport Climbing or IFSC) has confirmed that the 2026 season will feature the richest prize purse in the history of the sport, with a total net prize money allocation of €850,000 across the 13 events of the World Climbing Series. The gross total is set to exceed €1 million, marking a significant milestone for the organisation. The increase more than doubles the €374,400 distributed in 2024, underlining the continued growth of Climbing and the shared commitment to supporting athletes at the highest level.

The record-breaking prize pool is the result of a joint effort between World Climbing and all Local Event Organisers (LOCs), whose continued commitment plays a key role in delivering events at the highest level. This collaborative model highlights the essential contribution of organisers in supporting the growth of the sport worldwide, ensuring that athletes benefit directly from its ongoing development.

For the 2026 season, each individual medal event will offer €20,000 in prize money, a substantial increase from €11,700 in 2024. The 2025 season acted as a transition phase, with select events already adopting the higher prize structure.

Prize money will continue to be distributed among the top eight athletes – covering all finalists in Boulder and Lead, and all quarter-finalists in Speed. This system, introduced in 2021, expanded the previous model that only rewarded the top six.

The World Climbing Athletes’ Commission developed and approved a standard table of prize money distribution which now serves as the official reference for World Climbing events. Following the submission and implementation from the athletes, the table sets out the percentage prize money won by the top eight competitors at each event.

1st place: 30% or € 6,000
2nd place: 20% or € 4,000
3rd place: 14% or € 2,800
4th place: 10% or € 2,000
5th place: 8% or € 1,600
6th place: 7% or € 1,400
7th place: 6% or € 1,200
8th place: 5% or € 1,000

Across the 2026 calendar, a total of 38 individual medal events will be held, accounting for €760,000 of the overall prize pool. An additional €90,000 will be distributed across nine Speed Relay events, each offering €10,000. This structure ensures consistent and meaningful rewards across all disciplines and formats featured in the World Climbing Series.

Introducing Series Ranking Prizes
For the first time, World Climbing will also allocate €9,000 in prize money to reward the winners of the World Climbing Series Ranking presented by Euroholds. This addition further recognises season-long consistency and performance, complementing the rewards available at individual events.