Championships

The "World Masters Athletics Championships," a global festival for athletes, will be held in Daegu in 2026. Following the "2011 World Athletics Championships" and the "2017 World Masters Indoor Athletics Championships," Daegu is emerging as a hub for global athletics. The city will be the first in the world to host both indoor and outdoor Masters Athletics competitions.

According to the Organizing Committee for the 2026 Daegu World Masters Athletics Championships, the event will take place over 14 days, from August 21 to September 3, 2026, at Daegu Stadium, Suseong Family Park, and Yulha Sports Park. Around 11,000 participants, including athletes, officials, and families from over 90 countries, will compete in 35 events (18 track, 11 field, 6 road).

This event is open to anyone over the age of 35, and it is the only global athletics competition where participants are responsible for their entry fees, airfare, and accommodation. It is common to see athletes in their 90s participating.

Winners of gold medals will have their national flags raised and their national anthems played on the podium. Although there is no cash prize, the sense of achievement and pride that comes with receiving a certificate of participation makes the event special. It is also a cost-effective event, with a portion of the expenses covered by participant fees, and a celebration of sports where athletes can enjoy tourism and shopping with their families.

A 2018 analysis by the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Research Institute, the predecessor of the Daegu Policy Research Institute, found that the event is expected to generate significant economic benefits, including 28 billion KRW in production inducement effects, 7.3 billion KRW in value-added inducement, and 355 new jobs, offering a great boost to the local economy.