The Wanda Diamond League is track and field’s answer to a season-long league table, and understanding its structure makes every meeting far easier to follow.
How the Format Works
Athletes compete for points across 32 disciplines at a series of one-day meetings held on four continents. The 2026 season features 15 meetings in total — 14 regular series stops plus a two-day final in Brussels on 4–5 September, where the top eight athletes in track events and top six in field events qualify to compete for the Diamond Trophy in their discipline.
- The 2026 season opens in Asia, with meetings in Shanghai and Xiamen, before moving to Rabat for the series’ African leg
- European stops include Rome, Stockholm, Oslo, Paris, Monaco, London, Lausanne, Silesia and Zurich
- Eugene, Oregon hosts the series’ lone North American meeting, a venue that has produced five world records across the past three seasons alone
Diamond+ Disciplines and Prize Money
Since 2025, each meeting nominates four “Diamond+” disciplines — two men’s and two women’s — that carry increased prize money. A regular meeting win in one of these events pays $20,000, double the standard $10,000 top prize, while a Diamond+ win at the Brussels final is worth $50,000. Across the full season, the series distributes more than $18 million in total prize money.
Why It Matters
Because points accumulate across the entire season rather than resetting at each meeting, the Diamond League rewards consistency as much as raw talent — an athlete who performs well across Rome, Paris and London has a real edge heading into Brussels, even without a single standout result. It’s a format that has helped fuel the emergence of new talent we cover in our rising stars in women’s athletics feature. For how the series fits into the broader year, see our international women’s championships calendar.