What Is The Diamond League?

The Wanda Diamond League is the annual season for track and field athletes, organised by World Athletics. It’s a series of 15 one-day Meets taking place around the world between April and September each year, where many top athletes are invited to compete. 

There are 16 events for both men and women as part of the Diamond League. Athletes score and accumulate points through the season based on where they finish in each race, and the top athletes in each discipline take part in the Diamond League Final at the end of the season.

WHAT EVENTS TAKE PLACE AT THE DIAMOND LEAGUE MEETS?

The following events are part of the Diamond League schedule for both men and women, though not every event takes place at each Meet. At the annual Diamond League Final all events take place for both men and women. 

• 100m
• 200m
• 400m
• 800m
• 1500m / Mile
• 3000m / 5000m
• 3000m steeplechase
• 100m hurdle / 110m hurdle
• 400m hurdle
• High Jump
• Pole Vault
• Long Jump
• Triple Jump
• Shot Put
• Discus
• Javelin

WHAT EVENTS ARE AT EACH MEET?

Each Meet takes place within three hours, making it action-packed viewing for spectators in the stadiums and at home. 

As it’s only three hours, it’s not possible to have 32 events taking place in the same Meet, so there are different disciplines for men and women at each Meeting. Here’s the schedule for the 2024 Diamond League. Some of the running events, like the 100m, 1500m/mile, 400m hurdles, happen more frequently than the field events. All events are held at the Diamond League Final which takes place over two days.

Also, the 1500m/Mile and the 3000m/5000m change at different Meets. 

In track events over 800m there are pacers and also pacing lights. The timing of the pacers and lights are set ahead of each race based on the target time of the lead runners. 

HOW DOES THE SCORING SYSTEM WORK?

Athletes score points based on their placement in their event. First place wins eight points, second wins seven points, and so on to eighth place who wins one point. 

The points are collected through the season and the most successful athletes in each event are invited to the annual Diamond League Final.

Six field athletes, eight athletes in the 100m-800m, and 10 athletes in 1500m and above compete in the Final (if there’s a tie then the athlete with the best single legal performance of the season is ranked higher). 

After the Final, a Diamond League champion is announced in each discipline. 

WHAT ARE THE DIAMOND LEAGUE PRIZES?

Each event during the series earns competitors prize money, with additional winnings and a Diamond trophy for the annual Diamond League Final. 

There’s a $50,000 bonus for any world records broken during a Diamond League meet.

There are also rewards for 9th-12th place finishers in distance races and ninth-lane runners in sprints.

THE 2024 DIAMOND LEAGUE SCHEDULE

THE 2025 DIAMOND LEAGUE SCHEDULE

OTHER MAJOR WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

As well as the Diamond League, there are other World Athletics championships. 

At the end of the 2025 season is the World Championships which takes place in Tokyo from 13-21 September. The World Championships happen every two years. Beijing will host the 2027 World Championships.

At the end of the 2026 season a new World Athletics Ultimate Championship is being introduced as a global championship which will take place every two years. The inaugural Ultimate Championship will take place in Budapest from 11-13 September 2026.

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Image Matthew Quine for Diamond League/World Athletics