Ironman World Championship to Return to Hawaii in 2026

Ironman has announced that beginning in 2026 the Ironman World Championship will return to its roots of Hawaii, with Kona hosting men and women racing on the same day.

For the first time in its history, the Ironman World Championship moved to split locations in 2023. After three years of the men and women having different events — one in Kona and the other in Nice, France — both will come back together in Kona in 2026.

“Kona has always been the heart and soul of the Ironman World Championship and we are excited to see this iconic event return to its roots in 2026,” said County of Hawaii Mayor Kimo Alameda. “This championship is more than just a race; it’s a celebration of athletic excellence and unity, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen the bond between Hawaii Island and the global Ironman ʻohana.’”

The 2026 event will take place on October 10, 2026, with nearly 3,000 triathletes from around the world. Ironman conducted research and received feedback across athletes, with the sentiment from competitors that the World Championship should return to Kona after three years away.

“We understand the importance of the Ironman World Championship, both its history and legacy in the sport of triathlon as well as what it means for the future of our sport and to our community,” said Ironman Chief Executive Officer Scott DeRue. “Over the past year, we have listened to our community, engaged thousands of athletes from around the world and learned a great deal about what our athletes aspire to, what they need and want, and ultimately how we can evolve the Ironman World Championship to best serve our athletes and the future growth of the sport.”

Ironman has also announced an extension of its partnership for world championship events with the city of Nice through 2028 as the host for the 2026 and 2028 Ironman 70.3 World Championship as well as a mutual option to host the event in 2030.