World Athletics announces major Olympic relay rule change
Gone are the days of saving your best four athletes for the final
Nick Iwanyshyn
As the World Athletics Council met for the final time of 2026, the sport’s global governing body announced a major change to how relay teams will be managed at future World Championships and Olympic Games.
Beginning Jan. 1, countries will be limited to a maximum of two relay substitutions between the heats and finals in both the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m events. Previously, there were no limits on how many athletes could be swapped in and out for the final.
Starting in 2026, World Athletics will limit single gender relay substitutions between qualifying rounds and the final. pic.twitter.com/bjOhd4fQvz
— Travis Miller (@travismillerx13) December 4, 2025
The mixed-gender 4x100m and 4x400m relays will remain unchanged, allowing unlimited substitutions between rounds, provided all athletes are already entered in the country’s relay pool.
At the last few major championships, sprint powerhouses such as the U.S., Jamaica, Great Britain and the Netherlands have rested their top stars in preliminary rounds, saving them solely for the final. This new rule is designed to level the playing field, forcing nations to field stronger lineups throughout the entire competition and instead use their two substitutions strategically.
When Team Canada won gold in the men’s 4x100m at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, the quartet remained unchanged from heats to final. The team said this approach was one of the reasons they were successful, but it will now become a necessary method for all nations.
The new relay substitution rule will take effect in March 2026 at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland and will be fully implemented for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Two more rule changes
World Athletics also announced changes to the 400m format at the World Indoor Championships. Beginning in 2026, the men’s and women’s 400m finals will be contested in two separate races, with the final medal placings determined by the fastest combined times from both sections. The top three times across the two races will win gold, silver and bronze.
This new format will debut at the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland.
In addition, the minimum age requirement for World Athletics competition has been updated. Athletes who turn 16 within the calendar year will now be eligible to compete in all events and disciplines at World Athletics-sanctioned competitions.
