2026 CrossFit Season Rulebook Released — Here’s What You Should Know
The 2026 CrossFit Games Season Rulebook has just been released. For this upcoming season, there are some significant changes athletes and Open participants need to know as preparations gear up for a busy season ahead.
Remind Me
This year’s rulebook is being released slightly earlier than last year’s. As shown below, this season’s release aligns more with 2022-2024, coming before the new calendar year begins.
Here’s a list of when CrossFit HQ has dropped its rulebook in recent history:
- 2026 Season: December 10, 2025
- 2025 Season: January 10, 2025
- 2024 Season: December 21, 2023
- 2023 Season: November 15, 2022
- 2022 Season: December 28, 2021
- 2021 Season: January 7, 2021
- 2020 Season: August 28, 2019 (The Open took place in October in 2020.)
- 2019 Season: January 7, 2019
What’s New in 2026?
No two CrossFit Games seasons are the same, as we often see major and/or minor changes to each stage of competition.
Here are some takeaways that are worth digging into:
The Open
The 2026 CrossFit Open will take place from February 26, 2026, through March 16, 2026, and the registration fee remains $20.
- All competitors are subject to drug testing at any time, including during the Open.
In 2026, team eligibility is straightforward. Each participant must be registered on the affiliate’s roster by March 2 and complete each Open workout at the same physical location as the team’s affiliate, except for athletes doing 26.3 at the 2026 Gymreapers Wodapalooza Miami.
Unlike in previous years, when CrossFit’s national champions were determined by Open rank, in 2026, the athlete who advances the furthest in the CrossFit Games season from each country with at least one affiliate in good standing will be named the national champion at the end of the season.
- Worth noting: The in-person Semifinals will not count in crowning national champions in 2026. The hierarchy is 1) CrossFit Games, 2) Online Semifinals, 3) Quarterfinals, and 4) The CrossFit Open.
Quarterfinals
As previously announced, the Quarterfinals are returning by popular demand after a one-year break.
Unlike past years, the Quarterfinals in 2026 will not be region-based. The 25% of athletes who qualify through the Open will be selected from the entire pool of registered athletes worldwide.
- Quarterfinals for all individual and age-group athletes will take place from March 26 at 12:00 p.m. PT through March 30 at 12:00 p.m. PT.
- There are no Quarterfinals for teams; they will qualify directly for the Semifinals from the Open.
Athletes must use a registered judge who has passed the 2026 Judges Course or holds a current Advanced Judges course certification. All workouts must be completed at an affiliate in good standing, and the affiliate manager must validate them.
- All scores will remain hidden until the score submission window closes. The leaderboard will be finalized by April 10.
Fixed prize money for Quarterfinals (both men and women) is as follows:
- 1st: $5000
- 2nd: $4000
- 3rd: $3000
- 4th: $2000
- 5th: $1000
Semifinals
Similar to last season, there will be a mix of in-person and online Semifinals. Each in-person Semifinal will handle its own programming and can invite any athlete, in addition to those who qualified.
As previously announced, there will be no geo-fencing this year, and Individual Division athletes are free to compete at whichever events they choose.
The online Semifinals dates are as follows:
- Age groups: May 7-11 (leaderboard to be finalized by May 26)
- Teams: June 4-8 (leaderboard to be finalized by June 22)
- Individuals: June 11-15 (leaderboard to be finalized by June 29)
This season, all online Semifinals athletes must include YouTube videos with their score submissions, and public video review is back. To submit a review, an individual must have completed the 2026 Judges Course or hold a current Advanced Judges Course certificate.
For the first time, Masters will have an opportunity to compete at in-person Semifinals. The following events will send a certain number of Masters athletes to the Games (see chart below for more details):
- Legends Del Mar
- Magic City Games
- French Throwdown
- Torian Pro
- LatAm Masters
| Event | Individual | Team | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-69 | 70+ |
| Mayhem Classic | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Legends Del Mar | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Copa Sur | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Far East Throwdown | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Magic City Games | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| French Throwdown | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Torian Pro | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Rebel Renegade Games | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MAD Fitness Festival | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Syndicate Crown | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NorCal Classic | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LatAm Masters | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Total In-Person Semifinals Qualifiers | 23 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Online Semifinals Qualifiers | 7 | 7 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 5 |
Worth noting: Unlike last season, when an athlete could compete in both the CrossFit Games and the Masters CrossFit Games – Carolyne Prevost was the only one to do so – this season, an athlete who qualifies for the Games in multiple divisions may only compete in one division.
CrossFit Games
Individual and team athletes (including all athletes on the team roster and team alternates) who qualify for the 2026 Games must complete and submit the “CFG26 Medical Eligibility Form” and the “CFG26 Medical Consent Form” by Friday, June 12, 2026.
Athletes who anticipate qualifying for the Games may request the form from CrossFit beginning as soon as February 1.
- The CFG26 Medical Eligibility Form must be completed in its entirety by a licensed physician (e.g., MD, DO, as permitted within applicable legal guidelines).
- For athletes outside the United States without access to a U.S.-licensed physician, the form must be completed by a Doctor of Medicine (MD/DO) equivalent who holds a full, unrestricted license to practice medicine.
In case of injury at the Games, as stated in section 6.13, “any athlete who is unable to finish an event or who requires medical attention following an event must receive clearance from event staff leadership before returning to competition.”
- “This may include the ability to demonstrate all movements required (using competition loading) for the next event in the warm-up area before taking the field of play.”
The division breakdowns are as follows:
- Individual division: The top 30 men and 30 women
- Masters 35-39 division: The top 30 men and 30 women
- Masters 40-44 division: The top 30 men and 30 women
- Masters 45-49 division: The top 20 men and 20 women
- Masters 50-54 division: The top 20 men and 20 women
- Masters 55-59 division: The top 15 men and 15 women
- Masters 60-64 division: The top 15 men and 15 women
- Masters 65-69 division: The top 15 men and 15 women
- Masters 70+ division: The top 10 men and 10 women
- Teenagers 14-15 division: The top 20 boys and 20 girls
- Teenagers 16-17 division: The top 20 boys and 20 girls
In-Person Appeals
One noteworthy change this year is that the appeals process for in-person competitions has been further developed.
- Athletes and teams will have two appeals only per competition. Should they win an appeal, they retain both appeals.
- Further, athletes and teams will have one option to trigger a “full event review,” if, for example, “an athlete feels they were subject to unreasonable judging standards” throughout the event.
The process: Athletes or team captains can file on-site appeals, event protests, or scoring questions or concerns with an Appeals Manager immediately following the event, or “at the earliest possible opportunity.” Coaches can be involved only after the event is completed and in conjunction with the athlete.
That being said, the rulebook states that “judgment calls made during an event are likely final and not negotiable or subject to change, modification, or appeal.”
- As examples, the rulebook explained that “most live judgment calls and no reps by the judge,”—such as squat depth or hip, knee or arm extension no reps—cannot be appealed.
However, the following examples could qualify for an appeal:
- Scorecard or leaderboard data inconsistencies or errors.
- Counting inconsistencies or errors ( i.e., the total number of repetitions completed was incorrect).
- Loading inconsistencies or errors.
- Course markings or directional inconsistencies, or errors.
- Equipment or monitor failure that was not the responsibility of the athlete.
- Miscommunication by a judge regarding movement standards, event order, or direction.
- The action of another athlete or person that impeded the athlete’s progress.
- Judgment calls during movements with exaggerated cycle times, such as a handstand walk or a rope climb, may be considered on a case-by-case basis for appeal.
Prize Money
The 2025 season was the first year that prize money was directly tied to Open registration. This will be the case again in 2026. The rulebook states, “The value of each individual prize will increase as Open registration increases.” However, the prize money for the Quarterfinals is fixed.
Fifty percent of each 2026 Open registration will fund the 2026 CrossFit Games Season prize purse. Of that 50%, the prize purse for the 2026 season will be allocated as follows:
- Open – Affiliate Prizes: 20%
- Open – Top Individual Performers: 5%
- Individual Semifinals: 3%
- Individual Games: 49%
- Affiliate Cup Games (Teams): 10%
- Masters: 10%
- Adaptive: 3%
Worth noting: Affiliates who are eligible for an affiliate prize can choose from the following options:
- $1,000 Rogue gift card
- $1,000 affiliate fee credit
- Two 2026 CrossFit Games tickets
Community Cup
The Community Cup will run for the second year, and athletes will be able to compete at their competitive level based on their Open performance or any level above, if they choose.
- The competition will remain open Aug 1-31, and athletes will take on four workouts.
