2026 CrossFit Open Report: 4 Weeks to 26.1
We are now just one month away from the 2026 CrossFit Open. Three (as yet) unknown workouts will be taken on by thousands of CrossFitters worldwide from February 26 through March 16.
Remind me: From 2011, the Open’s inaugural year, through 2018, the number of registrants climbed steadily from 26,000 to 416,000.
- Each year through 2017, we saw a percentage increase of at least 10%, and from 2017 to 2018, it was just under that, at 9.7%.
Numbers dipped by 14% in 2019 and then again by 33% in the 2020 Open, which was technically held in the fall of 2019.
By 2021, registration had rebounded to roughly 263,000, a 10% increase from 2020. Participation continued to climb until 2024, when roughly 344,000 athletes took part, a 6% increase from 2023.
- The 2025 Open registration was the lowest in 10 years; it was also the second time in the Open’s history that such a drastic decrease occurred. Registration totaled approximately 234,000 people, down more than 100,000 from 2024.
The 2026 Numbers So Far
As he does every year, Mike Halpin of Known & Knowable has been closely tracking Open registrations, analyzing patterns, and projecting final outcomes.
For followers of his account, he posts an update every day showing the total number of registered athletes, the daily percentage increase, and a comparison with last year’s registration. He also shares the current prize pool (since the Games prize purse will be determined by the number of Open participants, each paying a $20 registration fee).
Two days into registration this year, on January 16, there were 24,494 people registered, an increase of 275.1% (15,500 registrants) compared with 2025.
As the days go on, we continue to see higher numbers than last year, but the percentage difference has been steadily declining.
- As of Tuesday, January 27, there are over 57,000 people registered – up 68% from this time last year, or 23,000 more than last year.
- Currently, 38% of registrants are from the United States, 10% from the United Kingdom, and 7% from France.
The top affiliates by registration are CrossFit Black Edition in Portugal, Diablo CrossFit in California, 179 CrossFit in the United Kingdom, CrossFit Bison in New Jersey, and CrossFit Northumbria in the United Kingdom.
So far, 6,918 CrossFit affiliates have at least one member registered.
According to Halpin’s projections, we could see registrations top 300,000 by March 16, surpassing 2022 numbers but not those from 2023 or 2024.
Prize Purse Forecast
Last year marked the first time the CrossFit Games prize purse was directly tied to Open registration numbers.
Fifty percent of the registration fees went toward the Games season prize purse, which includes the Open, In-Affiliate Semifinals, Age Groups, and Adaptive divisions, as well as affiliate prizes.
Without a title sponsor writing the checks, CrossFit adjusted the structure to protect the top prize, resulting in a steep drop-off after first place.
- Last year, the winners in the men’s and women’s divisions each earned $288,000, while second place earned $57,000. In previous years, all 40 athletes on the Games roster earned prize money. In 2025, the field was reduced to 30 athletes, with payouts limited to the top 20.
CrossFit enters 2026 once again without a title sponsor and has opted to retain the same prize structure (see Appendix G in the 2026 CrossFit Games rulebook). If Open registrations reach 258,000, the winner’s check would exceed the largest first-place payout in Games history, $315,000 (2021-2024).
According to the Fran Lung prize purse calculator, 300,000 registrations would push first place to $367,500, second place to $73,500, and third place to $58,800. Regardless of participation numbers, athletes finishing 21st through 30th will receive no prize money.
The bottom line: Keep your eye on Known & Knowable, as he continues to update the registration each day. We also reshare it on our account daily. Four weeks to go until the announcement of the first workout, 26.1.
