The Olympia qualification process will evolve for the 2026 season. The IFBB Pro League announced a new points and qualification process for the biggest show in bodybuilding. The new rules can be seen below, as shared by the IFBB Pro League’s Instagram page:
Men’s Open, 212, Women’s Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure, Women’s Physique, and Fit Model
The system for these categories will remain mostly unchanged. The top three of each Olympia contest automatically qualify for the 2026 Olympia. Similarly, winners of pro contests during the 2026 season will also qualify. The top three of the Rising Phoenix are also invited to the 2026 Ms. Olympia contest.
Past Olympia champions will maintain lifetime eligibility, but must seek permission from the IFBB Pro League to enter the Olympia if five years have elapsed since their most recent Olympia victory.
A key aspect of the announcement was the addition of the Fit Model division. The Fit Model Olympia will comprise 12 divisions for the annual world championship event.
Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Bikini, and Wellness
The qualifications for Olympia champions remain intact, as do those who finish on the any Olympia podium. The past champions rule will apply for these divisions.
The champions of the 2026 Arnold Classic (USA), 2026 Pittsburgh Pro, 2026 New York Pro, 2026 Romania Fest Pro, and 2026 Dubai Pro lock spots in the 2026 Olympia.
Aside from those shows, athletes must win two pro contests to qualify for the Olympia.
Points System
The new points system is the most significant shift for these categories. Second through fifth-place finishers at the 2026 Arnold Classic (USA), 2026 Pittsburgh Pro, 2026 New York Pro, 2026 Romania Fest Pro, and 2026 Dubai Pro earn the following points:
- 2nd — 14
- 3rd — 11
- 4th — 9
- 5th — 7
Pro contests on the 2026 calendar not mentioned above no longer offer automatic qualifications to the Olympia. Instead, they offer the following points for the top five finishers:
- 1st — 10
- 2nd — 4
- 3rd — 3
- 4th — 2
- 5th — 1
The Top 25 point-earners at the end of the season qualify for the Olympia. These changes are in response to the influx of athletes qualified for the 2025 Olympia. At the time of this article’s publication, some divisions have 60 competitors who qualified for the Olympia.
Men’s Wheelchair
The Men’s Wheelchair division will remain the same as in years past: the top three from the Olympia and the winners of each pro contest during the 2026 season earn a 2026 Olympia qualification.
Pro show non-winners earn points via the following structure:
- 2nd — 10
- 3rd — 9
- 4th — 8
- 5th — 7
The top five at the end of the qualifying season will advance to the Olympia.
Dan Solomon Speaks
Olympia President Dan Solomon explained to BarBend the rationale for the new points system.
“Our responsibility is to preserve the esteem of the Olympia, while also serving as the world championship for the 11 divisions that comprise the IFBB Pro League,” Solomon explained. “The sport is growing at a remarkable rate, and we are incredibly grateful for the support of the fans and the athletes.”
The 2026 Olympia qualifying season begins on Sept. 15, 2025.
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Featured Image: @ifbb_pro_league on Instagram
