Witness the Pinnacle of Relay Racing: Gaborone Hosts the World's Best!
Global Relay Showdown in Gaborone
The 2026 World Relays are poised to ignite the athletics world, featuring an array of competitions including men's, women's, and mixed-gender 4x100m and 4x400m races. This much-anticipated event will be broadcast live, offering fans an immersive experience of top-tier relay action directly from Gaborone, Botswana.
Star-Studded Rosters Take the Stage
A formidable assembly of forty nations will converge, each vying for supremacy. The American contingent is notably strong, featuring the likes of U.S. 100m silver medalist Courtney Lindsey and Ronnie Baker, a Tokyo Olympian and 2018 World Indoor bronze medalist in the 60m. Not to be outdone, Jamaica fields an impressive lineup including Olympic gold medalists Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson, along with 2025 World 100m champion Oblique Seville and Olympic and World 100m silver medalist Kishane Thompson. Host nation Botswana also boasts its own set of luminaries, with Olympic 200m gold medalist Letsile Tebogo and world 400m champion Collen Kebinatshipi.
Broadcast Information for the 2026 World Relays
Day | Time (ET) | Platform |
Saturday | 8:05 a.m. | Peacock |
Sunday | 8:02 a.m. | Peacock |
Crucial Qualification Pathways for Elite Competitions
Beyond the glory of victory, the World Relays serve as a critical qualification event for future major championships. On Saturday, the top two teams from each of the four heats across the six events will secure their berths in the 2027 World Championships, slated to be held in Beijing. The competitive intensity escalates on Sunday, as the leading two teams from each of the two heats in the second qualifying round will also advance, bringing the total to twelve qualified teams per event.
Securing Spots in Ultimate Championship and World Championships
Sunday's action holds additional significance, with the top six teams in the mixed 4x100m and mixed 4x400m finals earning a coveted spot in the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, scheduled for September 11-13 in Budapest. For any remaining qualification spots for both the 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship and the 2027 World Championships relay fields, these will be awarded based on the fastest times recorded throughout the season.
World Relays 2026 Event Schedule
Day | Event | Time (ET) |
Saturday | Mixed 4x100m (Heats) | 8:05 a.m. |
Mixed 4x400m (Heats) | 8:30 a.m. | |
Women's 4x100m (Qualifying Round 1) | 9:05 a.m. | |
Men's 4x100m (Qualifying Round 1) | 9:30 a.m. | |
Women's 4x400m (Qualifying Round 1) | 9:55 a.m. | |
Men's 4x400m (Qualifying Round 1) | 10:30 a.m. | |
Sunday | Mixed 4x100m (Qualifying Round 2) | 8:02 a.m. |
Mixed 4x400m (Qualifying Round 2) | 8:20 a.m. | |
Women's 4x400m (Qualifying Round 2) | 8:44 a.m. | |
Men's 4x400m (Qualifying Round 2) | 9:08 a.m. | |
Women's 4x100m (Qualifying Round 2) | 9:30 a.m. | |
Men's 4x100m (Qualifying Round 2) | 9:47 a.m. | |
Mixed 4x100m Final* | 10:05 a.m. | |
Mixed 4x400m Final* | 10:13 a.m. | |
Women's 4x100m Final | 10:24 a.m. | |
Men's 4x100m Final | 10:32 a.m. | |
Women's 4x400m Final | 10:40 a.m. | |
Men's 4x400m Final | 10:51 a.m. |
*Indicates a qualifying round for the World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
