World Athletics has unveiled a revised qualification system for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, with world rankings set to carry greater weight as athletes battle for places at the global showpiece.

Under the new dual qualification pathway approved by the World Athletics Council, approximately 40 per cent of available quota places are expected to be secured through entry standards, while the remaining 60 per cent will be allocated through the World Athletics Rankings. 

The system represents a shift from the previous 50-50 model and means athletes will need to combine high-level performances with consistency in eligible competitions during the qualification period.

Importantly, achieving an entry standard will not automatically guarantee an Olympic place.

If the number of athletes meeting the standard exceeds the available quota in an event, places will be awarded to the best performers within the qualification period. In such circumstances, no additional athletes will qualify through the world rankings. 

The qualification standards have also been raised across several events.

For the men’s 100m, athletes will need to run 9.93 seconds, while the women’s standard is 10.96 seconds. The men’s 200m standard is 19.95 seconds, compared with 22.25 seconds for the women, while the 400m standards are 44.40 and 49.90 seconds respectively. 

The marathon standards have been set at 2:05:00 for men and 2:22:20 for women, while the 1500m standards are 3:30.00 for men and 3:57.50 for women.

For the 5000m, the marks are 12:50.00 for men and 14:34.00 for women, while the 10,000m standards are 26:48.00 and 30:30.00 respectively. 

World Athletics said the standards were developed using performance data from the 2022, 2023 and 2025 World Athletics Championships, as well as the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

The qualification window will vary according to the event. Marathon qualification has already opened, running from November 1, 2026 to April 30, 2028.

For the 10,000m, combined events, race walks and relays, the qualification period runs from December 19, 2026 to June 18, 2028, while most other events will have a qualification window from June 19, 2027 to June 18, 2028. 

Special arrangements will apply to the marathon, race walks and relays.

In the marathon, athletes ranked inside the top 56 on the filtered “Road to LA” list on March 19, 2028 will be considered qualified, with the remaining 15 places determined through the dual pathway. The first five finishers at Platinum Label marathons during the qualification period will also be considered to have achieved the entry standard.

For race walking, the first 12 finishers at the 2028 World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Hefei, China, will automatically qualify for the Olympic half-marathon race walk, while the remaining 36 places will be allocated through the world rankings.

In the relays, the first 14 National Olympic Committees at the 2028 World Athletics Relays in The Bahamas will secure Olympic qualification, with remaining places determined through the world performance list. 

The LA28 athletics programme will feature 48 events — 23 for men, 23 for women and two mixed relays.

The mixed 4x400m relay will return, while the mixed 4x100m relay will make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles. 

Athletes from Nigeria and other countries will therefore face a demanding road to Los Angeles, with strong performances, regular competition and ranking points becoming increasingly important in the race for Olympic qualification.

World Athletics is expected to publish its official “Road to LA” qualification monitoring list in the latter part of 2027.

Athletics competition at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games is scheduled for July 15–30, 2028, with the in-stadium programme taking place at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.