World Athletics has confirmed the qualification marks for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, outlining the performance benchmarks athletes must hit to earn automatic entry to the sport’s flagship global meet.
The standards were published ahead of the qualification period, which begins on 23 August 2026. With the race to Beijing 2027 already building, the requirements across track, field and road events signal a deeper level of competition than ever.
Track qualification benchmarks
For the sprint distances, the men’s 100 metres automatic standard is 9.95 seconds, while women must run 10.96 seconds. The 200 metres marks are 20.07 seconds for men and 22.45 seconds for women.
Over one lap, the men’s 400 metres requirement is 44.45 seconds, and the women’s qualifying time is 50.00 seconds.
Middle- and long-distance targets are equally exacting. The men’s 1500 metres standard stands at 3:30.00, with the women’s mark set at 3:58.00. For the 5000 metres, automatic qualification requires 12:50.00 for men and 14:36.00 for women.
The marathon qualification times are fixed at 2:06:00 for men and 2:23:20 for women, reflecting the endurance level expected in Beijing.
Field events and combined competitions
Field event participants face high thresholds across every discipline. In the high jump, men must achieve 2.30m, compared with 1.96m for women. The long jump standards are 8.25m for men and 6.86m for women.
For the throwing events, the men’s javelin automatic mark is 85.50m and the hammer throw standard is 78.30m. Women must hit 63.40m in the javelin and 74.00m in the hammer to qualify.
Combined events also come with clear point targets: decathletes need 8,620 points for automatic entry, while heptathletes are required to score 6,550 points.
How athletes will qualify
World Athletics has set the qualification structure so that roughly 40% of competitors secure spots through entry standards, with the remaining 60% coming via world rankings. The system is designed to reward both standout single performances and sustained excellence throughout the qualification window.
To be eligible via the entry standards route, performances can be recorded from 23 August 2026 through 22 August 2027, up to midnight. Marks must be produced at Category C meetings and above, ensuring results are achieved at events meeting the required minimum competition criteria.
The published standards are expected to influence planning for athletes and national federations worldwide as preparations intensify for Beijing and the qualification race gathers momentum.
