The CrossFit Games season has undergone changes once again in 2025. While the season structure was announced last November, we now have more clarity on some of the details from In-Person Qualifying Events (IPQEs), dates and more.
The changes may seem confusing at first, but once you spend some time to digest the season it is not that complicated. So with that, here is how the 2025 CrossFit Games season will work…
INDIVIDUALS
The individual field for the 2025 CrossFit Games will be smaller than in previous years. Only 30 men and 30 women will compete for the title, Fittest on Earth. This year, there are two paths to qualify for the Games – In-Affiliate Semifinals or IPQE’s.
Before we get into those details, let’s start with the Open.
CrossFit Open
The 2025 CrossFit Open is the official start of the CrossFit Games season. Similar to recent years, the 2025 CrossFit Open will be three weeks. The 25.1 Open announcement is Thursday, February 27, and it concludes with final submission window for 25.3 on March 17.
Registration for the Open begins on January 15.
The top 1% of athletes worldwide will be invited to advance to the next stage of the Games season, the In-Affiliate Semifinals.
The Top 1%
This is important. Even with the introduction of the IPQE’s and their separate qualification process (more on this below), any athlete looking to qualify for the CrossFit Games must finish in the top 1% in the Open. So even if you have registered for the online qualifier for the NorCal Classic, end up qualifying and then win the competition, you must have finished in the top 1% of the Open to receive the invite to the CrossFit Games.
Think of it this way, you must finish in the top 1% of the 2025 CrossFit Open to be eligible to qualify for the 2025 CrossFit Games.
In-Affiliate Semifinals
The top 1% of the CrossFit Open will advance to the In-Affiliate Semifinals, an online competition running from May 1-4. This is very similar to last year’s Quarterfinals with two exceptions. First, as the name implies, athletes must complete this stage of competition at a CrossFit affiliate. Second, this year athletes can qualify directly from this online stage of the competition.
The top 12 in the world during the In-Affiliate Semifinals will qualify for the 2025 CrossFit Games.
In-Person Qualifying Events
With 12 qualifying spots coming from the In-Affiliate Semifinals, the remaining 18 qualifying spots will come from the 10 In-Person Qualifying Events.
These IPQE’s run from April through the first week of June. Yes, there are at least two IPQE’s before the In-Affiliate Semifinals.
The IPQE’s will qualify two men and two women (Rebel Renegade Games and Far East Throwdown will only qualify one man and one woman) to the CrossFit Games.
Qualifying for an IPQE varies from competition to competition. Here’s a look at each of the 10 IPQE’s – from location, dates, how to qualify, etc.
Mayhem Classic
Cookeville, TN, USA
April 5-6
(2 men | 2 women)
The Mayhem Classic is the first IPQE. Almost no details have been announced yet. I believe 20 men and 20 women will compete. However, it is unclear whether there will be a qualification process or if it will be on an invite-only basis.
Wodland Fest
Málaga, Spain
April 25-27
(2 men | 2 women)
Wodland Fest is running a separate online qualifier. Twenty men and 20 women will compete in-person at the “José María Martín Carpena” Sports Palace. Aniol Ekai and Sara Sigmundsdottir have already received special wildcard invites to compete.
The online qualifier begins January 29 and runs through February 7. Registration opens January 10.
French Throwdown
Montpellier, France
May 9-11
(2 men | 2 women)
The French Throwdown is running a separate online qualifier. The top 40 men and women in the online qualifier will compete in the elite individual division at the French Throwdown.
The online qualifier runs from February 14-26. Registration is currently open on Competition Corner.
TFX Invitational
Oklahoma City, OK, USA
May 16-18
(2 men | 2 women)
The TFX Invitational is limiting participation to those from last year’s North America West region. Athletes from North America East or outside the United States will not be able to compete at the TFX Invitational.
The CrossFit Open is being utilized to qualify athletes to the IPQE. The top 33 men and women on the NA West leaderboard of the Open will be invited to compete.
Additionally, the top 3 men and women who podium in the Pro Division at the TFX Championship later this month will also be invited (as long as they also finish in the top 1% of the CrossFit Open).
Rebel Renegade Games
Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
May 29 – June 1
(1 man | 1 woman)
The Rebel Renegade Games will host an IPQE for Africa. With this, athletes will be limited to those who have an African or UAE passport or live and train in those areas.
An online qualifier will take place between April 3-7 where athletes will need to complete six workouts. The top 20 men and top 20 women will earn a spot to compete at the IPQE.
Far East Throwdown
Busan, Republic of Korea
May 29 – June 1
(1 man | 1 woman)
The Far East Throwdown will once again host a qualifying competition for the CrossFit Games out of Asia. The competition is open to all athletes around the world.
To qualify for the FET, athletes will need to participate in the individual online qualifier that runs from March 26 to April 4. The online qualifier will be hosted on Competition Corner, but athletes must register and pay on the Far East Throwdown website. Registration is not yet open.
The top 40 men and women from the online qualifier will be invited to compete in person.
Syndicate Crown
Knoxville, TN, USA
May 30 – June 1
(2 men | 2 women)
Similar to the TFX Invitational, Syndicate Crown will be an IPQE for the North America East region. Athletes from outside this region will not be able to compete. Additionally, only athletes who have not already qualified will be invited to compete at the IPQE. So if an athlete has already qualified for the Games via the In-Affiliate Semifinal, they will not be able to compete at Syndicate Crown.
The field will consist of a minimum of 30 men and 30 women and will utilize the CrossFit Open and the In-Affiliate Semifinal to fill its roster.
The top 20 athletes in the NA East region on the CrossFit Open leaderboard will receive an invite. Syndicate will also invite the next 10 athletes below the cut line of the In-Affiliate Semifinal within the NA East region.
Torian Pro
Brisbane, Queensland AUS
May 30 – June 1
(2 men | 2 women)
The Torian Pro is hosting the Australian IPQE. Open to all athletes around the world, Torian Pro is utilizing the CrossFit Open plus one more separately programmed workout. Athletes looking to qualify for Torian Pro must register for both the CrossFit Open and the Torian Pro online qualifier on Competition Corner.
The top 30 men and women from the four workouts will receive an invite to compete inside the Pat Rafter Arena. Torian will also invite previous Torian Pro champions, who are not required to compete in the online qualifier. Torian has also said it reserves the right to invite additional athletes based on “standout performances” in the In-Affiliate Semifinals.
Northern California Classic
Sacramento, CA, USA
June 6-8
(2 men | 2 women)
The NorCal classic was just announced this week, a day before the start of their online qualifier. With the addition as an IPQE, the NCC’s online qualifier runs from January 8-30. Athletes can register directly on Competition Corner.
The top 35 men and women from the online qualifier will be invited to compete in Sacramento. Additionally, organizers of the NCC will invite up to 15 athletes. Those will include Colten Mertens and Liz Wishart, winners of the 2024 NorCal Classic. It also appears that Emily Rolfe and Bethany Flores have received one of the wildcard invites.
Copa Sur
TBD, Brazil
TBD (maybe April)
(2 men | 2 women)
We have zero information on Copa Sur. Outside of it being in Brazil, we don’t have dates or a location yet. We also don’t have information on how or when to qualify or the number of athletes who will compete.
More details forthcoming.
Qualification Summary
Here’s the “too long, didn’t read” summary.
CrossFit Games Field
12 men and women will qualify via In-Affiliate Semifinals
18 men and women will qualify via the 10 In-Person Qualifying Events
All athletes who qualify for the CrossFit Games must have finished in the top 1% of the CrossFit Open.
A compete calendar of the entire elite competitive calendar can be read here.
TEAMS
Teams looking to qualify for the CrossFit Games have a much simpler process. All teams looking to qualify for the CrossFit Games must register and compete in the CrossFit Open from February 27 through March 17.
All teams who participated in the CrossFit Open are eligible to compete at the In-Affiliate Semifinals. The In-Affiliate Semifinals for teams is April 24-27.
The top 20 teams in the world from the In-Affiliate Semifinals will qualify for the 2025 CrossFit Games. One caveat, only one team per affiliate can qualify.
CROSSFIT GAMES
The individuals and teams will once again compete at the same venue, similar to last year. Outside of August, CrossFit has not announced the exact dates or location for this year’s CrossFit Games. But maybe it’s in Albany, New York.
MASTERS & TEENS
The Masters and Teenage divisions will have similar three-stage competition (Open -> In-Affiliate Semifinals -> Divisional CrossFit Games).
All athletes must register and compete in the CrossFit Open from February 27 through March 17.
The top 2% of Open finishers (minimum of 200 athletes) from each age-group division will be invited to compete in the In-Affiliate Semifinals on April 3-6.
The top athletes from the In-Affiliate Semifinals will qualify for the Divisional CrossFit Games. Masters and Teens will compete together in Columbus, Ohio, from August 21-24.
The number of athletes who will compete at the CrossFit Games will depend on the age group division:
- Masters 35-39 division: The top 30 men and 30 women
- Masters 40-44 division: The top 30 men and 30 women
- Masters 45-49 division: The top 30 men and 30 women
- Masters 50-54 division: The top 30 men and 30 women
- Masters 55-59 division: The top 30 men and 30 women
- Masters 60-64 division: The top 20 men and 20 women
- Masters 65-69 division: The top 20 men and 20 women
- Masters 70+ division (new): The top 10 men and 10 women
- Teenagers 14-15 division: Top 30 boys and 30 girls
- Teenagers 16-17 division: Top 30 boys and 30 girls
ADAPTIVE DIVISION
WheelWOD is once again hosting the Adaptive CrossFit Games. There will be 16 divisions:
- Upper Impairment 1 Point of Contact
- Upper Impairment 2 Point of Contact
- Lower Impairment Above Knee
- Lower Impairment Below Knee
- Lower Minor
- Neuromuscular Major
- Neuromuscular Moderate
- Neuromuscular Minor
- Visual Impairment
- Short Stature
- Seated Without Hip Function
- Seated With Hip Function
- Seated Quadriplegic
- Standing Diagnosed
- Intellectual without Chromosomal Condition (new)
- Intellectual with Chromosomal Condition (new)
Just like all of the divisions, all adaptive athletes must compete in the CrossFit Open.
The top 20 athletes from each division will advance to Semifinals. These, unlike other divisions, are not required to be completed at a CrossFit affiliate.
The Adaptive Semifinals run May 8-11.
The top 10 athletes from each division in the Semifinals will qualify for the Adaptive CrossFit Games in Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 9-13.
