We have the season structure. We have the location of the 2026 CrossFit Games. Now, we have the rulebook for the 2026 CrossFit Games season. Published this morning on the CrossFit Games website, the 2026 rulebook is mostly the same. However, there are a few new and noteworthy items this year.
Probably the most important change is the addition of the medical screening requirement for individuals and team athletes. Section 6.05 outlines the requirements and deadlines to submit the required documents.
Another is for Affiliate owners. This year Affiliate owners who are eligible for one of the prizes have several options to choose from, including a $1,000 discount to their Affiliate Fee.
With that, here are some of the biggest changes in the 2026 CrossFit Games rulebook:
1.14 – TEAM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To be included on a team’s roster, each athlete must be registered on the CrossFit affiliate’s roster by March 2, the close of the 26.1 score submission window. Athletes must perform all Open workouts at the location of the affiliate.
The only exception is for those who complete 26.3 at the 2026 Wodapalooza Miami.
1.33 – OPEN – NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
The 2026 National Champions will be based on the man and woman who made it the furthest in the season. That hierarchy is as follows:
- CrossFit Games
- Online Semifinals
- Quarterfinals
- Open
The in-person Semifinals will not count towards crowning a national champion in 2026.
2.03 – QUARTERFINALS – JUDGING AND VALIDATION
For Quarterfinals in 2026, athletes must use a registered judge that has passed the 2026 Judges Course or holds a current Advanced Judges course certificate. Each workout must be completed inside a CrossFit affiliate in good standing and receive validation from the affiliate manager at that affiliate.
2.04 – QUARTERFINALS – EVENT FORMAT
All scores will remain hidden until the score submission window closes on Monday, March 30, at 12pm Pacific.
2.07 – QUARTERFINALS – PRIZE MONEY
There are cash prizes for the top individual men and women during Quarterfinals for their overall performance.
Overall individual winners (men and women):
- First-place: $5,000
- Second-place: $4,000
- Third-place: $3,000
- Fourth-place: $2,000
- Fifth-place: $1,000
2.08 – QUARTERFINALS – LEADERBOARD FINALIZATION
The individual and age-group leaderboard for Quarterfinals will be finalized by no later than April 10.
2.09 – QUARTERFINALS – ATHLETES QUALIFYING FOR SEMIFINALS IN MULTIPLE DIVISIONS
When the season structure was announced for 2026, there were some questions about whether athletes could compete in multiple divisions.
For the in-person Semifinals, athletes can only compete in one division (individual, team or age group) at a single competition. However, that athlete can compete in different divisions if they have qualified for multiple Semifinals.Â
For example, a 35-year old athlete could technically compete as an individual at the Legends Championship, in the 35-39 division at the Magic City Games and on a team at Syndicate Crown.
3.02 – IN-PERSON SEMIFINALS
The table below outlines how many athletes or teams will qualify out of each Semifinal.
In the event there is a change to any of the Semifinals above, CrossFit reserves the right to shift qualifying spots to other in-person Semifinals or the online Semifinals. Any changes will be announced prior to the start of the competition.
3.03 – IN-PERSON SEMIFINALS – TEAM ROSTERS AND ADVANCEMENT
Similar to last year, an affiliate can only qualify one team to the CrossFit Games. If multiple teams from an affiliate qualify, CrossFit will invite the next eligible team on the leaderboard.
4.01 – ONLINE SEMIFINALS
For the 2026 online Semifinals, all divisions must submit scores with YouTube videos for each workout.Â
4.10a – ONLINE SEMIFINALS – PUBLIC REVIEW
Public review is back in 2026. It will, however, be available for all divisions. To submit a review, a judge must have completed the 2026 Online Judges Course or hold a current Advanced Judges Course certificate.
4.12 – ONLINE SEMIFINALS – LEADERBOARD FINALIZATION AND ADVANCEMENT
Here is when CrossFit will finalize the various online Semifinal leaderboards:
- Age-Group: May 26
- Teams: June 22
- Individuals: June 29
6.05 MEDICAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT
A few weeks ago I reported that medical screenings would be required for individual and team athletes prior to competing at the 2026 CrossFit Games. More information was released in the rulebook about these requirements.
Athletes in those divisions must submit the CFG26 Medical Eligibility Form and CFG Medical Consent Form by Friday, June 12, 2026. Athletes who qualify from Online Semifinals or receive a backfill invite will have until July 1, 2026.
Athletes who anticipate qualifying for the Games may request the form from CrossFit beginning on February 1.
The CFG26 Medical Eligibility Form must be completed by a licensed physician. For athletes outside the United States, the form must be completed by a Doctor of Medicine (MD/DO) equivalent.
The Games Medical Director retains sole discretion regarding medical qualification for, and at, the Games.
APPENDIX G: PRIZE MONEY DISTRIBUTIONS
The prize purse will once again be determined by the number of CrossFit Open registrations. The distribution is the same as last year as well.
- 50% to CrossFit, LLC
- Remaining 50% goes to the various prize purses:
- Open – Affiliate Prizes: 20%
- Open – Top Individuals Performers: 5%
- Individual Semifinals: 3%
- Individual Games: 49%
- Affiliate Cup Games (teams): 10%
- Masters: 10%
- Adaptive: 3%
New in 2026, however, is that Affiliates who are eligible for one of the affiliate prizes can choose one of the following options:
- $1,000 CrossFit Affiliation Fee Credit
- $1,000 Rogue gift card
- two tickets to the 2026 CrossFit Games
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