Diamond League track and field meets increase prize money to highest level for 2025

The Diamond League, track and field’s annual international circuit, is increasing its prize money to its highest level since its creation in 2010.

The total prize money for the 2025 season — $9.24 million — is almost one-third higher than in the 2021-24 period, according to a press release.

Total prize money per individual event will be between $30,000 and $50,000 at each regular season meet and between $60,000 and $100,000 at the season-ending Diamond League Final.

Combining all events, the prize money will be $500,000 at each regular season meet and $2.24 million at the Diamond League Final.

In 2024, regular season meets had $25,000 in prize money spread from first place (which received $10,000) to eighth place.

The 2024 Diamond League Final doled out $60,000 in prize money total for first through eighth with $30,000 going to each winner.

The Diamond League traditionally runs from April to September. There were 15 meets in 2024, including one in the U.S., the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.

World Athletics began awarding prize money at the Olympics in 2024 with $50,000 to each individual track and field gold medalist and winning relay team. It also committed to awarding prize money at a tiered level to silver and bronze medalists at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

In 2026, the biennial World Athletics Ultimate Championship will debut for non-world outdoor championships years. At that meet, winners will receive $150,000 from a total prize pool of $10 million.

Starting in 2025, the separate Grand Slam Track series will debut with $262,500 in prize money at each of the four meets, with $100,000 to each winner in track events.

Another new event will be held Sept. 26 — the Athlos meet in New York City. It will have six women’s track races (100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m and 100m hurdles) and $110,500 in prize money per race with $60,000 going to each winner.