September 2027 - dates to be confirmed
Birmingham 2027
The world’s best
One start line
The Deadly Dozen World Championship comes to Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, in September 2027 - bringing the world’s leading athletes to one iconic start line.
Alexander Stadium
Birmingham
Championship 2027
KEY DATES
The road to
Birmingham
1 June 2026 - 31 May 2027
Every official Track Race in this window counts.
June 2027
Qualified athletes are contacted after the window closes.
September 2027
Alexander Stadium, Birmingham. Exact dates to be confirmed.
WORLD CHAMPS 2027 QUALIFICATION
One window
Your best time
Qualification uses official Track Race results within the season window below. All-time results outside that window do not count.
Your most recent race determines which age group you qualify in. Your best time in that age group is the performance that counts.
- 31 MAY 2027
Only official races inside this period enter the World Championship standings.
Fastest eligible time
Qualification is based on time. A podium at a regular race does not create an automatic place.
Where you race
Your result enters the host country’s pool - not the pool linked to your nationality. Race in BC or Alberta and your time enters Canada’s pool.
HOW THE SLOTS WORK
Global speed
Worldwide representation
Places are allocated separately for every division and age group.
Global top 12
The 12 fastest athletes in each age group, per division, during the qualification window earn automatic entry - regardless of where they raced or which country they represent. No allocation, no discretion: performance secures the place.
Host-country round-robin
The remaining places are shared across countries that hosted an official Track Race. Every country’s number-one eligible athlete or team receives a place before any country’s number two.
Race abroad
Racing in another host country can only help. It can add a qualification route through that country’s pool and never removes a place from you or another athlete.
This structure guarantees host-country representation. A slower time from a smaller host country can therefore qualify ahead of a faster time from a heavily contested pool. With many host countries, the remaining places work out close to an even share.
Relays are different. Relay teams qualify on time alone: the 180 fastest teams in each relay division (Male, Female, Mixed), with no age-group split and no country allocation. At the championship, relays race in exactly two categories: Overall and Masters (team average age 50 or over). There are no per-age-group relay categories.
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Reserved places
Inside the allocation
Podium finishers in each age group at a regional championship - such as an Americas Championship - receive reserved World Championship places.
Those reserved places come out of their own country’s allocation; they are not additional places. Most athletes will still qualify through the normal country slots.
Check live qualification standingsLIVE STANDINGS
Know where
you stand
The championship leaderboard shows the current qualification position for every division and age group.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FAQ
Know the
standard
Which result counts?+
Your most recent race determines the age group in which you qualify. Your best time in that age group is the result that counts.
How is my age group decided?+
Your age group is based on your age on 31 December of the year you raced. If you race again in a different year and move into a new age group, your qualification moves to that bracket, and your earlier fastest time in the old age group no longer counts for championship purposes.
Does a regular-race podium qualify me?+
No. Podiums at regular races do not provide automatic qualification. Qualification is based on time.
Which country pool does my result enter?+
The country where you race determines the host-country pool - not your nationality. A result from a race in BC or Alberta enters Canada’s pool.
Can I qualify in another country?+
Yes. Qualification is based on the country where you race, not your passport. If you have not yet secured a place, you are free to compete in any country hosting a qualifying Track Race.
Can racing in another country hurt my chances?+
No. It can add a route through that host country’s pool, and it never costs you or anyone else a place.
When will I hear if I have qualified?+
Athlete notification follows the close of the qualification window on 31 May 2027, in June 2027. Until then the championship leaderboard shows your live position in every division and age group.
Do relay teams have age groups?+
No. Relays have exactly two competitive categories: Overall and Masters. A team whose average age is 50 or over races as Masters; every other team races Overall. There is no age-group ladder for relays, and relay qualification is a flat top-180 fastest teams per division (Male, Female, Mixed) with no country allocation.
BEFORE YOU RACE
Know the
format
Qualification for 2027 works exactly as it did for 2026. The format is the original Track Race: 12 Journeys of 400m and 12 Labours, judged to the official rulebook.
YOUR NEXT MOVE
Start the journey
Find a Track Race, record your time and follow the road to Birmingham 2027.