On Wednesday, The Wanda Diamond League, track and field’s premier race series, announced it will increase its prize money to more than USD $9,000,000 for the 2025 season. The news comes after the announcement of two competitive leagues aiming to rival the Diamond League next year.
Prize money in the Wanda Diamond League will increase to its highest ever level from the 2025 season onwards 💎
New total over a third higher than recent seasons, with an estimated 270 million USD invested in athletes since 2010 📈
— Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) September 18, 2024
Diamond League athletes will share a USD $18 million prize pool, with appearance fees also offered. Men and women will reportedly receive equal pay. All 14 regular meets will award USD $500,000, while the Wanda Diamond League Final will offer USD $2,240,000—nearly double the 2024 total.
“The Wanda Diamond League remains committed to rewarding athletes more while ensuring long-term sustainability,” said Petr Stastny, CEO of Diamond League AG, in a statement.
Prize money for each meet will range from $30,000 to $50,000, and between $60,000 and $100,000 for the final, applying to all 32 disciplines. Zurich was announced as the host of the 2025 final.
Previously, the league offered $10,000 for event winners at the regular meets and $30,000 for the Diamond League final. The new prize structure reflects the league’s ambition to maintain its position (and market share) as athletics’ top one-day series.
This increase comes in response to the launch of Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track League, and Athlos, a women’s-only track league backed by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Athlos will debut on Sept. 26 in New York City and feature prominent athletes such as Faith Kipyegon, Gabby Thomas and Gudaf Tsegay.
