Age Group changes: transition plan
In January 2024, following a consultation process involving all Home Country Athletics Federations (HCAFs), UK Athletics’ decision to approve changes to the current competition age groups was announced.
This means that the age groups in which young athletes compete will change from U13, U15, U17 and U20, as is currently the case, to U12, U14, U16, U18 and U20 from 1 April 2026.
The objectives of the age group changes are to:
- Simplify age group dates for all disciplines
- Support athletes in their long-term development
- Retain and recruit more young people in athletics
- Provide a clear, simplified pathway for all areas of the sport, from U10s - Seniors
- Provide better gradual progression for all athletics events
- And in creating an additional age group, better support age and stage appropriate competition formats & events
It’s important to point out that the age group changes alone are not viewed as the sole answer to the challenges we face as a sport in retaining and recruiting athletes and are part of a wider approach to arresting participation decline and increasing the number of young people engaged in track and field particularly.
Ahead of the implementation of the new age groups, the HCAFs have been undertaking further consultation with the sport as well as convening a task group and associated sub groups to ensure a smooth transition.
The key objective of phase one of the implementation process was to establish clear principles around the transition and to establish the key technical aspects of the change. This page outlines the technical information which will form the basis of rule changes ahead of 2026.
Age Group Changes Key Information and Principles
The new rules will be effective from 1 April 2026. Competition providers will have the flexibility to pilot the new age groups and technical rules in the indoor season of 2025-2026 should they wish to do so.
The age groups under UKA rules will be: U10, U12, U14, U16, U18, U20, Senior, Masters.
Records and rankings
Technical information
Download technical information (XLS 40kB)Off-track disciplines
The below table highlights MAXIMUM permitted distances for all athletes in differing disciplines. Further recommendations are listed for race distances for each discipline for each age group.
Age on Day MAXIMUM distances are also included.
Event Organisers must fully consider all factors when identifying distance and age groups permitted within their races. Including but not limited to – severity of route, route appropriateness, road closures, rural settings, course marshals, welfare and safeguarding of young and vulnerable groups etc
| Age group* | Age on day | All terrains: maximum distances | Cross Country: recommended distances | Mountain, Trail, Fell, Hill: recommended distances | Road and Multi-terrain: recommended distances | Race Walking: recommended distances |
| Senior / Master (20+) | 20+ | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| U20 (18, 19) | 19 18 | 45km Marathon | 10km | 10km | 22km | 20,000m |
| U18 (16, 17) | 17 16 | 25km 16km | 8km | 8km | 12-14km | 15,000m |
| U16 (14, 15) | 15 14 | 12km 8km | 5km | 6km | 8km | 5,000m |
| U14 (12, 13) | 13 12 | 6km 6km | 4km | 5km | 6km | 3,000m |
| U12 (10, 11) | 11 10 | 5km 3km | 3km | 3km | 3km | 2,000m |
Events with Age specific races will default to the maximum distance permitted for that age group, mass participation races without age specific races must adhere to the age on day maximum distance.
Notes
*Age groups relate to the two year age category only – e.g. U20 refers to 18 & 19 years olds, not everyone under the age of 20.
Subject to assessment of route and venue, distances may be extended for reasonable accommodation e.g. plus or minus 200m.
Where race organisers wish to hold events for U10s, it is strongly recommended that the focus is on participation rather than competition.
Para-athletics
A full overview and detail around the technical rule changes for para-athletics will be published in due course.
Transition arrangements
- For Track & Field, the Transition Year will be 1 April 2026 to 31 August 2026.
- For Cross Country and Indoors, the Transition Year will be 1 September 2026 to 31 March 2027.
- From 1 April 2027, only U16, U18 and U20 will be awarded National titles and medals (as well as U23 and Seniors).