Age group changes: information for athletes and parents
From 1 April 2026, 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. These changes are grounded in a desire to support athletes with their progression through the sport.
The indoor track and field season and the upcoming cross country season will operate under the current rules and age groups, with the change coming into effect on 1 April 2026.
Top tips for athletes and parents
🎯 Know your new age group early
🧠 Understand what’s changing and why
🧭 Stay ahead of technical tweaks
🏋️♂️ Adjust your training plan
💬 Join the conversation
FAQs for athletes and parents
What is being changed?
The current age groups – categories in which young athletes compete – are to be revised. From April 1, 2026, young athletes will compete in the following age groups:
- U10: school years 3 and 4
- U12: years 5 and 6
- U14: years 7 and 8
- U16: years 9 and 10
- U18: years 11 and 12
- U20: year 13+
These new age groups will replace the existing U13, U15 and U17 groupings and will ensure that athletes compete across the school year (in England) from October-September in the same age group through cross country, road and then track and field competition.
The rules will be effective from 1 April 2026, so athletes will compete in the 2026 track and field season in the above age groups. For example, for track and field, an athlete currently in year 7 will compete in the U13 age group in the 2025 summer season and will be in year 8 – and therefore U14 – in the 2026 track and field season.
Will the dates of the competition year be changed?
The competition year will run from 1 October to 30 September and so athletes will compete in the same age group from October through to September in cross country, road, and track and field.
What will be the club competition opportunities across the U12, U14, U16, U18 and U20 age groups?
As is currently the case, the HCAFs will offer national championship competition for U16s upwards and will provide guidance and recommendations to competition providers on the competition formats and approaches suitable at each age group.
The Youth Development League have confirmed that they intend to offer competition to secondary age athletes – U14 and U16 (Lower) and U18 and U20 (upper).
Other organisations such as leagues, counties, areas and open competition providers will make their own decisions on which of the newly implemented age groups they wish to cater for. For example, currently an open meeting may focus on U13s and U15s, post 1 April 2026 they may choose to focus on U14s and U16s, or alternatively they may prefer U12 and U14.
All permitted/licensed events will need to comply with the rules of competition, which will be amended to reflect the changed age groups.
What will happen to U11s?
The U11 age-group is currently an optional age-group that many competitions and clubs use to introduce children to adapted age-appropriate athletics. The UKA rules for competition do not cater for U11 athletes and there is no requirement to affiliate U11 athletes with the Home Country Athletics Federation. An U10 optional affiliation and competition age-group will replace U11s.
As is currently the case, athletes aged in school year 6 and below will continue to access local competition opportunities with an emphasis on personal improvement, building a love of the sport and being part of a team. Sportshall Athletics and QuadKids are just two examples of the types of competition for this age group that will continue and in England, we are currently piloting a new competition format for primary aged athletes ready for 2026.
Which age groups will the YDL and NAL meetings use?
UK Youth Development League (YDL) meetings have confirmed their age groups for next outdoor track season. U14 and U16 athletes will compete in lower age group YDL meetings, while U18 and U20 athletes will compete in upper age group YDL meetings.
The National Athletics League (NAL) have also confirmed their age groups for competition, with U18, U20 and Senior athletes set to compete (standards for U18 athletes must be achieved before they are allowed to compete in the NAL).
How does this affect off track athletics?
The 2025-2026 winter season will be the last under the current age groups. Currently, athletes remain in their track and field age groups for the subsequent cross country season. From winter 2026 onwards, athletes will switch to their new age group on 1 October and will compete in that same age group for cross country, road and then track and field.
For example, at present, an athlete in year 7 for the summer track and field season is an U13. That athlete then competes as an U13 in the following cross country season but is considered an U15 for the indoor season. Under the new rules, following the summer season, athletes move up an age group for the following competition year and competes across cross country, road, indoor athletics and outdoor athletics in that age group across the competition year.
So in summary, for off track, the date at which an age group is judged is changing from the beginning of the competition year to the end of the competition year.
Will the changes affect eligibility to compete in road running and multi-terrain events?
Road running and multi-terrain eligibility to compete over set distances is unchanged.