2026 Mr. Olympia: Complete Guide to Olympia Weekend, Schedule, Bodybuilding Divisions & What to Know
The biggest weekend in professional bodybuilding has arrived.
Joe Weider's Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend 2026 takes over Las Vegas from September 24 to 27, 2026, bringing many of the world's top professional bodybuilders and physique athletes together for four days of competition, fitness events, exhibitions and industry experiences.
For bodybuilding fans searching for Mr. Olympia 2026, Olympia Weekend 2026, the 2026 Mr. Olympia schedule, Olympia competitors, Olympia results, or what's happening at the Olympia this year, here's your complete guide.
When Is the 2026 Mr. Olympia?
The 2026 Olympia Weekend takes place September 24 to 27, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This year's Olympia uses several major Las Vegas venues rather than holding everything under one roof.
Orleans Arena
4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas, NV
Friday and Saturday evening Olympia Finals
Las Vegas Convention Center: South Hall
3150 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas, NV
Olympia World Fitness Expo and daytime prejudging
Palms Casino Resort
4321 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas, NV
Official host hotel and location for several additional Olympia Weekend activities
The Olympia organization says shuttle service will be provided between event venues during Friday and Saturday programming.
What Is Mr. Olympia?
Mr. Olympia sits at the top of professional men's bodybuilding within the IFBB Professional League.
The Olympia has grown far beyond a single men's bodybuilding contest. Olympia Weekend now brings together numerous professional physique divisions, giving athletes with different competitive standards and physiques an opportunity to compete for an Olympia title.
For bodybuilding and fitness fans, Olympia Weekend is essentially a gathering point for the professional physique world. Along with the competitions themselves, attendees can experience the Olympia World Fitness Expo, athlete appearances, seminars, industry brands and other special events.
Who Is the Defending Mr. Olympia Champion in 2026?
Derek Lunsford enters the 2026 Olympia as the defending Mr. Olympia champion.
Lunsford won the 2025 Mr. Olympia, finishing ahead of Hadi Choopan in second and Chinedu Obiekea in third. Samson Dauda finished fourth and Martin Fitzwater placed fifth. The official IFBB Pro League results confirm those standings.
Lunsford's career has been especially notable because he previously became an Olympia champion in the 212 division before moving into Men's Open bodybuilding.
The official 2026 Olympia ticket site identifies Lunsford as the reigning champion heading into this year's contest.
2026 Olympia Schedule
The Olympia is much more than Saturday night's Mr. Olympia final.
Friday, September 25
Friday's major competition schedule begins at the Olympia World Fitness Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
VIP entry begins at 8:00 a.m., followed by general public entry at 9:00 a.m.
Olympia prejudging begins at approximately 9:30 a.m. and includes:
212 Olympia
Classic Physique Olympia
Figure Olympia
Women's Physique Olympia
Ms. Olympia
Wellness Olympia
The action then moves to Orleans Arena for the Friday Finals beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Friday night's program includes the finals for Figure, Women's Physique, Wellness, 212, Ms. Olympia and Classic Physique.
And then comes one of the weekend's biggest moments:
Mr. Olympia prejudging.
This is the first major opportunity for judges and fans to see the Men's Open contenders compared directly on the Olympia stage.
Saturday, September 26
Saturday brings another full day of competition.
The Olympia World Fitness Expo again opens with VIP entry at 8:00 a.m. and general admission at 9:00 a.m.
Prejudging begins at approximately 9:30 a.m. for:
Men's Physique Olympia
Fitness Olympia
Bikini Olympia
Wheelchair Olympia
Fit Model Olympia
The Wheelchair and Fit Model divisions are scheduled to hold both prejudging and finals during the daytime program.
Then attention shifts back to Orleans Arena.
Mr. Olympia Finals
The Saturday Olympia Finals begin at 7:00 p.m.
The scheduled divisions include:
Fitness Olympia
Men's Physique Olympia
Bikini Olympia
Mr. Olympia
Saturday night ultimately determines who leaves Las Vegas with bodybuilding's most famous title.
The official Olympia ticket site currently lists a $600,000 top prize for Mr. Olympia.
Sunday, September 27
Olympia Weekend doesn't immediately end after the Sandow is awarded.
The Olympia Champions Seminar is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Sunday in the Grand Ballroom at Palms Casino Resort.
This traditionally gives bodybuilding fans another opportunity to hear from Olympia champions and competitors after the competition has concluded.
The official schedule also lists an Olympia dayclub after-party on Sunday.
What Divisions Compete at the Olympia?
One reason Olympia Weekend has become such a massive fitness event is the variety of physiques represented.
The 2026 competition schedule includes:
Men's Open Bodybuilding
The division associated with the traditional Mr. Olympia title.
212 Bodybuilding
Professional bodybuilding with a 212-pound competition weight limit.
Classic Physique
A division emphasizing muscularity, proportion, symmetry and a classic bodybuilding presentation within division-specific weight and height requirements.
Men's Physique
A men's division with different judging criteria and presentation standards than Open Bodybuilding and Classic Physique.
Ms. Olympia / Women's Bodybuilding
The premier women's bodybuilding championship.
Women's Physique
Figure
Bikini
Wellness
Fitness
Fit Model
Wheelchair Bodybuilding
Together, these contests make the Olympia much broader than the Mr. Olympia competition alone.
Who Won the Major Olympia Titles in 2025?
Several defending champions enter the 2026 Olympia cycle with titles to protect.
Among the confirmed 2025 results:
Mr. Olympia: Derek Lunsford
212 Olympia: Keone Pearson
Classic Physique Olympia: Ramon Rocha Queiroz
Men's Physique Olympia: Ryan Terry
Bikini Olympia: Maureen Blanquisco
Ms. Olympia: Andrea Shaw
These results come from the official IFBB Pro League results for the 2025 Olympia.
That creates an interesting backdrop for 2026: some champions are attempting to extend their reigns while qualified challengers arrive in Las Vegas trying to take their places.
How Do Bodybuilders Qualify for the 2026 Olympia?
You can't simply register for the Olympia.
Athletes must qualify through the IFBB Pro League Olympia Qualification System, and the qualification structure varies by division.
The official 2026 Olympia Qualification System ran from September 15, 2025 through August 30, 2026.
For Men's Open Bodybuilding, Men's 212 Bodybuilding, Women's Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure, Women's Physique and Fit Model, qualification includes the top three finishers from the 2025 Olympia and winners of eligible open professional contests during the qualification period, with additional provisions applying to certain divisions.
Classic Physique, Men's Physique, Bikini and Wellness use a different structure. The top 25 athletes in the qualification point standings qualify, while winning two open contests provides automatic qualification.
Wheelchair Bodybuilding has its own qualification structure involving the previous Olympia's top three, open-contest winners and the top five in the point standings.
Former Olympia champions also have lifetime eligibility, although IFBB Pro League approval is required when more than five years have passed since an athlete's most recent Olympia victory.
What Is the Olympia World Fitness Expo?
You don't have to be obsessed with competitive bodybuilding to find something interesting during Olympia Weekend.
The Olympia World Fitness Expo takes place Friday and Saturday at the Las Vegas Convention Center's South Hall.
The official ticket site advertises 60+ brands and athlete meet-and-greets, making the Expo a major gathering for fitness companies, athletes, creators and fans.
It's where the broader fitness industry intersects with the bodybuilding competition.
Fans may encounter supplement and nutrition brands, fitness equipment, apparel, athlete appearances, demonstrations and other fitness-focused experiences.
There's Even a Public Olympia Pop-Up Gym
One particularly interesting part of the 2026 schedule is the Olympia x Dragon's Lair Pop-Up Gym presented by GNC.
The gym is scheduled on Green Street at Palms Casino Resort and is listed as open to the public.
On Friday, September 25, it is scheduled from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
On Saturday, September 26, it is scheduled from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
For fitness enthusiasts visiting Las Vegas for Olympia Weekend, that's another way the weekend extends beyond simply watching athletes compete.
The Olympia Isn't Only About Bodybuilding
Saturday's official schedule also includes the International Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Palms Casino Resort.
The 2026 announced inductees include former Mr. Olympia Dexter Jackson, UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin, chess world champion Garry Kasparov, world champion freediver Vitomir Maričić, and the Harlem Globetrotters.
The ceremony is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. Saturday and is open to the public.
That gives Olympia Weekend a broader sports and performance component beyond physique competition.
What Can Everyday Gym-Goers Learn From Olympia Athletes?
Most people aren't preparing to step onto the Olympia stage, and your fitness program shouldn't imitate the extreme preparation required for elite professional bodybuilding.
But there are several basic principles that apply far beyond competitive bodybuilding.
Progressive Resistance Training Matters
Building muscle requires giving your body an appropriate training stimulus and progressively challenging it over time.
That doesn't mean every workout needs to be brutally difficult. Good strength programming balances training volume, intensity, exercise selection, recovery and progression.
Nutrition Has to Match the Goal
Someone trying to lose body fat requires a different nutritional strategy than someone intentionally trying to gain muscle.
Rather than constantly switching between restrictive diets, your nutrition should support your actual goal, activity level and training demands.
Consistency Beats the Occasional Extreme Workout
Olympia physiques aren't created in a few weeks.
For everyday clients, the same underlying lesson applies on a much more realistic scale: consistent training over months and years generally matters more than periodically pushing yourself through unsustainable programs.
Recovery Is Part of Training
More isn't automatically better.
Sleep, rest days, stress management and appropriate training volume all influence your ability to recover and continue progressing.
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2026 Mr. Olympia FAQ
When is Mr. Olympia 2026?
Joe Weider's Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend is scheduled for September 24 to 27, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Where is Mr. Olympia 2026?
The Friday and Saturday evening Olympia Finals take place at Orleans Arena. The Olympia World Fitness Expo and daytime prejudging take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, while Palms Casino Resort serves as the official host hotel and hosts additional Olympia events.
When is the 2026 Mr. Olympia final?
The Saturday Finals begin at 7:00 p.m. on September 26, 2026, with Mr. Olympia included in Saturday night's program.
Who won Mr. Olympia in 2025?
Derek Lunsford won the 2025 Men's Open Mr. Olympia title. Hadi Choopan finished second and Chinedu Obiekea finished third.
Who is defending the Mr. Olympia title in 2026?
Derek Lunsford enters the 2026 event as the reigning Mr. Olympia champion.
Where is the Olympia Expo?
The 2026 Olympia World Fitness Expo takes place in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center on Friday and Saturday.
Is the Olympia only for bodybuilders?
No. Olympia Weekend includes numerous men's and women's physique divisions, the World Fitness Expo, athlete appearances, fitness-industry exhibits and additional events.
Follow the 2026 Olympia
The Olympia is one of the most significant weekends on the competitive bodybuilding calendar. From Men's Open Bodybuilding and Classic Physique to Bikini, Wellness, Men's Physique, 212 and the women's divisions, the weekend brings many of professional physique competition's top athletes to Las Vegas.
For the latest schedule changes, ticket information and official Olympia Weekend announcements, visit the official Olympia website.
And if watching the Olympia motivates you to start working toward your own muscle-building, weight-loss, body-recomposition or fitness goals in Dallas-Fort Worth, connect with AqilFitness Training Solutions to get started with personalized training and coaching.
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