2026 Rhythmic World Championships

Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships 2026

The 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships will bring together the world's best rhythmic gymnasts in Frankfurt, Germany, from 12-16 August 2026. Held at the iconic Festhalle Frankfurt, the championships will feature individual and group competitions as athletes compete for world titles and valuable qualification places on the road to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Fans can watch the action live and free on Eurovision Sport.

Event Facts

Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Venue: Festhalle Frankfurt
Dates: 12-16 August 2026
Competition: 42nd FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships
Disciplines: Senior Individual and Senior Group competitions featuring hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon routines
Streaming: Live and free on Eurovision Sport

Rhythmic Gymnastics Schedule: World Championships 2026

All times are listed in local Frankfurt time (CEST) and are subject to change.

Date	Session
Wednesday 12 August	09:00 - 22:52 - Individual Qualifications
Thursday 13 August	09:00 22:52 - Individual Qualifications
Friday 14 August	16:00 – Individual All-Around Final Group B
	18:30 – Individual All-Around Final Group A
Saturday 15 August	11:00 – Group All-Around Competition 5 Balls and 3 Hoops + 2 Pairs of Clubs
Sunday 16 August	11:00 – Group 5 Balls Final
	12:10 – Individual Hoop Apparatus Final
	12:50 – Individual Ball Apparatus Final
	14:00 – Group 3 Hoops & 2 Pairs of Clubs Final
	15:10 – Individual Clubs Apparatus Final
	15:50 – Individual Ribbon Apparatus Final

Recap: Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships 2025

The 2025 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil marked a milestone for the sport as the first World Championships ever to be held in South America. The event was one of the first to use the new 2025-2028 FIG Code of Points, the rulebook that sets the judging and scoring criteria, providing the first major benchmark for national teams and individual gymnasts beginning the new Olympic cycle towards Los Angeles 2028.

The championships produced one of the most dominant performances in recent rhythmic gymnastics history. Germany's Darja Varfolomeev, the reigning Olympic champion, captured five of the six available world titles as an individual gymnast; All-Around, Ball, Clubs, Ribbon and the Team All-Around.

The championships also showcased the depth of the emerging German programme. Anastasia Simakova claimed an individual Hoop world bronze medal following her European silver in Ball earlier in the season, while the German group continued its rise after earning a European bronze medal in 2025 in 3 Balls & 2 Hoops. Rio demonstrated how competitive the sport has become heading into Frankfurt, where the world's best will once again battle for individual and group honours.

What to Expect at the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships 2026

The championships will be held at Festhalle Frankfurt, one of Germany's most iconic indoor arenas. Opened in 1909, the historic venue has previously hosted major sporting events including the ATP World Championship, the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers draw and numerous international concerts. Hosting the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships further adds to Frankfurt's growing portfolio of international sporting events.

The championships are also likely to produce new benchmarks under the 2025-2028 FIG Code of Points. While world records do not exist in rhythmic gymnastics because scores change whenever the Code of Points is updated, Frankfurt is expected to establish many of the reference scores for the current Olympic cycle.

Home favourite Darja Varfolomeev will headline the championships after her remarkable five-title haul in Rio and remains the favourite for the individual all-around crown. Italy's Sofia Raffaeli, Bulgaria's Stiliana Nikolova, Ukraine's Taisiia Onofriichuk and Belarus' Alina Harnasko are all on the nominative registration list and have the experience and scoring potential to challenge for medals across the all-around and apparatus finals. The German group will also look to capitalise on home support as they compete in both the 5 Balls and 3 Hoops + 2 pairs of clubs competitions.

Watch Gymnastics Live on Eurovision Sport

Fans can watch the 2026 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships live and free on Eurovision Sport, subject to broadcast restrictions.

You can also enjoy more world-class gymnastics throughout the year, including:

Stream live events, full replays and highlights anytime on Eurovision Sport.