A Guide to All of the New Races on the 2026 IRONMAN Calendar

Looking for a race to register for this season? You may be familiar with a lot of the 70.3 and IRONMAN races in North America and around the world, but IRONMAN has added so many more to the 2026 calendar. There are five new events set to debut in North America, and more than a dozen new races around the rest of the globe starting up this season. That means there are plenty of options to choose from, whether you’re looking for half- or full-distance racing, a destination race or something closer to home or somewhere with a bit of flare to heighten your race experience. Here is a breakdown of the many new race possibilities for 2026.

Racing in North America

The first new race to premiere in North America in 2026 will be IRONMAN 70.3 Dallas-Little Elm in Texas on March 15. Unfortunately, this race is sold out, but it looks like it could end up being a fan favourite by the end of its first running thanks to its proximity to Dallas (Little Elm is just 40 minutes north of the city centre), the quiet, rural ride through North Texas, and the flat, fast run along the town’s nature trail.

Next on the calendar is IRONMAN Jacksonville on May 16, which is the first full-distance IRONMAN that has been introduced to the U.S. race calendar in five years. While Jacksonville sits on Florida’s coast along the Atlantic Ocean, the swim will be a point-to-point journey in the city’s St. Johns River. Going with the current, racers will have the chance to nail a fast swim split before starting the two-loop bike course, which is also designed to deliver fast times on long, flat stretches of roads.

Finally, athletes will run on the city’s riverside path and through various neighbourhoods, taking in a lot of Jacksonville before finishing downtown. This will be a great race to secure a fast PB, lock up a spot for Kona or get a first IRONMAN under one’s belt.

IRONMAN 70.3 Omaha will have its first running on June 7. While Texas and Nebraska are vastly different, if you felt you missed out on 70.3 Dallas-Little Elm, 70.3 Omaha could be the race for you. Like the Texas race, this one will take athletes through farmland along rolling hills. It also offers the unique opportunity to race in multiple states on the same day, as the bike course passes from Nebraska to Iowa and back before racers hit T2. The day will end with a trot along a paved trail that takes runners close to downtown Omaha.

Perhaps the most anticipated new addition to the North American calendar comes a month after Omaha on July 12, when 70.3 Ruidoso-New Mexico will launch. This race will be unique thanks to its host town of Ruidoso, which has a population of fewer than 10,000 people. It is smack-dab in the middle of the New Mexico wilderness, giving athletes 70 miles of racing through nature and taking in stunning views.

IRONMAN 70.3 Northern California is the last new addition to the North American lineup in 2026 and, much like 70.3 Ruidoso, it will also put its host state’s nature on full display. Set for August 16, the race starts with a swim in Whiskeytown Lake, followed by a point-to-point ride along rolling hills and into downtown Redding (located about three hours north of San Francisco). The day wraps up with a run along the Sacramento River, giving athletes plenty of scenery to enjoy from start to finish.

Racing Latin America

There are four new races slated to hit the Central and South American schedules this year, but only one of them isn’t sold out. Three 70.3s have been introduced to the IRONMAN calendar: 70.3 Curitiba in Brazil, 70.3 San Salvador in El Salvador and 70.3 Puerto Varas in Chile, but if you want a shot at racing any of them you’ll have to wait until 2027. The lone race with open spots is IRONMAN San Juan in Argentina, set for November 1.

A day’s drive from the capital city of Buenos Aires, San Juan is situated near the natural border the Andes Mountains create between Chile and Argentina. This landscape provides beautiful scenery, making it a perfect spot for a triathlon. The race starts with a river swim in Rio San Juan, then takes athletes on a bike ride out toward the mountains. The day ends with a run in the city, giving athletes a taste of nature and a taste of culture and history over the course of the race.

Racing Europe and Africa

As with North America, there are five new IRONMAN-branded races in Europe this year, as well as a brand new event across the Mediterranean in Egypt. Spain, France, Italy and Germany are the four countries getting new races. All of them, including Egypt’s event, are 70.3s.

Triathlon has seen an explosion of popularity in Europe in recent years, especially in middle-distance racing. This has led to many races, old and new, being sold out. The two new races in Spain — 70.3 Vitoria-Gasteiz in July and 70.3 Malaga in October — are sold out. Italy’s new 70.3 Alghero is set for a June debut, but it too is at capacity. Germany’s newest race, 70.3 Leipzig, is also already full ahead of its August running.

Another sold out event is the all-new 70.3 Versailles, just outside of Paris, on July 12. This event will be steeped in history, and IRONMAN is referring to it as “The Royal Race.” The day will kick off with a swim in the Pièce d’Eau des Suisses (the Pond of the Swiss), which is a man-made basin that was dug in the late 1600s. After hopping on their bikes, athletes will ride along rolling hills through the Chevreuse Valley before dismounting and running along the site of many historical moments, including the French Revolution, the signing of the Treaty of Versailles and more.

Finally, if you’re looking for a beach-front location to race instead of landlocked Versailles, 70.3 Sharm El Sheikh could be the spot for you. Situated along the Red Sea, the city of Sharm El Sheikh is about a six-hour drive from the Egyptian capital of Cairo and its pyramids, but you’ll still have plenty to experience before and after the race.

Sharm El Sheikh is a favourite of divers and beach-goers, and it boasts a bumping nightlife that you can enjoy after your 70.3 miles of racing. Set for October 16, the race starts in the Red Sea, follows a relatively flat bike course and ends with a smooth and flat run along the coast. Egypt is a bucket list location for many people around the world, so this is the perfect excuse to visit while knocking out a race this season.

Racing the Middle East and Asia

Anyone who has followed the sport of triathlon in the past decade or so knows that the sport is booming in the Middle East. With that in mind, IRONMAN has added races in Azerbaijan, Qatar and Oman. Azerbaijan and Qatar will feature 70.3 events, while Oman (which already has a pair of 70.3s) will host the first full-distance IRONMAN ever held in the Middle East.

IRONMAN recently partnered with Experience Oman (the country’s tourism board), which led to the launching of IRONMAN Oman, which is set for December 5 later this year. Hosted by the Omani capital city of Muscat, the swim will take place in the Gulf of Oman (part of the Arabian Sea), the bike will lead athletes out of the city on quick and smooth roads before returning them for a run around the city and its coastline.

Not that Oman will be cold by any means, but if you’re looking for a hot and humid race (perhaps to mentally prepare yourself for Kona), the brand new IRONMAN Vietnam could be the event for you. The race will be held in Da Nang, a city halfway up the coast between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

IRONMAN Vietnam started with two laps in the ocean, followed by a ride and marathon that both spend a significant chunk of time on the coastline. The views will be unrivalled at this event, and the post-race fun will be tough to beat, too. Outside of racing, Da Nang offers rich culture and tremendous beaches to enjoy after you cross the finish line.

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