Dive into the new brand and visual identity for the World Athletics Ultimate Championship. A bold 'Star Flare' logo and fresh design define this event.

The world of athletics gets a dynamic rebrand with the launch of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship. For the inaugural event in Budapest in 2026, World Athletics partnered with FutureBrand to create a visual and verbal identity that captures the event's essence. The result is a design that's both impactful and modern.

The brand's core idea is "Class of One." FutureBrand developed this concept by exploring what motivates people to engage with athletics. The goal was to focus on the thrill of winning and key moments that matter most to fans. This approach taps into our natural fascination with performance, setting a new blueprint for the sport's future.

The visual identity's centerpiece is the 'Star Flare' logo. It's a simple, yet meaningful, symbol for universal recognition. The star represents the excellence of competition, while its radiating shape conveys the energy of the athletes. The logo has three colliding elements, each representing a core discipline: running, jumping, and throwing. Its 3D rendering and motion make it a perfect fit for digital platforms, aligning with the event's progressive nature.

The visual system goes beyond the logo. A monochromatic color palette is brought to life with vibrant, iridescent gradient accents. This creates a distinctive and celebratory look. The brand's tone of voice was developed to be just as impactful, with personality traits like 'obsessive,' 'audacious,' and 'dramatic.' This strong voice aims to amplify the sport and make it more accessible to new audiences.

Maria Ramos, World Athletics Director of Brand and Marketing, said the goal was to create a brand that energizes both athletes and fans. The collaboration with FutureBrand allowed them to draw inspiration from inside and outside athletics, bringing a fresh perspective to the project.

This project shows how a well-thought-out brand strategy can breathe new life into an established field. By focusing on the core drivers of audience engagement, FutureBrand crafted a complete system that’s not just a logo—it's a powerful statement that the future of athletics is here.

Branding and visual identity artifacts

Credits

• World Athletics: Maria Ramos, Director of Brand and Marketing
• FutureBrand: Nick Sykes, Global CEO, Sam Hollis, Head of Strategy, Camilla Hunt, Associate Strategy Director, Danielle Smith, Design Director, James Pearce, Senior Designer, Joe Warburton, Senior Designer, Paul Silcox, ECD Brand Experience, Ed Fergusson, Motion Design Director, Claire Wilkinson, Verbal Identity Director, Eleri Cleaver, Business Partner, Matt Hinchcliffe, Business Partner, Joanna Frame, Business Director, Nicolle Ponsa Ravachi, Senior Project Manager

About

WORLD ATHLETICS

World Athletics is the international governing body for athletics (track & field and running events). Our vision is to use the power and accessibility of athletics and our athletes to create a healthier and fitter world.

World Athletics serves a number of stakeholders: elite athletes, their coaches and their agents, and the 214 national athletics federations that make up the organisation, as well as commercial partners and broadcasters. We work closely with the national federations to develop the sport around the globe, and with local organising committees to stage the biggest international athletics events, exciting and engaging fans of all ages.

For more information on the Ultimate Championship, visit theultimatechampionship.com

FUTUREBRAND

FutureBrand is the global brand-led strategy and design company. For more than 25 years, we have made businesses better through the rigour of brand strategy and the creativity of brand design. We believe that when you change the brand, you change the future - of business, of markets, of cultures.

For businesses in moments of change, transition, and transformation, we are built to tackle the world’s most complex brand challenges. Our clients benefit from a wealth of capabilities across our 20+ offices worldwide, including brand strategy and design, spatial, shopper, and product design, and brand management. For more information visit https://www.futurebrand.com