1. What are the new age groups?

From 1 April 2026, competition age groups will shift from the existing U13, U15, U17, U20 structure to:

U10 – school years 3–4

U12 – school years 5–6

U14 – years 7–8

U16 – years 9–10

U18 – years 11–12

U20 – school year 13+

These will sit alongside seniors (20+) and masters.

2. Why change?

England Athletics highlights:

Better alignment with school years—avoiding mid-academic-year group shifts

Greater consistency across cross country, road, indoor, track

Reducing exam-year pressure by spacing key age‑group competitions across non-exam periods

Smoother progression through age groups, making long-term retention easier

3. How will implementation work?

April 2026–August 2026: Track & Field transition phase

September 2026–March 2027: Cross country/indoor use new grouping

From April 2027, only U16–U20 will vie for national titles (plus U23/seniors)

Competition year will run 1 October–30 September, so athletes stay in one age category across disciplines .

4. What happens to U11?

The current optional U11 bracket (non-affiliated) will be replaced by new U10 competition. Youth-focused events like Sportshall and QuadKids will continue to support these younger groups .

5. Technical implications & off-track impacts

Road/cross-country distances have been updated with maximum and recommended lengths per age band (e.g., U12 max ~5 km, U16 max ~12 km, U18 max ~25 km).

Implements and hurdles—weights and heights are aligned to existing junior standards; detailed specs are being finalised. Clubs are encouraged to pilot new rules in the 2025–26 indoor season.

Para‑athletics guidelines are forthcoming from a dedicated subgroup.

6. How did this come about?

January 2024: UK Athletics signs off on Commonwealth Athletics Federations’ proposals.

Multiple consultations held—including webinars (March 2024), regional forums, club surveys—with over 330 webinar attendees and 821 individual survey responses.

Summer–Autumn 2024: technical and off‑track task‑groups formed, drafting implementation plans; rules advisory input and competition provider webinars continuing through late 2024 and into 2025.

7. What’s next?

Ongoing drop‑in Q&A sessions (23 July, 9th September and 8th October) for clubs, coaches, parents to clarify hurdles, event formats, etc.

Final rulebook updates scheduled for late 2025/early 2026.

Full technical specifications (implements, distances, hurdle heights) will be published by winter 2025/26.

Why this matters?

These changes mark a forward-thinking approach to athlete development—offering clear, consistent age bands that align with school progression and hold promise for retaining promising young talent. They also simplify competition organisation and technical implementation.