World Climbing Nations Grand Finale Fukuoka 2026 will be held in Iizuka, Fukuoka, from Thursday, November 5 to Sunday, November 8, 2026. The international sport climbing competition is the season finale. It combines a nations competition, in which top climbers from around the world form teams by country and compete for the top spot, with the final World Series event of this season for para climbing, an official sport at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.
Japan's national team members have been confirmed to compete, including Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist Sorato Anraku (安楽宙斗). Top athletes from six countries (Japan, Switzerland, South Korea, the United States, Australia and Uganda) will gather in Iizuka. Spectator tickets are now on sale.
- Official website: https://www.live-link.life/online/cgf2026
- Ticket information: https://eplus.jp/sf/word/0000067702
Competition Disciplines
The event is divided mainly into the following three disciplines.
- Boulder: Climbers scale walls 4 to 5 meters high without ropes and compete on the number of completed climbs within the time limit.
- Lead: Climbers scale walls of 12 meters or more while clipping into a safety rope and compete on the height they reach.
- Para climbing: Athletes with visual impairments, limb impairments, neurological impairments and others take on lead climbing as described above and compete on the height they reach. Visually impaired athletes head for the goal following instructions from a guide called a sight guide.
Para climbing competition in progress
Event Overview
Dates
Thursday, November 5 to Sunday, November 8, 2026
Venue
Chikuho Ryokuchi Park / Iizuka Sports Resort The Retreat (筑豊緑地公園/いいづかスポーツ・リゾート ザ・リトリート), Iizuka City, Fukuoka Prefecture (福岡県飯塚市仁保8-37)
Organizers
- Organized by: World Climbing (formerly the International Federation of Sport Climbing), the World Climbing Nations Grand Finale Fukuoka 2026 Organizing Committee (ワールドクライミンググランドフィナーレ福岡2026大会組織委員会), and the Japan Para-Climbing Association (一般社団法人日本パラクライミング協会)
- Co-organized by: Fukuoka Prefecture and the Fukuoka Prefecture Sports Promotion Fund (公益財団法人福岡県スポーツ推進基金)
- Supported by: Iizuka City
Schedule
Thursday, November 5
- 9:00 AM: Para climbing qualifiers
- 4:30 PM: Para climbing qualifiers
Friday, November 6
- 10:00 AM: Para climbing finals
- 2:30 PM: Para climbing award ceremony
Saturday, November 7
- 9:30 AM: Nations competition boulder qualifiers
- 2:30 PM: Nations competition boulder finals
- 4:00 PM: Nations competition boulder award ceremony
Governor Hattori (服部知事) will attend the nations competition boulder award ceremony.
Sunday, November 8
- 9:30 AM: Nations competition lead qualifiers
- 3:00 PM: Nations competition lead finals
- 5:00 PM: Nations competition lead award ceremony
- 7:00 PM: Closing banquet
Events During the Competition
Events Around the Venue (Free Admission Area)
- Location: Parking lot in front of the pool building
- Dates: Thursday, November 5 to Sunday, November 8
- Hours: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (planned)
- Details: Booths promoting the prefecture's food and tourism, food trucks, and venue decorations made with flowers grown in the prefecture (photo spot)
Last year's photo spot
Elementary School Students Invited to Watch the Competition
- Dates: Thursday, November 5 and Friday, November 6
- Hours: 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM (planned)
- Details: Sixth-grade elementary school students from across the prefecture are invited to experience the intense competition among the world's top athletes.
Last year's elementary school spectator invitation
Para Climbing Experience for Elementary School Students
- Date and time: Thursday, November 5, 1:50 PM to 2:30 PM (planned)
- Location: Boulder wall
- Details: Elementary school students from across the prefecture try para climbing.
Ticket Information
General spectator tickets are on sale through the official website.
Ticket for Fukuoka Prefecture Residents
A standing-area ticket for prefecture residents (立見席県民チケット) is available for ¥1,000. It includes one drink and is sold only to people who live in Fukuoka Prefecture.
Special Program Tickets
- Athlete Meet & Greet (¥2,000): A special program that lets participants see athletes off up close and interact with them after the competition ends.
- Final Course Challenge Ticket (¥5,000): A program for experienced climbers to try the course that the world's top athletes attempted, held after the award ceremony.
- Closing Banquet Ticket (evening of November 8 only): Includes watching and taking part in a speed race, plus light snacks and drinks. Adults ¥10,000, students ¥3,000.
For prices of the general seat types (such as そびえるシート, arena seats and unreserved stand seats), please check the official website. Children under 4 can sit on a lap for free.
