Mr. Olympia schedule 2026: Dates, times, live stream to watch men’s, women’s bodybuilding events

Mr. Olympia schedule 2026: Dates, times, live stream to watch men’s, women’s bodybuilding events originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Bodybuilding fans, rejoice — it’s finally that time of year. Mr. Olympia returns to Las Vegas for its 62nd annual competition this week.

Advertisement

When it comes to professional bodybuilding, there’s truly no bigger stage than this. The best and most accomplished athletes in the sport will soon head to Sin City to compete for the iconic titles of Mr. and Ms. Olympia, with events taking place over the course of three days.

In last year’s competition, Derek Lunsford returned to glory, reclaiming bragging rights and the $600,000 prize for the second time in his career.. Lunsford will be back this week, going up against 2024 champion Samson Dauda, Nick Walker and more. 2022 champion Hadi Choopan will be noticeably absent, as he is experiencing issues with his UAE visa.

As for the women, Andrea Shaw remains a dominant force. The six-time champion has won the Ms. Olympia title every year since 2020, and it doesn’t look like she’ll be slowing down any time soon.

Here is everything you need to know about Mr. Olympia 2026, including a full schedule and list of participants for the annual bodybuilding competition.

Advertisement

When is Mr. Olympia in 2026?

• Dates: Friday, Sept, 25 – Saturday, Sept. 26

This year, Mr. Olympia will be held at Palms Casino Resort Las Vegas. The finals for Ms. Olympia and Mr. Olympia will take place on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

Mr. Olympia schedule 2026

Mr. Olympia live stream 2026

Mr. Olympia will not be available to watch on a national TV channel. Viewers can live stream the event on OlympiaTV, which will be completely free for fans this year.

Who is competing in Mr. and Ms. Olympia?

In order to qualify for events, competitors must meet the requirements set by the IFBB Professional League. 22 men qualified for Mr. Olympia, while ten women qualified for Ms. Olympia.

Advertisement

Lunsford is the defending Mr. Olympia champion and will be looking for his third title this year. Dauda won in 2024, but placed fourth last year, so he will surely be hungry to redeem himself. Chinedu Obiekea — or “Andrew Jacked” is also someone to look out for.

Shaw is competing for a seventh straight Ms. Olympia title.

Mr. Olympia qualifiers 2026

Ms. Olympia qualifiers 2026

What are the other events held during Mr. Olympia weekend?

There are a few other events beyond the typical Mr. and Ms. Olympia contests.

The other events for men are 212 Olympia, Men’s Physique Olympia, Classic Physique Olympia and Wheelchair Olympia.

Advertisement

The other events for women are Figure Olympia, Fitness Olympia, Bikini Olympia, Women’s Physique Olympia, Wellness Olympia and Wheelchair Olympia.

Mr. Olympia prize money 2026

The total purse has not yet been announced, but the final figure could land between $1.5 million and $2 million.

The money will be split between the top finishers. In 2025, Lunsford took home $600,000, while the second- and third-place finishers earned $200,000 and $100,000, respectively.

Mr. Olympia winners list

Here is a list of the Mr. Olympia winners since 2000: