Fitness World Japan (FWJ), a prominent Japanese-based bodybuilding promotion, had its NPC and IFBB Pro League licenses revoked. This news surfaced on Jan. 14, 2026, in a statement shared by the anabolicspace Instagram account.
The 2025 Masters Olympia contest saw Phil Clahar and Dorian Haywood battle for gold. When the show was over, Haywood secured the victory and his Mr. Olympia qualification. However, it was revealed that athletes went over three months without receiving payment. This caught the attention of Lee Priest and many others, who urged the FWJ promoter to issue their prize money.
Those calls fell on deaf ears. Eventually, Olympia Owner Jake Wood decided to step in and personally pay the athletes. With the FWJ no longer promoting amateur and Pro-level contests, the bodybuilding calendar underwent a few changes. This means events like the Japan Pro and Tokyo Pro will no longer be held under NPC/IFBB Pro League sanctions.
The anabolicspace Instagram handle was the first to reveal that the Fitness World Japan (FWJ) promotion had its NPC and IFBB Pro League licenses revoked.
(Translated from Japanese)
“We sincerely thank all athletes, sponsors, and supporters for your continued trust and support of FWJ.
We would like to share an important update regarding FWJ’s license agreement with the IFBB Professional League for the 2026 season.Get Fitter, FasterLevel Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
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FWJ has been in ongoing discussions to renew the license for 2026. However, we have received official notice that the license renewal has not been approved for this season. We deeply apologize for the concern and disappointment this may cause to athletes who aim to earn an IFBB Pro card, as well as to our sponsors and partners.”
Moving forward, FWJ will not have NPC-licensed events, Pro qualifiers, Pro shows, and no IFBB Pro Cards will be issued.
“As a result, all FWJ contests in 2026 will be held as independent competitions under the FWJ brand.”
The announcement clarified that all scheduled regional and national contests will proceed as planned.
“FWJ will continue to provide the same level of stage production, event quality, and respect for athletes
FWJ views 2026 as a year to strengthen our organization and rebuild our foundation.”
FWJ hopes to restore its license in the future as they continue discussions with the IFBB Pro League.
“We will continue discussions with the IFBB Professional League with the goal of restoring the license in future seasons. We truly appreciate your continued support as we move forward together into this new chapter for FWJ.
Thank you always,” the statement read.
Qualifying for the Mr. Olympia will likely become even more challenging now. This comes after the IFBB Pro League announced new rules for the 2026 bodybuilding season. The point system has been reinstated for all divisions outside of the Men’s Open. Moreover, competitors from Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Wellness, and Bikini will have to win two Pro shows or be within the top 25 in point standings to earn an Olympia qualification.
It’ll be interesting to see if the FWJ promotion is welcomed back to the NPC and IFBB Pro League. For now, it appears they will focus on hosting shows outside of the federation.
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