IMG Academy to Host First-Ever Under Armour Track & Field Nationals in 2026

A new chapter in youth track and field is about to begin. IMG Academy and Under Armour are introducing a national meet built for speed, competition, and rising stars ready for the spotlight.

Official Logo for the Under Armour Track and Field Nationals / IMG Academy

IMG Academy, along with Under Armour as a partner, is making one of its most ambitious plays yet in the youth track and field landscape. Beginning in the spring of 2026, the world-renowned sports education powerhouse will host the inaugural Under Armour Track and Field Nationals at its Bradenton, Florida campus—marking Florida’s first national-level track and field championship showcase.

The announcement, made jointly by IMG Academy and Under Armour, immediately generated excitement across the high-school track community. With middle-school and high-school athletes invited from across the country, the three-day meet aims to position IMG as a premier national hub for elite youth athletics.

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And while the event is shaping up to be one of the highest-profile new meets on the calendar, it comes with one notable complication: its timing (further event details at bottom of article) directly conflicts with the California state finals, traditionally one of the deepest and most talent-rich state championships in the country.

Still, the vision for this new event is clear: IMG and Under Armour are trying to build something big.

A Florida-based nationals built for performance

The Under Armour Nationals will invite the top-ranked youth athletes nationwide, with event fields determined by verified marks and a descending-order list. Registration opens February 1, 2026, and closes May 1, giving athletes several months to qualify.

The event’s stated mission is straightforward: create a performance-driven, championship-style environment that goes beyond the typical postseason meet. Brian Nash, VP of Athletics at IMG Academy, said the school identified “a gap in national opportunities” for Florida athletes in particular. A big reason they sought to bring a first-of-its-kind meet to the state.

Under Armour, already known for major youth sports properties like the Justin Jefferson Flight School and UA Future 60 basketball events, sees the Track & Field Nationals as a natural extension of its commitment to youth development. Craig Cummings, VP of Team Sports at UA, framed the meet as a place for young athletes to “push boundaries” and “experience what it means to perform without limits.”

A new standard for meet production

One of the most intriguing elements is IMG Academy’s decision to upgrade to a fully redesigned track facility ahead of the event. The new elite-level surface, developed in partnership with Rekortan, will include:

• A thinner, eco-friendly gel layer designed to optimize speed and athlete safety
• State-of-the-art layouts engineered for fast times and wind-neutral setups
• Infrastructure to support large crowds, fast turnarounds, and championship-style logistics

For IMG, which already houses one of the nation’s most advanced athletic infrastructures, the facility upgrade is more than aesthetics—it’s a statement. The message is that this meet is intended to rival other major postseason events, both in production value and in competitive legitimacy.

Current IMG track and field facilities / IMG Academy

The California Problem: A Nationals without one of the sport’s most dominant states

While the announcement has been largely met with praise, one unavoidable scheduling issue raises questions about early-year participation: the overlap with CIF State Championships.

California’s high school postseason has historically been a pipeline to national headlines. The state consistently produces the country’s best sprinters (think: Quincy Wilson-level headliners), deep distance fields, elite jumpers, and powerhouse throws programs.

Because CIF prohibits athletes from skipping State Finals for outside competitions during that weekend, virtually no top California athletes will be available to attend IMG's new nationals under the current date structure.

This doesn’t doom IMG’s event by any means, but it’s a storyline to watch. Whether the meet evolves its dates in future years, or whether IMG can still attract marquee names from the East, South, and Midwest, will play a major role in establishing credibility.

What This Means for the Broader Track Landscape

IMG’s involvement signals something bigger: national brands and elite institutions are increasingly investing in youth track and field. With NIL expanding at the high-school level, media attention rising, and companies like Under Armour and Nike doubling down on their youth pipelines, “postseason track” is becoming more professionalized.

That trend will only continue. This meet should quickly join the ranks of other great invitationals, such as the Brooks PR Invitational, the Arcadia Invitational, and the Penn Relays as some of the premier national track events.

Final Thoughts

The inaugural 2026 Under Armour Track and Field Nationals has all the ingredients of a flagship event: brand power, elite facilities, great weather, and a school that specializes in high-performance environments. IMG Academy’s push here feels like a natural evolution for a campus already synonymous with world-class athletics.

As the sport continues to evolve, driven by NIL opportunities, rising media coverage, and unprecedented visibility for young athletes, this meet arrives at the perfect moment. It gives top performers a new stage designed not just for participation, but for excellence. If year one delivers on its promise of fast times, elevated production value, and a championship-caliber atmosphere, the Under Armour Nationals could quickly establish itself as a cornerstone of the national postseason schedule.

In many ways, this launch feels like the opening chapter of a long-term vision. IMG and Under Armour are signaling that youth track deserves premium stages, innovative environments, and platforms that match the growing ambition of the athletes who compete in it. If this meet continues to grow, it has the potential to reshape what the postseason looks like for the next generation of the sport.

Event Details: 2026 Under Armour Track & Field Nationals at IMG Academy

Registration opens: February 1, 2026
Registration closes: May 1, 2026
Packet pickup: Thursday, May 28

Competition days:

• Friday, May 29
• Saturday, May 30
• Sunday, May 31

Events Offered

High School Championship Division
Sprints: 100, 200, 400
Distance: 800, 1 mile, 2 mile
Hurdles: 100 hurdles (girls), 110 hurdles (boys), 400 hurdles
Relays: 4x100, 4x200, 4x400, 4x800, 4x1 mile, DMR (1200-400-800-1600)
Throws: discus, hammer, shot put, javelin
Jumps: long jump, high jump, pole vault, triple jump
Multis: decathlon (boys), heptathlon (girls)

Middle School Division
Running: 100, 200, 400, 800, 1 mile, 2 mile, 100 hurdles, 200 hurdles
Relays: 4x100, 4x400
Jumps: long jump, pole vault, high jump
Throws: shot put, discus, javelin
Multis: pentathlon

Entry standards: Field sizes will be predetermined by the meet committee, with accepted entries based on verified marks from the 2025–26 season.