Arnold Classic 2026 Preview

The Biggest Sports Festival is Almost Here!

The Arnold Sports Festival is one of the largest multi-sport fitness events in the world, celebrating strength, physique, performance, and athletic competition. Started by bodybuilding legend, Arnold Schwarzenegger as a professional bodybuilding contest that competed directly with the Mr. Olympia, the festival has expanded into a four-day celebration featuring hundreds of competitions across strength sports, combat disciplines, powerlifting, weightlifting, functional fitness events, and much more.

The centerpiece attractions remain the Arnold Classic bodybuilding contest and the Arnold Strongman Classic, but thousands of amateur and professional athletes compete throughout the weekend in front of large crowds and industry fans.

The event is held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, with additional venues for special competitions and showcases. In addition to competitions, the Arnold Expo hosts hundreds of vendors, seminars, and demonstrations related to health, nutrition, training, and performance.

Our team at Generation Iron is going to provide a full breakdown and schedule of the Arnold Sports Festival.

Bodybuilding Competition Schedule

The bodybuilding portion of the Arnold Classic 2026 spans Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7. These events bring together top IFBB Pro League athletes competing across multiple divisions:

Friday, March 6 – Prejudging and Finals

• Classic Physique Prejudging: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM on the Expo Stage.
• Fitness International Prejudging: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM on the Expo Stage.
• Wellness International Prejudging: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM on the Expo Stage.
• Fit, Wellness, and Physique Finals: 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM in the Battelle Grand.

These prejudging sessions are where judges compare athletes side by side and start forming scores for the finals later that night. The evening session features finals for Classic Physique, Fitness, and Wellness divisions.

Saturday, March 7 – Major Finals

• Arnold Classic Men’s Open Prejudging: 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM in the Battelle Grand.
• Arnold Classic Men’s Open Finals: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM in the Battelle Grand.
• Men’s Physique Finals: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM in the Battelle Grand.
• Bikini International Finals: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM in the Battelle Grand.

Saturday night hosts the biggest finals of the festival, including the Arnold Classic Men’s Open, where the top professional bodybuilders compete for one of the most prestigious titles of the year. Finals for Men’s Physique and Bikini divisions also take place during this session.

Athletes to Watch

Hadi Choopan

A former Arnold Classic champion and Olympia winner, Hadi Choopan is known for his granite-hard conditioning and dense muscularity. If he arrives at his best, he is always a serious threat for the title.

Nick Walker

Nick Walker brings overwhelming muscle mass and dramatic stage presence. His combination of size and intensity makes him one of the most dangerous competitors in the lineup.

Andrew Jacked

With towering structure and aesthetic lines, Andrew Jacked continues to refine his conditioning. If he peaks properly, his shape could stand out dramatically under the Arnold lights.

Brandon Curry

A former Arnold Classic champion and Mr. Olympia winner, Brandon Curry’s balanced proportions and polished presentation always keep him in contention.

The Men’s Open battle could ultimately come down to conditioning versus structure, making it one of the most anticipated showdowns of the 2026 bodybuilding season.

Classic Physique

Classic Physique continues to grow in popularity, emphasizing symmetry, flow, and golden-era aesthetics. This division rewards proportion and stage artistry while maintaining muscularity within weight limits.

Athletes to Watch

Mike Sommerfeld

As a reigning Arnold Classic Physique champion and top Olympia contender, Mike Sommerfeld brings elite conditioning and a refined, balanced look that fits the division perfectly.

Wesley Vissers

A previous Arnold Classic winner, Wesley Vissers is known for his classic lines and vacuum pose, reminiscent of the golden era physiques the division celebrates.

Sam Sulek

One of the most talked-about emerging competitors, Sam Sulek’s size and popularity bring intrigue. The key question will be whether he can match elite-level conditioning against seasoned pros.

Classic Physique at the Arnold is often razor close, with minor differences in presentation and conditioning determining final placings.

Men’s Physique

Men’s Physique focuses on athletic balance, upper-body shape, conditioning, and stage confidence. While less massive than Open bodybuilding, this division demands precision and polish.

Athletes to Watch

Brandon Hendrickson

A former Olympia champion and Arnold Classic winner, Brandon Hendrickson remains one of the most refined and consistent competitors in the division.

Andrei Deiu

Known for his aesthetics and marketability, Andrei Deiu brings strong structure and improved conditioning year after year.

This division often comes down to fine details—midsection control, shoulder width, taper, and stage presence.

Bikini

Bikini remains one of the deepest and most competitive divisions at the Arnold Classic. Judges look for balanced muscle tone, symmetry, conditioning, and confident presentation.

Athletes to Watch

Ashley Kaltwasser

A multi-time Olympia and Arnold champion, Ashley Kaltwasser’s consistency and stage polish make her a constant contender.

Lauralie Chapados

Known for her shape and stage charisma, Lauralie Chapados has proven she can defeat the best when she brings full conditioning.

The Bikini lineup is traditionally stacked, and minor refinements can completely change the final standings.

Wellness International

The Wellness division highlights lower-body development combined with symmetry and overall conditioning. It continues to expand rapidly in popularity.

Arnold Strongman Classic Schedule

The strongman portion of the festival draws some of the strongest athletes in the world and features heavy implement events over two days:

Friday, March 6

• Arnold Strongman Classic Day 1: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM in the Strongman Arena. Events typically include the Elephant Bar Deadlift, Cyr Dumbbell Challenge, and Stone to Shoulder. This first day focuses on maximum strength and explosive events.

Saturday, March 7

• Arnold Strongman Classic Day 2: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM in the Strongman Arena. The second day features events such as the Austrian Oak Log Press, Stone Drag, and ramp races or strongman bag events. The combined scores from both days determine the champion.

The Strongman Arena runs concurrently with many other strength competitions throughout the weekend and is one of the busiest and most exciting areas of the festival. Spectators see established professionals compete with implements rarely used outside of strongman.

Additional Strength and Fitness Competitions

The Arnold Sports Festival also includes many other events that take place throughout all four days:

• Powerlifting and Weightlifting: Raw and equipped powerlifting sessions run daily, while Olympic weightlifting features snatch and clean and jerk sessions across multiple sessions. These competitions typically begin in the morning and run through much of the afternoon.
• Armwrestling and ArmLifting: These strength disciplines run on Friday and Saturday at various times throughout the day.
• Combat Sports: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, grappling, and martial arts matches run throughout the weekend.
• Amateur Strongman and Fitness Events: These competitions occur alongside professional events, with times varying by division and classification.

Expo and Support Events

The Arnold Expo, open to all attendees, runs:

• Friday, March 6: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
• Saturday, March 7: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
• Sunday, March 8: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

The expo includes hundreds of vendors, live demonstrations, seminars, and fitness challenges that complement the main stage competitions and provide an engaging experience for fans and athletes alike.

Conclusion

Arnold Classic 2026 promises a packed weekend of elite competition and athletic celebration. With precise event times for bodybuilding prejudging and finals, as well as a full strongman schedule, attendees can plan to experience some of the highest levels of performance across strength and physique sports. From world-class bodybuilders vying for prestigious titles to monstrous feats of strength in the Strongman Arena and other contested disciplines, the Arnold Sports Festival remains a must-attend event for fitness enthusiasts.

Will you be watching the Arnold Sports Festival? Let us know in the comments and forums. Be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.