World Triathlon has officially released the 2026 Technical Officials (TO) certification lists, highlighting continued global growth and development across the officiating pathway.

The latest data reflects a strong upward trend across all certification levels. Level 1 Technical Officials have increased by 15%, Level 2 officials by 3%, and Level 3 officials by 9%. The figures underline the ongoing commitment of National Federations and the global officiating community to strengthening the sport’s technical workforce.

Improving gender balance across the officiating pathway remains a key priority. The 2026 lists show a notable increase in female representation at both Level 1 and Level 3. While participation among female Level 2 officials has remained stable, this area will continue to be a focus in future development cycles.

From a regional perspective, the growth in Level 1 officials has been particularly strong across all continents, reflecting the impact of development and education programmes delivered throughout 2025. At the same time, Europe and Africa recorded a slight decline in Level 2 officials, and targeted support will be provided to these regions to ensure a strong and sustainable progression pathway.

The progress seen in 2026 reflects the collective efforts of the Technical Officials education and development network worldwide. Facilitators delivering both in-person and online (revalidation) courses, members of the technical education advisory group, and the teams supporting the management and delivery of TO development programmes have all played an important role in achieving these results.

Looking ahead, further improvements to the certification process are already in progress, including the introduction of a fully automated system designed to streamline the management of Technical Officials worldwide.

The release of the 2026 certification lists marks another important step in the continued development of officiating in triathlon and reinforces World Triathlon’s commitment to supporting a strong, diverse and highly skilled global technical community.

Facts & Figures:

Certification Lists can be found here.