TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Leon County leaders are taking a victory lap after a successful 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships.
The event saw more visitors than projected and preliminary reports showing $4 million in economic impact.
According to a letter from Leon County Chair Christian Caban, he would like the Tallahassee area to host the World Championships on a re-occurring basis.
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“More than 10,000 spectators attended the championships, with tickets sold around the world,” Caban wrote. “While the full economic impact is still being finalized by World Athletics and our local teams, the early indicators already tell a compelling story.”
Initially, local organizers believed the spectator number might come in lower than other tournaments like the NCAA championships because of overseas travel, but they hoped to harness the prestige of the event.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe called Tallahassee the “cross country capital of the world” and said visa denials would not impact future games being held in the U.S.
While the United States has hosted the championships multiple times, it’s never occurred in the same city here more than once.
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