TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Leon County leaders are taking a victory lap after a successful 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships. <\/p>\n
The event saw more visitors than projected and preliminary reports showing $4 million in economic impact. <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
More Tallahassee news: <\/p>\n
\u201cMore than 10,000 spectators attended the championships, with tickets sold around the world,\u201d Caban wrote. \u201cWhile the full economic impact is still being finalized by World Athletics and our local teams, the early indicators already tell a compelling story.\u201d <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe called Tallahassee<\/a> the \u201ccross country capital of the world\u201d and said visa denials would not impact future games being held in the U.S. <\/p>\n While the United States has hosted the championships multiple times, it\u2019s never occurred in the same city here more than once.<\/p>\n To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, Nextdoor<\/a> <\/a>and X<\/a> (Twitter<\/a>).<\/p>\n Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here<\/a>. Please include the article\u2019s headline in your message.<\/p>\n Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n