India to host World Athletics Continental Tour for the first time in August 2025

India will host its first-ever World Athletics Continental Tour event on August 10, 2025, in Bhubaneswar. The bronze-level meet, named the 'Indian Open,' will be part of the Athletics Federation of India's (AFI) 2025 competitive calendar, marking a significant milestone for the country's athletics scene.  

The Continental Tour, launched in 2020, is a series of track and field events that ranks below the elite Diamond League. It includes four levels—gold, silver, bronze, and challenger—and provides athletes with a platform to compete globally.

AFI president Adille Sumariwalla highlighted the importance of this event for Indian athletes, saying, “The Continental Tour will offer a valuable opportunity for the Indian team to showcase their talent on home ground ahead of the World Athletics Championships in September.”  

The World Athletics Championships 2025, scheduled for September 13-21 in Tokyo, will be the year’s premier athletics event. India's last major international athletics event was the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships, held in Bhubaneswar.  

The domestic athletics season in India will begin in January 2025 with the national cross-country championships in Uttar Pradesh. Other key events include the Senior National Federation Cup in Haryana (April 21-24), which will serve as a qualification event for the Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea, and the Indian Open throws and jumps competitions in March.  

Further, AFI will introduce regional competitions next year to provide more exposure to athletes outside the mainstream, with the first regional events set to begin in April.