Oman will host the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in 2029 and launch its first full-distance IRONMAN.
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Muscat, the capital of Oman, will host the World championship HOMBRE DE HIERRO 70.3 in 2029 toy, marking the first time the Middle East has hosted a World Cup for the franchise.
The announcement is part of a global alliance between HOMBRE DE HIERRO y Experience Oman, which will make the country the epicenter of long-distance triathlon in the region.
A historic agreement with Experience Oman
The signed pact places Experience Oman as the “Official Global Destination” and Premier Partner of all IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 series through 2030. In addition, it will have the naming rights to the IRONMAN Pro Series from 2026.
This means:
- First full-distance IRONMAN in the Middle East, premiering in December 2026 in Muscat.
- IRONMAN 70.3 Muscat will become the Middle East Championship 2026 since.
- Continuity of tests such as the IRONMAN 70.3 Salalah, scheduled for October 25, 2025.
IRONMAN CEO, Scott DeRue, summed it up like this: “It's a new chapter that allows us to showcase Oman's hospitality and cultural richness to triathletes from around the world.”.
The 70.3 World Cup in Muscat
The Omani capital will host more than 6.000 triathletes in a unique setting:
- Swimming in the waters of the Gulf of oman.
- Cycling segment passing through the Royal Opera House, the souk of Muttrah and the Al Bustan Palace.
- Foot race with finish on the beach of Al Qurum, next to the national park.
Muscat thus joins the list of iconic venues that have already hosted the 70.3 World Cup: Nice, St. George, Taupō, and Marbella, which will host the event in 2025.
Oman, a new destination for resistance
Triathlon landed in Oman in 2018 with a 5150 in Muscat and, since then, growth has been constant: the 70.3 Muscat debuted in 2019 and the 70.3 Salalah in 2022. In addition, the country has organized UTMB trail races and seeks to position itself as a benchmark in endurance sports within its Vision 2040.
The Undersecretary of Tourism, Azzan bin Qassim Al Busaidi, highlighted that the arrival of IRONMAN reinforces the Sultanate's commitment to sports tourism and opens up new opportunities to attract visitors, especially from Europe and Asia.
How to qualify for Muscat 2029
The slots are distributed among the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 events on the circuit. Following Marbella 2025, the following confirmed venues are:
- Nice 2026
- North America 2027 (venue to be announced)
- Nice 2028
- Muscat 2029
