Two-time Mr. Canada bodybuilding champ and @musclediscord host Matt Tsinkorang shared an Instagram video on July 2, 2026, revealing his opinion on the qualification system leading to the Olympia. His argument is simple: bodybuilding would do better by adopting a playoff-style qualification system.

In his video, he shared a strong opinion, stating that bodybuilders winning a pro show should automatically place the athlete at an IFBB Pro League Championship. From there on, the athlete should advance to the Mr. Olympia, automatically limiting the Olympia to a much smaller field consisting of elite competitors.

“So, the system that I have put together here that’s gonna eliminate that. No longer are you gonna have 30-40 people in a class on the Mr. Olympia stage. You’re gonna have 12. Just like the Arnold Classic,” he stated. "This is a show, this is entertaining. This is the Super Bowl, we're gonna treat it like that.

Furthermore, Tsinkorang believes there should only be a maximum of 12 athletes per division, and all former Mr. Olympia champions should automatically earn a lifetime qualification instead of having to compete at the championships.

He believes this new system would keep the Olympia competition elite, making sure that every Pro show is equally important. Moreover, it would create a true championship drama and give bodybuilding a genuine postseason.

At present, athletes competing at the Mr. Olympia contest typically have won specified shows held in the IFBB Pro League. All the winners at this phase immediately qualify for the Olympia. However, this leads to extremely large lineups in each division.

Tsinkorang suggests the Pittsburgh Pro might be the perfect stage for his new system.

Tsinkorang believes the Pittsburgh Pro could become bodybuilding’s playoffs

As per the same Instagram post caption, Tsinkorang considers the Pittsburgh Pro to be the perfect event for the new championship stage to take place. According to him, this stage has all the necessary ingredients of a grand event.

As per PittPowerFit on Instagram, the prize money, i.e $200,000, will be distributed among the winners.

• Winner — $100,000
• Second Place — $50,000
• Third Place — $25,000
• Fourth Place — $10,000

Whether or not the IFBB will embrace Tsinkorang’s idea or not is debatable. However, his proposal has sparked fresh debate online about the future of the Olympia qualification system, making the road to the Olympia more elite and competitive.

What are your opinions about the Olympia adopting a playoff-style qualification system? Do you support a 12-athlete Olympia lineup? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Written by

Avantika Das

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi