Are you planning to attend the 2026 Arnold Sports Festival this Thursday? Then here is everything that you need to know.

2026 Arnold Sports Festival — Fan Guide

The Arnold Sports Festival is one of the world’s largest multi-sport festivals. It is a four-day event organized to celebrate sports like elite bodybuilding, strongman, and strength sports with expos, demos, competitions, seminars, and fan experiences.

• Venue: Greater Columbus Convention Center & Strongman Arena, Columbus, Ohio, USA
• Dates: March 5 – 8
• Event Timing
• Bus Route

Tickets & Entry

Tickets are available on the ASF website. There are different ticket options depending on how much you want to experience the event:

VIP & Premium Passes

1. Bodybuilding Silver/Gold/Platinum VIP: It comes with reserved seating for Finals and exclusive benefits like early access, collectibles bag, VIP lanyard, and meet-ups.
2. Strongman VIP Passes: You get reserved seats for the Arnold Strongman Classic, photo ops with participants, VIP badges, and an expo Fast Pass.
3. VIP perks include:

• Early admission to the event before general entry
• Meet & Greet with IFBB Pro athletes
• A seat at the Arnold Sunday Showcase, where you get a chance to meet Arnold Schwarzenegger
• Get your hands on the latest merchandise + VIP swag bag

Expo & Daily Tickets

• 3-Day Expo Fast Pass ($145): Early entry to Arnold Expo from Fri–Sun. (Sold out)
• Normal 3-Day Expo Pass ($125): General entry from Fri-Sun.
• Single Day Expo & Fast Pass:
• Thursday Weightlifting Admission ($25): Covers USA Weightlifting on March 5.

Key Events

Bodybuilding 

Main Event - Arnold Classic

• Prejudging: Friday, March 6, 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm, at Battelle Grand. 
• Finals: Saturday, Mar 7, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm, at Battelle Grand. 

Other competitions include

• Classic Physique
• Men’s Physique
• Bikini International
• Wellness International
• Fitness International
• Pro Wheelchair
• Arnold Amateur

Arnold Strongman Classic

Heavyweight events with world-class athletes on Mar 6-7, at 10:00 am - 6:00 pm. The competitions include.

• Arnold Strongman
• Arnold Strongwoman
• Amateur Strongman 
• Strongest Firefighter

Featured Fan Experiences

Meet & Greet with IFBB Pros

Thursday, March 5 at 7:00 PM — chance to meet all your favorite athletes and take photos & autographs. (Sold out)

Arnold Sunday Showcase

Sunday, March 8 @ 9:30 AM — A chance to see the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger in the flesh with other top athletes and watch them indulge in inspirational talks. ($40)

Photo Ops & Autographs

• Photo ($50-65)
• Autograph ($30-40)

The Arnold Expo

The Arnold Expo is a three-day showcase of strength culture, gear, nutrition, and interactive activities. Top brands will showcase their supplements, apparel, training gear, and tech in booths throughout the venue. There will be exciting live demonstrations and mini competitions, giveaways, product launches, and influencer meet-ups.
Friday & Saturday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Early entry (9:00 AM) for VIP & Fast Pass holders.

Tips for attending the Arnold Sports Festival

• Plan your weekend according to the events you wish to see.
• Arrive early to avoid the rush, especially on Saturday and Sunday.
• Explore Columbus beyond the festival.
• Download the app to view schedules, exhibitors, stage times, and festival maps.

Reserved parking is available in the Greater Columbus Convention Center garages with prices starting from $30.

Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar