The official 2026 Arnold Classic lineups have been revealed, and the event is set for March 5–8 in Columbus, Ohio. On Dec. 12 via Instagram, the Arnold Sports organization confirmed the athletes set to compete in the Men’s Open, Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, Wheelchair, Bikini, Wellness, and Fitness divisions.
The 2026 Arnold Sports Festival is considered the second-greatest bodybuilding show of the year behind the Mr. Olympia. However, it could become the premier event soon. Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that the Men’s Open winner will secure a $750,000 prize purse, the highest in the sport’s history.
In the headlining act, top-tier talents collide. On paper, the heaviest favorite is former 2022 Olympia Hadi Choopan. He narrowly took second place behind Derek Lunsford at the 2025 Mr. Olympia. Additionally, Andrew Jacked could easily steal the crown. He’s put forth a career-best physique at the Mr. Olympia, securing bronze for a major shake-up.
Fifth-place Mr. O finisher Martin ‘The Martian’ Fitzwater will make his Arnold Classic debut. Meanwhile, Nick Walker, who fell short at Olympia in sixth place, is out for redemption. He is set to compete without a coach for the first time in years. With names like former Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry, Tonio Burton, and Rafael Brandao in the mix, this show could end up being the most stacked of any contest in 2026.
As for Classic Physique, a few names jump out. Reigning AC champion Mike Sommerfeld is poised to make his return. Additionally, 2024 AC champ Wesley Vissers is bouncing back after a lackluster 2025 season. Perhaps the biggest wildcard in Classic Physique is Sam Sulek. He’s set to make his Pro and Arnold Classic debut.
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Find the official lineups below:
2026 Arnold Classic Rosters Revealed
Men’s Open
- Anthony Williams
- Tonio Burton
- Chinedu Andrew Obiekea
- Martin Fitzwater
- Brandon Curry
- Akim Willams
- Nick Walker
- Rafael Brandao
- Hassan Mostafa
- Mohamed Hassan
- Hadi Choopan
Classic Physique
- Wesley Vissers
- Matheus Menegate Piccioli
- Sam Sulek
- Mike Sommerfeld
- Andrea Mammoli
- Paul Kanu
- Hang Niu
- Gabriel Zancanelli
- Ethan Gohari
- Jorge Herrera
- Vahid Badpeei
- Joaquim Camps Angel
Men’s Physique
- Nam Tran Quang
- Emanuel Hunter
- Vitor Chaves
- Andrei Deiu
- Benquil Marigny
- Brandon Hendrickson
- Edvan Palmeira
- Alessandro Cavagnola
- Emmanuel Jesus Oliveira da Costa
- Burak Ozkul
- Dilson Espindola Silva
- Paul Gustave
Wheelchair
- Rajesh John
- Jason Metcalf
- Steve Suppes
- Nick Hewitt
- James Berger
- Josue Fabiano
- Jan Povýšil
- Will Anthony
Bikini
- Ashlyn Little
- Ashley Kaltwasser
- Reyna Perez
- Jourdanne Lee
- Lauralie Chapados
- Aimee Delgado
- Uliana Chornohuz
- Tianna Weymouth
- Sharon Ramos
- Xinyi Chen
- Marie-Eve Duchesneau
- Phoebe Hagan
Wellness
- Rayane Santana (Fogal)
- Elisa Alcantara
- Valquiria Telles Lopes
- Raeli Pereira Dias
- Camile Luz
- Kassandra Gillis
- Alexis Drury
- Danai Theodoropoulou
- Laysha Yireth Benitez Millan
- Marissa Andreou
- Gisele Machado
- Isamara Santos
Fitness
- Amber Steffen
- Michelle Fredua-Mensah
- Anna Fomina
- Jessica Zehr
- Abby Bolton
- Tamara Von Semmler (Vahn)
- Stephanie Jones
- Michaela Pavleova
- Jeanine Renee Taddeo
- Danielle Chikeles
- Michelle Gales
- Aurika Tyrgale
The Open champion of the Arnold Classic will gain enormous momentum heading into the 2026 Mr. Olympia. In addition to the hefty cash prize, the titleholder won’t have to concern themselves with qualifying for the ‘Super Bowl of Bodybuilding.’ Don’t miss Fitness Volt’s live coverage for the special weekend.
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