Division Analytics
Growth trends, competitiveness metrics, and career statistics across IFBB Pro divisions.
| Division | Latest competitor count | Peak competitor count |
|---|---|---|
| Men's Physique | 1,043 in 2025 | 1,043 in 2025 |
| Women's Bikini | 915 in 2025 | 915 in 2025 |
| Men's Classic Physique | 904 in 2025 | 2,127 in 2017 |
| Women's Figure | 523 in 2025 | 3,595 in 2014 |
| Men's Open Bodybuilding | 506 in 2025 | 5,104 in 2012 |
| Women's Wellness | 373 in 2025 | 373 in 2025 |
| Women's Physique | 245 in 2025 | 1,133 in 2016 |
| Men's 212 Bodybuilding | 232 in 2025 | 232 in 2025 |
| Women's Bodybuilding | 126 in 2025 | 965 in 2003 |
| Women's Fitness | 83 in 2025 | 83 in 2025 |
| Men's Wheelchair | 19 in 2025 | 32 in 2016 |
Total Athletes49,935
Total Contests5,281
Avg Career Length5.6 yrs
Avg Contests / Athlete4.7
Avg Field Size7.9competitors per show
Athlete Growth by Year
Most recent 15 years of data
Top Countries
Notable Athletes
Year-over-Year Trends
| Year | Athletes | Contests | Avg Field | New Entrants | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 118 | 16 | 14.3 | 32 | -76.7% |
| 2025 | 506 | 56 | 15.2 | 322 | +163.5% |
| 2024 | 192 | 25 | 13.8 | 65 | -4.5% |
| 2023 | 201 | 28 | 11.1 | 74 | +7.5% |
| 2022 | 187 | 32 | 10.6 | 47 | -19.4% |
| 2021 | 232 | 29 | 11.8 | 73 | -54.2% |
| 2020 | 507 | 21 | 30.4 | 176 | -55.5% |
| 2019 | 1,140 | 65 | 21.1 | 505 | -15.2% |
| 2018 | 1,345 | 69 | 24.2 | 538 | -56.3% |
| 2017 | 3,077 | 117 | 31.7 | 1,367 | -32.1% |
| 2016 | 4,529 | 166 | 33.5 | 2,144 | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 4,555 | 158 | 35.2 | 2,099 | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 4,808 | 165 | 36.3 | 2,233 | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 4,903 | 162 | 37.6 | 2,313 | -3.9% |
| 2012 | 5,104 | 170 | 38 | 2,520 | +10.9% |
| 2011 | 4,604 | 152 | 38.4 | 2,091 | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 4,483 | 146 | 38.2 | 2,019 | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 4,435 | 144 | 39.5 | 2,035 | +11.6% |
| 2008 | 3,973 | 133 | 38.6 | 1,780 | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 3,802 | 132 | 36.7 | 1,747 | +7.3% |
| 2006 | 3,544 | 137 | 33.2 | 1,611 | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 3,459 | 128 | 34.7 | 1,668 | +4.4% |
| 2004 | 3,312 | 127 | 33.2 | 1,603 | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 3,225 | 125 | 32.4 | 1,688 | +11.7% |
| 2002 | 2,887 | 120 | 30.1 | 1,593 | +13.3% |
| 2001 | 2,549 | 100 | 31.3 | 1,474 | +26.3% |
| 2000 | 2,018 | 81 | 29.2 | 1,150 | +29.8% |
| 1999 | 1,555 | 62 | 29.8 | 788 | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 1,545 | 71 | 26 | 863 | +9% |
| 1997 | 1,417 | 76 | 23.1 | 788 | +24% |
| 1996 | 1,143 | 67 | 21.2 | 585 | +6.5% |
| 1995 | 1,073 | 64 | 21 | 554 | +10.1% |
| 1994 | 975 | 67 | 18.7 | 487 | -3.8% |
| 1993 | 1,014 | 67 | 19.6 | 512 | -12.9% |
| 1992 | 1,164 | 68 | 21.1 | 612 | +6.5% |
| 1991 | 1,093 | 73 | 19.1 | 590 | +19.7% |
| 1990 | 913 | 64 | 18.1 | 467 | -13.1% |
| 1989 | 1,051 | 77 | 17.9 | 600 | +5.6% |
| 1988 | 995 | 74 | 17.5 | 564 | +12.2% |
| 1987 | 887 | 67 | 16.2 | 477 | +21.2% |
| 1986 | 732 | 52 | 17 | 375 | +5.5% |
| 1985 | 694 | 43 | 18.8 | 325 | +8.6% |
| 1984 | 639 | 55 | 13.8 | 281 | -30.5% |
| 1983 | 920 | 65 | 18.2 | 461 | -5.3% |
| 1982 | 971 | 63 | 19.7 | 537 | +47.1% |
| 1981 | 660 | 65 | 14.5 | 320 | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 645 | 68 | 13.2 | 355 | +17.5% |
| 1979 | 549 | 60 | 12.8 | 266 | +14.9% |
| 1978 | 478 | 47 | 13.8 | 219 | +6.2% |
| 1977 | 450 | 48 | 12.6 | 201 | +7.7% |
| 1976 | 418 | 51 | 11.6 | 187 | -1.6% |
| 1975 | 425 | 44 | 14 | 183 | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 417 | 46 | 12.9 | 206 | +47.9% |
| 1973 | 282 | 41 | 10.7 | 122 | -27.7% |
| 1972 | 390 | 46 | 12.3 | 196 | +26.2% |
| 1971 | 309 | 43 | 10.9 | 130 | -7.8% |
| 1970 | 335 | 43 | 12 | 165 | +28.4% |
| 1969 | 261 | 38 | 9.6 | 122 | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 258 | 32 | 10.5 | 118 | +17.8% |
| 1967 | 219 | 37 | 8.6 | 104 | -13.4% |
| 1966 | 253 | 39 | 9.5 | 114 | -16.2% |
| 1965 | 302 | 42 | 10.3 | 156 | +14% |
| 1964 | 265 | 36 | 10.2 | 144 | +3.9% |
| 1963 | 255 | 29 | 10.8 | 140 | +44.1% |
| 1962 | 177 | 25 | 7.9 | 96 | +18% |
| 1961 | 150 | 20 | 9.2 | 69 | -26.5% |
| 1960 | 204 | 29 | 8.6 | 118 | 0% |
| 1959 | 204 | 29 | 8.8 | 110 | +14.6% |
| 1958 | 178 | 27 | 8.4 | 112 | +9.2% |
| 1957 | 163 | 25 | 7.4 | 92 | +4.5% |
| 1956 | 156 | 27 | 7.3 | 77 | +11.4% |
| 1955 | 140 | 27 | 7 | 52 | -23.9% |
| 1954 | 184 | 32 | 7.9 | 101 | +15% |
| 1953 | 160 | 28 | 8.5 | 81 | -5.9% |
| 1952 | 170 | 22 | 10.3 | 95 | -9.1% |
| 1951 | 187 | 27 | 8.9 | 126 | +52% |
| 1950 | 123 | 24 | 7.2 | 59 | +4.2% |
| 1949 | 118 | 21 | 7.4 | 60 | +4.4% |
| 1948 | 113 | 20 | 8.2 | 54 | -17.5% |
| 1947 | 137 | 18 | 9.4 | 101 | +6.2% |
| 1946 | 129 | 11 | 14.7 | 102 | +316.1% |
| 1945 | 31 | 5 | 7.6 | 26 | +138.5% |
| 1944 | 13 | 2 | 8.5 | 9 | -31.6% |
| 1943 | 19 | 3 | 6.7 | 14 | +35.7% |
| 1942 | 14 | 4 | 4.8 | 10 | -30% |
| 1941 | 20 | 3 | 7.3 | 10 | +11.1% |
| 1940 | 18 | 2 | 10 | 10 | -41.9% |
| 1939 | 31 | 6 | 6.5 | 20 | -6.1% |
| 1938 | 33 | 4 | 10 | 27 | +120% |
| 1937 | 15 | 2 | 11 | 11 | +150% |
| 1936 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 3 | -14.3% |
| 1935 | 7 | 2 | 4.5 | 7 | +250% |
| 1934 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | – |
Competitiveness Index
7.9avg competitors per show
Based on the most recent 50 contests. A higher number indicates larger fields and a more difficult path to victory.
Small fieldsLarge fields
IFBB Pro Division Analytics
Track athlete participation, geographic distribution, career longevity, competitive field sizes, and year-over-year trends across IFBB Pro League divisions.