Team Processing Information

 Please bring passports to National Team Processing!* 

The 2026 USATF Indoor Championships scheduled for February 28 – March 1, 2026 will serve as the selection event for Open athletes for the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships. All athletes are required to complete team processing to be eligible for selection to a 2026 national team. Athletes who fail to complete team processing during the timeframes listed below will forfeit their rank for selection to the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships national team.

The 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships will take place March 20 – 22 in Kujawy Pomorze, Poland. Competition information, including selection procedures, can be found here.

Athletes should bring the following to team processing:

• Cell Phone
• Valid U.S. passport*
• Necessary information to complete forms (contact information for agents, coaches, etc.)  

*Athletes must have a current passport that does not expire before September 23, 2026. 

REMINDER: WITHOUT EXCEPTION, THOSE NOT COMPLETING TEAM PROCESSING WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR SELECTION TO A 2026 USATF NATIONAL TEAM.

Team Sign-up Schedule Athletes will be directed by a 2026 National Team staff member to the team processing area located at:

The Hilton Garden Inn Staten Island
Juneberry/Magnolia Room
1100 South Avenue, Staten Island, New York 10314

Athletes must report to the team processing area immediately following the final of their event; accordingly, please plan your travel to depart the day AFTER your final. Note: For planning purposes, athletes confirmed for a 2026 National Team will not receive their kit onsite. 

• Saturday, February 28 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
• Sunday, March 1 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Athlete Travel to World Indoor Championships Athletes MUST bring passports to Team Processing

USATF National Office is primarily responsible for athlete travel for World Indoor Championships. Athletes will not travel as a Team. At Team Processing, USATF will book the athlete's ticket and USATF will pay for a roundtrip ticket from the athlete's home city to Kujawy Pomorze, Poland and back to the athlete's home city.

Personal Coaches

World Athletics may make available to Team USATF a limited number of credentials for personal coaches. Athletes must declare their personal coach at Team Processing, or the personal coach should attend Team Processing with their athlete. Additionally, World Athletics now requires passports of all individuals receiving accreditation to World Athletics competitions, therefore personal coaches should come to Team Processing prepared to provide their passport information. For USATF to apply to World Athletics on behalf of a personal coach for credentialing, the personal coach MUST (a) be the coach of record for an athlete selected to a 2026 USATF National team and (b) be a member of the USATF Coaches Registry.

To be a member of the Coaches Registry, an individual must:

1. Be a current adult USATF member
2. Pass the USATF background screen
3. Successfully complete the U.S. Center for SafeSport Training course
4. Accept and adhere to the SafeSport Handbook
5. List current coaching affiliation on membership profile
6. Fulfill Education Standard and submit verification application through USATF Connect

More information on the Coaches Registry can be found here.

Personal Medical

Accreditation may be available for personal medical of athletes competing on a 2026 National Team. Athletes must declare their personal medical at Team Processing, or the personal medical should attend Team Processing with their athlete. As above, if seeking accreditation to World Championships, personal medical should be prepared to provide their passport information. For USATF to apply to World Athletics on behalf of a personal medical for credentialing, the personal coach MUST (a) be the personal medical of record for an athlete selected to a 2026 USATF National Team and (b) be a member of the USATF Registered Medical Providers Registry.

To be a member of Medical Providers Registry, and individual must:

1. Be a current adult USATF member
2. Pass the USATF background screen
3. Pass the NCSI medical licensure screen
4. Successfully complete the U.S. Center for SafeSport Training course
5. Accept and adhere to the SafeSport Handbook and a USATF Code of Conduct for Medical Providers.

More information on the Medical Providers Registry can be found here.

Note that personal coaches will be prioritized to receive credentials; accordingly, personal medical accreditation is subject to availability. 

SRY Testing

• SRY Testing will be available at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 South Ave, Staten Island, NY 10314. Testing will be available on the first day of credentialing and during team processing hours.
• In 2026, World Athletics has expanded the number of meets requiring the completion of SRY genetic testing to include all World Athletics Series events (i.e., World Indoor Championships, World Cross Country Championships, World Relays, World Race Walk Team Championships), the World Athletics Ultimate Championships, all World Marathon Majors, and all 2026 Diamond League meets. 
  • Note that in 2027, the list of events will expand again to add the NACAC Championships and all Continental Tour Gold meets (indoor and outdoor).
• General testing information
  • Tests are saliva sample collection.  No blood is drawn.
  • Athletes will have to sign a consent form.
  • World Athletics is no longer subsidizing the cost of the test.  Athletes will be required to pay for the cost of the test with a credit card.  In-person testing cost charged by the lab is $150, with mail order costs slightly higher due to the cost of shipping.  USATF does not earn any revenue from the testing costs.
  • Results will be sent back to athletes typically within 7 days.
  • For this service offered by USATF, only USA athletes who are eligible to represent the USA in international competition can be tested.
  • Athletes only need to be tested once during their career.