The first season of the World Fitness Project is a wrap, and a new batch of Pro Cards is being minted.
While the inaugural Pro Cards featured a who’s who of professional fitness racers, the 2026 list brings some new faces to the elite level.
Just Show Up
Looking at who earned a 2026 Pro Card, 12 women and 13 men retained theirs from last season. With the current points structure, simply showing up was often enough for 2025 Pro Card holders.
Only Luka Đukić and Noah Ohlsen appeared in all three WFP competitions last year and still failed to earn a Pro Card for 2026. Ohlsen checked in for the WFP Finals but withdrew before the first event.
Getting Younger
The 2026 Pro Cards signal a clear youth movement. The seven men earning their first Pro Card average 24.5 years old. The men who failed to retain theirs averaged 28.
The women follow the same trend. The eight women who earned a Pro Card in Denmark averaged just under 26, while those losing their cards averaged 29.6.
Less Experience, More Hunger?
The big stage isn’t new for most of the newcomers. Thirteen of the 17 new Pro Card holders have competed at the CrossFit Games, including eight appearances at the 2025 Games.
Colten Mertens leads the group with four Games appearances. Anikha Greer (9th) and Tudor Magda (10th) are the only athletes with a top-10 Games finish.
Four of the men also competed in the 16–17 division at the CrossFit Games:
Ty Jenkins (2022, 2023), Nate Ackermann(2021), Tudor Magda (2019), and Jack Farlow (2019).
Or You Could Just Be Really Good
Jeffrey Adler retained his Pro Card for 2026 despite skipping the WFP Pro 2 competition in Mesa. He’s the only athlete to earn a 2026 Pro Card without competing in all three 2025 events.
This is a luxury only existing Pro Card holders have. Adler would not have qualified for the Final based on points alone.
Rules are rules. It’ll be interesting to see if other Pro Card holders try this approach in 2026 to limit wear and tear over the season.
Final Thoughts
Personally, I think the Pro Card turnover is good for the sport. Giving younger athletes multiple chances each year to compete alongside seasoned veterans provides feedback and experience that simply can’t be earned inside the gym.
