INDIANAPOLIS - British Athletics and USA Track & Field (USATF) today announced that two of the strongest nations in global track & field will go head-to-head in a new format, one-day competition next year.

Entitled 'The Meet' and hosted by British Athletics, the event will be staged July 21, 2018 at the London Stadium, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East London, site of the wildly successful 2017 IAAF World Championships. 

It will feature a new, fast-paced format designed to appeal to new audiences at one of the most celebrated athletics stadiums in the world. 

Many of the stars of USA Track & Field and British Athletics are expected to take part in the event, which will be uniquely designed to entertain audiences at London's iconic track and field stadium.

A blend of running, jumping, hurdles and relay events will ensure an exciting competition lasting two hours. The British Athletics team and Team USATF athletes will score points for their respective countries in nine events in a compact, fan-friendly program. 

"USATF is thrilled to collaborate and innovate with British Athletes on 'The Meet,'" USATF CEO Max Siegel said. "Team competition captures the attention of fans in a way that brings excitement, attention and focus to our sport. 'The Meet' will bring track and field back to the future by reviving dual-meet team competition in a way that caters to modern fans."

"'The Meet' will provide audiences with a fantastic head-to-head match between British Athletics and USA Track & Field, and promises to be one of the biggest events in athletics in 2018," said Niels de Vos, British Athletics Chief Executive Officer. "We are delighted to host Team USATF here in London, in an event that will excite spectators in the best athletics stadium in the world. This event will thrill a whole new generation of athletics fans who have attended the London Stadium in the hundreds of thousands for the Muller Anniversary Games, World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships. Fans can register their interest in attending this fantastic new event now via the British Athletics website."

Britain has proved to be unparalleled hosts of athletics events, selling out London Stadium for both morning and evening sessions at the 2017 IAAF World Championships. Over one million tickets have been sold to watch athletics in the UK this summer, with record audiences enjoying the very best in track and field including the Muller Anniversary Games, the IAAF World Championships and the World Para Athletics Championships.

Specific format and star athlete participants for 'The Meet' will be announced beginning in early 2018. 

Some of the sport's greatest athletes have already expressed their support for the concept.

Allyson Felix, six-time Olympic gold medalist, said: "The UK has passionate fans who love track and field. Bringing team competition back to the London Stadium will be special - there is nowhere like it in the world for track and field, and it has been the site of some memorable Team USATF performances. We are really looking forward to 'The Meet'."

Mo Farah, Britain's greatest ever distance athlete said: "'The Meet' is a great idea and will be a fantastic event for athletics fans, especially as it's at the London Stadium which is an amazing venue and has given me so many memories over the years. I think the UK has the best athletics fans in the world and I have no doubt they will be there to cheer the British Athletics team on when they compete against Team USATF. It is going to be awesome."

Adam Gemili, Britain's World Championship gold medalist as part of Britain's 4x100m relay team, said: "The is the head-to-head in world athletics. We have a great sporting rivalry with the USA team and we look forward to seeing which nation comes out strongest at 'The Meet' next summer. The event is all about power, speed and excitement. I can't wait."

Fans can go online to register their interest in the meet beginning today. The event is expected to appeal to the hundreds of thousands of fans who have attended the IAAF World Championships in huge numbers and the millions of people who have enjoyed coverage of live athletics on television this summer.

Fans can get their hands on tickets before general release by signing up at www.britishathletics.org.uk/themeet

About USATF

USA Track & Field is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the country's #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States. For more information on USATF, visit usatf.org. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook. 

About UK Athletics

UK Athletics is the national governing body of the leading Olympic and Paralympic sport in Britain. British Athletics is the sport we represent, the people, the athletes, the fans, the team. We work closely with the home countries to develop and grow all areas of the sport including elite performance, coaching, major international events, competition and grassroots programmes within schools and clubs. For more information visit www.britishathletics.org.uk. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter @britathletics, and YouTube. For more information on UK Athletics, contact:
Craig Gundersen, UK Athletics Competitions PR Manager,
cgundersen@britishathletics.org.uk