Mr. Olympia 2026: when it is, where to watch it, and time in Spain

Mr. Olympia is the biggest event on the world bodybuilding calendar, and the 2026 edition comes with a change that has taken many people by surprise: it is returning to September. If you were expecting October like in recent years, make sure you note the dates.

Here is everything you need to know: when and where it is, how to watch it from Spain despite the time difference, which categories are included, and who the favorites are.

When and where is Mr. Olympia 2026?

The Joe Weider's Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend 2026 will take place from Thursday, September 24 to Sunday, September 27, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada (United States). The Palms Casino Resort will be the official event hotel, taking on this role after a complete renovation.

This is the first time since 2019 that the Olympia has been held in September. Recent editions had taken place in October and even December, so it is best not to rely on memory and to mark the date.

The weekend is not just the bodybuilding final. It includes four days of amateur competitions, the exhibition hall, press conferences, and athlete appearances. All divisions are judged within this period, and the Men's Open title is decided on the final night.

How to watch Mr. Olympia 2026 from Spain

What time can you watch it?

Here is the detail people ask about most and that hardly anyone explains properly. There is a nine-hour time difference between Las Vegas and Spain, with Spain ahead. This means that the finals, which take place on Saturday night in Las Vegas, will be held in the early hours of the morning in Spain.

The exact schedule for each division is published in the days leading up to the event, so it is advisable to confirm it on the official website as the date approaches. If you do not want to stay up late, all platforms make the broadcast available on demand afterward.

Where to watch it

Olympia TV (official platform). It is the only platform that broadcasts the complete competition live: prejudging and finals for all divisions, plus backstage content. It operates with a one-time payment, with no monthly subscription, and can be watched on multiple devices. It is the option if you want to watch everything live.

Official social media. The Mr. Olympia accounts publish videos and updates throughout the weekend. You will not see the complete competition, but you will get the key moments and results as they are announced for free.

Bodybuilding channels on YouTube and Twitch. Many creators provide live coverage with their own commentary. They cannot broadcast the feed because of rights restrictions, but they can comment on what is happening and react to the official photos. A good option if you do not want to watch it alone.

Specialist media. Industry websites publish the results of each division minutes after the verdict, including the full scores.

What is Mr. Olympia and why does it matter so much?

Mr. Olympia was founded in 1965 by Joe Weider and has been the highest title in professional bodybuilding ever since. It is organized by the IFBB Pro League and entry is not by invitation: athletes must qualify by winning or earning points in professional competitions throughout the season. For 2026, the qualification period closed on August 30.

The winner of the Open category takes home the Sandow trophy, the golden statuette lifted by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronnie Coleman, Dorian Yates, and Jay Cutler. Winning it can transform an entire career.

The Olympia categories

The Olympia is not a single competition; it consists of eleven divisions judged according to different criteria:

The favorites for Mr. Olympia 2026

The reigning champion is Derek Lunsford, who reclaimed the title in 2025 after losing it and became the second athlete in history, after Jay Cutler, to win it back. He enters the competition as the man to beat.

The 2025 final was decided in a three-way battle between Lunsford, Hadi Choopan, and Andrew Jacked, and all three names remain essential references this year. They are joined by Samson Dauda, the 2024 champion, and names such as Michal Krizo and Mike Sommerfeld, who have shown good form in the weeks leading up to the event.

As every year, the final lineup can change until the very last moment: it is not unusual for a qualifier to withdraw because of injury or because they are not in suitable condition.

Mauro Fialho, from the Spanish stage to the Olympia

Among the names followed by Spanish fans is Mauro Fialho, a Spanish-Brazilian bodybuilder who competes in the Men's Physique category and has been taking the stage in Las Vegas since 2023.

His story explains quite well what this sport is about. He earned his professional card in 2021 by winning the Amateur Olympia Portugal. He made his Olympia debut in 2023 and finished 30th out of 36: a modest result, but it was his first time on the world's most demanding stage.

In 2024, he faced his toughest edition. He qualified by winning the IFBB Pro Monterrey in early September and, just two weeks before competing, had to undergo surgery. He competed anyway, in conditions that were not his best.

Then came the reward in 2025: 13th place out of 72 competitors, his best result to date, earning a spot in the second callout and coming within reach of the final. His stated goal for this season is to break into the global Top 10.

Thirtieth, injury, thirteenth. That progression is not achieved in one year or through shortcuts. It is achieved through thousands of hours of training, and with equipment that can withstand every single one of them.

Behind every physique are thousands of hours on machines

What you see on stage is four minutes of posing. What you do not see are the years of daily work behind it, and the equipment used for all those hours.

An athlete competing at the highest level does not train with just any equipment. They need machines that can handle heavy loads without giving way, precise movement paths that do not compromise the exercise, and structures that remain unchanged after thousands of repetitions. It is exactly the same equipment needed by a gym with demanding members, or by someone setting up a home training space who wants it to last.

At Fitness Tech, we manufacture equipment designed for this purpose: selectorized, plate-loaded, multifunction, and cardio machines with the robustness required for serious training.

In addition, Mauro Fialho is a Fitness Tech ambassador, a collaboration that connects the brand with an athlete who knows firsthand what it takes to train to compete at the highest level. His journey toward the Olympia represents precisely the values we aim to bring to our equipment: consistency, high standards, and progress.

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