World Athletics Championships – Budapest 2023

Youhuu, a native Hungarian racka sheep, was the mascot for the World Championships. The cheeky sheep was an essential part of the event. His personality, funny appearance and actions entertained children and adults alike. Another special feature of the event was that anyone could experience what it is like to be a marathon runner. On the last day of the World Championships in Budapest, 27 August, immediately after the official marathon, anyone could run the exact same route where the world's best athletes competed for medals.

The World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 showcased unprecedented innovation. Held at the newly constructed National Athletics Centre (NAC), the event utilized 300 soundsystems, 300 lights, and 800 nm of LED walls. The NAC, designed specifically for the event, is the largest competition and training centre in Central Europe, accommodating 35,000 spectators. The Championships featured a marathon and race walking through iconic Budapest locations, including Heroes' Square and the Chain Bridge, with a supporters' zone on Elisabeth Square. We handled the entire power and IT implementation, ensuring a seamless experience. Modern environmental solutions, such as geothermal heating, cooling systems, and energy-efficient lighting, were integrated into the venue, reinforcing sustainability. The event attracted over 400,000 fans from 120 countries, marking it as Hungary's most visited sporting event and demonstrating Hungary's capability to host a world-class event with cutting-edge technology and infrastructure.

The planning of the event started in 2019 and the actual operational organisation began in September 2022. The orchestration of the Local Organising Committee and all the people who worked during the preparations and on-site (2500 volunteers and more than 500 organisers) was remarkable. Everyone really wanted to show the world how much it meant to Hungary and how proud they were to host the world's third biggest sporting event.

A record number of more than 1,200 television professionals from over 45 broadcasters and more than 850 journalists and photographers from 75 countries covered Budapest, with over 28.5 billion articles published worldwide. During the games, between 19 and 27 August, the number of hits on the Championships’ social media sites passed the 11 million mark. Furthermore, record-breaking television and online viewing figures showed that the Championships was watched by more than a billion people worldwide and the website was visited by 14 million people per hour, surpassing the most successful championships ever held in London in 2017. The World Athletics Championships brought world success and records for Hungary, as well: 404,000 tickets sold, competitions in front of a full house, 200,000 visitors in the Fan Zone and the most athletes in the history of the World Championships with 2,100 competitors.

The Everyday Hero program of World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 was launched in January. The program combined the World Championships' communication campaign with the promotion of everyday sport. Participants were motivated with discounted tickets in exchange for taking part in sporting activities at various types of mass sporting events. From January to July, the organisers promoted the campaign at 37 mass sporting events in the framework of a roadshow covering all counties of Hungary. In addition to promoting an active and healthy lifestyle, sustainability was also a central concern for the organisers.

The sustainability strategy included the following measures: urban forest regeneration, comprehensive waste management focusing on the reduction of single-use plastics or promoting eco-friendly transportation. Also, the National Athletics Centre which functions now as a competition and training facility as well as a recreational area for the local community has also implemented a number of modern environmental solutions, such as a geothermal heating and cooling system and energy-saving lighting. The NAC designed for athletics was specifically built for the Championships in Budapest. The stadium can accommodate 35,000 spectators and is located on the eastern bank of the Danube, in the south of the city. The modern facility has become the largest competition and training centre in Central Europe.