Gymnastics Worlds in Rotterdam: Schedule, How to Watch, Key Dates

The 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships run from October 17 to 25 at Rotterdam Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Qualifying opens the meet from October 17 to 19, and all qualifying sessions stream live on EurovisionSport.com. The finals air on Peacock and NBCSN, with a highlights show on NBC on Sunday, October 25 at noon ET.

These are the first team events at a global championship since the Paris Olympics. That alone raises the stakes. Teams get their first clear look at the new Olympic cycle, and the top three teams in each team final earn direct places for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Qualifying comes first

Men's qualifying starts on Saturday, October 17. Women's qualifying runs from October 18 to 19. The US men's qualifying session is Saturday, October 17 at 2:10 p.m. ET, streamed on EurovisionSport.com.

Qualifying does more than fill the finals. The top eight teams reach the team finals. The top 24 gymnasts reach each all-around final, with a maximum of two per country. The top eight on each apparatus reach the apparatus finals. A rough day in qualifying can end a medal chance before the finals start.

Canada opens early. Canada's men open qualifying on October 17 and its women compete on October 19. Canada sends five men: Jordan Carroll, Rene Cournoyer, Felix Dolci, Xavier Olasz and Sam Zakutney. Canada sends five women: Ellie Black, Gabrielle Black, Coralie Demers, Lia-Monica Fontaine and Lia Redick.

The finals schedule

The men's team final is Tuesday, October 20. The women's team final is Wednesday, October 21. The men's all-around final is Thursday, October 22. The women's all-around final is Friday, October 23. Apparatus finals run on Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25.

In the United States, the finals air on Peacock and NBCSN. NBC carries a highlights show on Sunday, October 25 at noon ET. Qualifying is the streaming part of the week, on EurovisionSport.com for every session.

The US women and a long run

The US women have won the last seven world team titles dating to 2011. That run makes them the team to beat again in Rotterdam. The test looks real this time. The US women are expected to be challenged by China and Russia.

There is also a new feel to the US team. No gymnast on this year's US women's team has competed in an all-around at an Olympics or worlds before. That means new names in the biggest spots, and no past all-around record at this level to lean on. How they handle the team final on October 21 will tell a lot about the next two years.

The team final is not only about medals. The top three teams in each team final earn direct Olympic places for Los Angeles 2028. A place on the podium this week can set a program's path for the whole cycle.

Key numbers and rules to know

Dates: October 17 to 25. Place: Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands. Team final cut: top eight teams from qualifying. All-around cut: top 24 gymnasts, maximum two per country. Apparatus cut: top eight on each apparatus. Olympic reward: top three teams in each team final earn direct places for Los Angeles 2028. US women's team title run: seven straight world team titles dating to 2011.

A dispute over visas

One dispute hangs over the meet. According to TASS reporting, the Netherlands refused visas to Russian gymnasts Angelina Melnikova, Viktoria Listunova and Anna Kalmykova, and the Russian Olympic Committee asked for the event's Olympic qualifying status to be removed. Russian coach Valentina Rodionenko told TASS on October 14 that the qualifying status will stay.

That reporting matters because the Olympic places are a central part of this meet. For now, based on that TASS report, the qualifying status stays in place.

Why it matters

Worlds in Rotterdam is the start of the road to Los Angeles 2028. It is the first team test since Paris, the first chance for teams to earn direct Olympic places, and the first look at which programs have rebuilt best since the last Games.

For fans, it is also a full week of finals in a clear order. Team finals first, then all-around finals, then apparatus finals to close. Each night answers a different question: best team, best all-around gymnast, best on each single apparatus.

What happens next

After qualifying ends on October 19, the meet turns to finals. The men's team final on October 20 opens that run, followed by the women's team final on October 21. The all-around finals follow on October 22 and 23, and apparatus finals close the championships on October 24 and 25.

Watch qualifying closely. The scores there set the finals fields, show which teams are clean and which teams are counting falls, and show whether the US women's run is under real threat. By Sunday, October 25, Rotterdam will have new world champions and the first three Olympic team places for Los Angeles in each team event will be set, based on the team final results.