How to qualify in Modern pentathlon
How modern pentathletes qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics
Modern pentathlon at Los Angeles 2028 has one event for men and one for women, 32 athletes each. A country can have two athletes per gender. Places go to athletes by name.
In order:
- 2027 World Cup Final, Budapest: the winner.
- 2027 continental championships: 20 places. Asia has five (the top five at the 2027 Asian Championships, one per country).
- 2027 World Championships, Budapest: the winner.
- 2028 World Championships, Cairo: the top three.
- The Olympic world ranking (June 2028): four more.
- Host (one per gender) and two universality places per gender.
Results at the 2026 Asian Games do not count: the ranking period starts on 1 January 2027.
Places (per gender)
| Route | Places |
|---|---|
| 2027 World Cup Final, winner | 1 |
| Continental championships 2027: Africa 1, Asia 5, Europe 8, Oceania 1, Pan America 5 | 20 |
| 2027 World Championships, winner | 1 |
| 2028 World Championships, top three | 3 |
| Olympic world ranking | 4 |
| Qualification places | 29 |
| Host | 1 |
| Universality | 2 |
| Total | 32 |
- Continental: one place per country in Asia, Europe and Pan America; if a country has two athletes in the top places, the next country's athlete takes the second. Pan America: the winner, then the best two from North and Central America (NORCECA) and the best two from South America.
- If a World Cup Final, World Championships or continental qualifier is already qualified, the place passes on (at the World Championships, to the next athlete on the world ranking).
The Olympic world ranking
- Period: 1 January 2027 to 5 June 2028.
- Counts: the five best placings, at most three from one calendar year, from:
- World Cups 2027 and 2028, the 2028 World Cup Final and the 2027 and 2028 World Championships;
- the 2027 continental events (African, Oceania and Asian Championships, European Games, Pan American Games);
- four Challenger events (three late in 2027, one early in 2028).
- A separate fencing ranking (best five fencing results) is used to seed the Olympic fencing round.
Who can compete
An athlete must have taken part in at least one ranking competition in 2028, starting all five disciplines. A did-not- finish or elimination still counts; a did-not-start or disqualification does not.
Places turned down
The next athlete on the Olympic world ranking not yet qualified, from the same continent if a continental place is affected.
Gaps in the document. The date of the deciding world ranking is left as "xx June 2028", and so are the universality invitation and deadline dates and the confirmation dates.
Dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | Ranking period starts |
| 2027 (to be confirmed) | World Cups (Cairo, Pazardzhik, Kaunas, Los Angeles/West Hollywood); continental championships |
| 2027 | World Cup Final and World Championships, Budapest |
| 2028 | World Championships, Cairo |
| 5 June 2028 | Ranking period ends |
| June 2028 (date not set) | Places announced; six days to confirm |
| 26 June 2028 | Entries deadline for the Games |
| 14 to 30 July 2028 | LA28 Olympic Games |
Where to follow it
uipmworld.org publishes the world ranking.