The road to the CrossFit Games, explained simply

Stop 1: Your gym

The road starts at an affiliate. That's any gym licensed to use the CrossFit name, like CrossFit BC in Olympic Village. There are no tryouts and no qualifying. You join, you learn the movements with a coach, and you train in classes with everyone else.

That's it. You're on the road.

Stop 2: The Open (everyone's in)

Once a year, CrossFit releases three workouts, one a week, and the whole world does them. In 2027 that runs February 17 to March 8. A new workout drops each Wednesday at noon Pacific, and you have until Monday at 5pm Pacific to do it and post your score.

Anyone 14 or older can enter. Every workout comes in three versions: Rx'd (as written), Scaled (lighter and simpler) and Foundations (built for beginners). You do it at your gym with a judge counting your reps, or you film it.

At CrossFit BC, we run every Open workout at Friday Night Lights: February 19, February 26 and March 5, 5 to 8pm. Heats, judges, music and a very loud crowd.

For most people, this is the whole road, and it's a great one. The Open is your yearly check-in: are you fitter than last year? Did you get your first pull-up? That's the win.

Stop 3: Quarterfinals (top 25%)

If you finish in the top 25% worldwide, or the top 25% of your age group, you're invited to Quarterfinals. It's online, March 15 to 22, with tougher workouts. You still do them at your gym and submit your scores.

Stop 4: Semifinals (the top 2,000)

From Quarterfinals, the top 2,000 men and 2,000 women move on to Semifinals. Some are in-person events between April and June, and there's an online Semifinal June 17 to 21. This is where the full-time competitors live.

Stop 5: The CrossFit Games

The best from Semifinals earn a spot at the CrossFit Games, the in-person finale where the fittest athletes in the world go head to head.

Not every road looks the same

The Open is the on-ramp for everyone, then the road splits depending on who you are.

• Teens and masters (35+): You're ranked against people your own age, and you have your own finale: the Teenage CrossFit Games or the Masters CrossFit Games. A 66-year-old competes against 65 to 69 year olds, not 25-year-olds.
• Adaptive athletes: After the Open, the top 20 in each adaptive division go to Online Semifinals (May 13 to 18), then the Adaptive CrossFit Games.
• Teams: Teams do the Open together, then compete at in-person Team Qualifiers between April and June.
• National Championships: After the Open and Quarterfinals, some athletes compete for a national title at an in-person event between April and December.
• Pairs: New for 2027 and built for fun. You and a partner split the reps on the Open workouts. It has its own leaderboard and doesn't advance anywhere.

So what's your road?

• Brand new: Your road is the Open. Pick Foundations or Scaled, show up on a Friday, get a score on the board. Done, and proud of it.
• Been training a while: Beat last year's you. Try one workout Rx'd. Ask your coach what to work on before February.
• Thinking about competing: Quarterfinals is your first real test. Talk to a coach about a plan built around the season dates.

One of our Living Legends 60+ members competes in the 65 to 69 division and qualifies at the highest levels of the sport. They started exactly where you're standing.

Quick answers

Do I need to be fit to do the Open?

No. Foundations exists for exactly this, and doing part of a workout still counts.

How do people get to the CrossFit Games?

Through the Open, then Quarterfinals, then Semifinals. Every stage takes a smaller group.

Does it cost anything to do the Open at CrossFit BC?

It's included in your membership. Non-members can drop in to Friday Night Lights for $30 per workout.

Go deeper

What is the CrossFit Open?: A first-timer's guide to how Open weeks, judging and versions work.

2027 dates and registration: Registration on January 7, the three release dates and how to submit a score.

Rx'd, Scaled and Foundations: How to pick the right version of each workout, week by week.

How to prepare: Your runway to February, plus six-week plans for every version.

Masters and age groups: Age groups from 35-39 to 70+, and how to train for the Open in midlife.

Teens in the Open: Teen age groups 14-15, 16-17 and the new 18-19, with answers for parents.

The Adaptive Open: How the Adaptive Open works with WheelWOD and how our coaches can help.

Judging and video submissions: What a judge checks, the no-rep conversation and a video checklist.

Pairs division: Divisions, age groups and fees for the new partner competition.

Open prep checklist: A printable checklist from first class to workout day.

Movement library: Common Open movements and how they change across versions.

CrossFit Open FAQ: 32 answers on registration, fees, scoring, Pairs and Friday Night Lights.

Step one starts at your gym.

New to CrossFit? Join on a 12-month Unlimited plan before December 31 and Foundations is included free, so you're ready by February. Or start with the 3-Class Experience.

3-Class Experience Membership