HYROX has announced major changes to Elite race access for the 2026/27 season, including a new price for licenses, a new weekly invitation system, and stricter rules around doubles partnerships.

The update was sent this week to current athlete license holders ahead of the World Championships in Stockholm, where all existing Elite licenses will expire at the end of the event weekend.

Beginning next season, HYROX will move athlete applications, race invitations, and registrations into a new platform called “myHYROX (lite),” replacing the current elites.hyrox.com system. Early season events including Jakarta and Chengdu will initially be handled via personalized email invitation until the platform is fully launched. To see what’s changed since the first season of licenses, read our article on the HYROX 2025/26 Season.

The biggest shift is how athletes will gain access to races.

Each Wednesday, the top 50 athletes in Singles and Doubles will receive an email giving them access to races within a 45-to-30-day registration window. HYROX says the system is designed to address a growing problem as more Elite athletes race more frequently while events continue selling out quickly.

Athletes who receive invitations can register directly through the platform with pre-filled personal information and immediate payment at checkout. Unused spots won’t stay reserved indefinitely. At 30 days before each event, any unclaimed invitations are released back to general sale.

The new athlete license will cost €499 (approximately $586 USD) plus taxes and includes two Pro race registrations for either Singles or Doubles competition. The current season license costs €197 ($230 USD) and does not include race entries.

Doubles eligibility comes with a specific catch: access is tied to the ranking of the partnership itself, not the individuals in it. A doubles pair must be ranked Top 50 as a combination to qualify. When a ranked pair registers, one allocation covers the full team entry for both athletes. Switching partners resets that status entirely.

“The new combination is treated as a new team,” HYROX wrote. “That team must independently be ranked in the Top 50 to qualify.”

A Top 50 doubles athlete who changes partners could lose invitation access immediately unless the new pairing independently earns a Top 50 ranking together.

The email also outlined a new refund structure. Athletes pay registration fees upfront even when using one of the allocations included with their license. Those fees are automatically refunded after the athlete crosses the start line.

They are not refunded if the athlete doesn’t start, including in cases of injury or illness. When refunds do process, they return to the original payment method and may take several days to appear depending on the bank.

HYROX says the policy is designed to protect start lists and reduce unused spots. For athletes who withdraw for any reason, the cost of the entry is gone.

Eligibility will fluctuate week to week. Athletes outside the top 50 at the moment Wednesday’s invitation emails go out won’t receive access that week, regardless of where they ranked the week before. They can regain eligibility by moving back inside the cutoff later in the season.