The Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion will open its 2026 indoor track and field season with an expanded schedule that includes more meets, more teams, and several high-profile championship events, bringing elite competition to Indianapolis from January through March.
The season features five regular-season collegiate meets, all held in a two-day Friday and Saturday format. Each meet has already confirmed participation from at least 20 teams. New to the calendar this year is the Heartland Invitational, scheduled for February 13–14.
One of the marquee events of the season will be the USATF Combined Events Championship, returning to the pavilion for the second consecutive year on February 21–22. The meet serves as a qualifying event for the 2026 World Championships, set for March 20–22 in Kujawy Pomorze, Poland, and is expected to attract top national athletes during a critical qualification window.
The venue will also again host the Big Ten Indoor Championships, taking place February 26–28. Last year’s championships drew strong attendance, national media attention, and multiple meet records. Adding to the championship lineup, the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships will be held March 1–2, marking the first time the conference has selected Indianapolis as the site for its indoor title meet.
High school competition will also play a major role in the 2026 season. The pavilion will host four Hoosier State Relay Qualifier meets on March 3, 5, 17, and 19, followed by the Hoosier State Relays on March 28. This marks the first year the facility has hosted four qualifier meets.
“Our team set out to build a season that brings consistent value to athletes, fans, and our city,” said LeRoy Lewis III, Director of Community and Media Engagement. “The Fall Creek Pavilion continues to show what a modern indoor venue can deliver. You will see national-level talent, strong conference competition, and some of the best high school performers in the region.”
The full 2026 indoor track and field schedule includes:
-
Hoosier Horsepower Classic, January 16–17
-
Crossroads of America Invitational, January 23–24
-
Midwest Classic, January 30–31
-
Fairgrounds Invitational, February 6–7
-
Heartland Invitational, February 13–14
-
USATF Combined Events Championship, February 21–22
-
Big Ten Indoor Championships, February 26–28
-
Missouri Valley Conference Championships, March 1–2
-
Hoosier State Relay Qualifiers, March 3, 5, 17, and 19
-
Hoosier State Relays, March 28
With expanded meet offerings, strong team participation, national athletes pursuing world championship standards, and two major conference championships, organizers say the season will provide consistent storylines and coverage opportunities from January through late March.
The Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center hosts more than 400 meetings, shows, sports, and agricultural events each year, including the Indiana State Fair. The facility is overseen year-round by the Indiana State Fair Commission, a quasi-governmental agency established in 1992 with a mission to preserve and enhance the fairgrounds and the annual fair for the benefit of all Hoosiers.