World’s Strongest Man Competition Returns to Myrtle Beach Boardwalk April 23–26

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — April 22, 2026  |  By Thomas Beach Vacations Staff

The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk is about to get a lot heavier. The 2026 World’s Strongest Man competition — now in its 49th edition — returns to the Grand Strand this weekend for a four-day showcase of raw power, with qualifying rounds on Thursday and Friday, April 23 and 24, and championship finals on Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26. All competition takes place at the oceanfront at Burroughs & Chapin Pavilion Place, the same sun-drenched stretch of South Carolina coastline that hosted the event in 2023 and 2024.

This marks the third time Myrtle Beach has played host to the premier event in strength athletics — a distinction that reflects the city’s growing reputation as a destination for high-profile international competition. The competition skipped the Grand Strand in 2025, moving west to Sacramento, California, before organizers opted to return to the Atlantic coast for 2026.

25 of the World’s Most Powerful Athletes on the Boardwalk

Twenty-five elite strongmen from across the globe will compete for the title. The field is headlined by four former world champions: defending champion Rayno Nel of South Africa, who became the first rookie to claim the WSM title since 1997 when he won in Sacramento last year; three-time champion Tom Stoltman of Scotland; 2023 champion Mitchell Hooper of Canada; and former champion Martins Licis. Notably, Tom’s brother Luke Stoltman — a fixture of past competitions — withdrew from the 2026 event after suffering a broken leg.

The qualifying format sends 25 athletes through five groups over the first two days, with the top two finishers from each group advancing to the weekend finals — a ten-man battle that culminates Sunday afternoon when a new or returning champion is crowned on the oceanfront.

Events this year include the Farmer’s Walk into Power Stairs, the Overhead Circus Medley, Squat for Reps, Truck Pull, a stone-off during qualifying, and the iconic Atlas Stones to close the finals. The Hercules Hold — a fan favorite in which competitors use chains to hold two 160-kilogram pillars upright on either side of them — is among the classic tests of endurance that have defined the competition across nearly five decades.

Tickets Sold Out, But the Fan Fest Is Free and Open to All

Competition tickets for all four days are sold out. However, event organizers emphasize that spectators without tickets are welcome to attend the adjacent fan fest area at no charge throughout the weekend. The free zone will feature local food trucks, merchandise vendors, interactive sponsor booths, and athlete meet-and-greet sessions — an opportunity for fans to get face-to-face with some of the largest and strongest competitors in the world.

Rebecca Levin, vice president of sports management at IMG — the global sports agency that produces the event — described the fan fest as the ideal entry point for anyone who wants to feel the energy of the competition without a reserved seat. She noted the atmosphere around the boardwalk and the Atlantic backdrop as key reasons the organization continues to bring the event to this stretch of the South Carolina coast.

The event is produced in partnership with Visit Myrtle Beach, whose president Stuart Butler has highlighted the competition’s consistent success in driving visitors to the area and elevating Myrtle Beach’s profile on the international sports stage.

A Grand Strand Setting Unlike Any Other

There is something inherently striking about watching the world’s strongest athletes compete steps from the Atlantic Ocean. The oceanfront setting at Burroughs & Chapin Pavilion Place places spectators and competitors alike against a backdrop of salt air and open sky, and the boardwalk corridor gives the event an energy that few inland venues can replicate. For visitors already spending the weekend along the Grand Strand, the competition adds a rare dimension to a beach trip — elite international sport at the water’s edge.

Guests staying in Cherry Grove Beach, Ocean Drive, Crescent Beach, or Windy Hill are just a short drive south of the event site — close enough to swing by the fan fest, catch the boardwalk atmosphere, and still be back on the sand before the afternoon is over.

For complete event information, schedules, and athlete updates, visit theworldsstrongestman.com.