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Arnold Amateur Qualifications

Qualifications and Eligibility for 2025 Arnold Amateur


ALL ATHLETES MUST READ THESE RULES AND MEET ALL QUALIFYING CRITERIA.  PLEASE REVIEW IT ALL BEFORE YOU REGISTER TO VERIFY YOU ARE ELIGIBLE.

Everything is covered here, but if you have questions, write arnoldamateur@npcevents.com


The 2025 Arnold Amateur is OPEN TO ALL COMPETITORS around the world, regardless of federation affiliation as long as you meet these PRE-QUALIFYING RULES.  Choose below to see the rules for your country.


REQUIRED CARDS

All athletes (except Canadian athletes) must be a member of the National Physique Committee.

Canadian athletes must have an active CPA card.

US ATHLETES NEED A VALID NPC USA CARD

ATHLETES FROM OUTSIDE THE US AND CANADA NEED JUST AN NPC WORLDWIDE CARD. USA card not required for athletes from outside the US and Canada

CARDS MUST BE PURCHASED BEFORE THE EVENT AND ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT CHECKIN. Purchase from the entry form on this site!


FIND THE SECTION BELOW WHICH APPLIES TO YOUR COUNTRY


ARE YOU FROM THE UNITED STATES?


HERE ARE QUALIFYING RULES FOR ATHLETES FROM THE UNITED STATES:

(This includes US Citizens and those with valid US green cards of proof of residency in US for at least 4 months. If you are a citizen of another country but have lived in the US for 4 months or more, you compete under USA rules)


FOR USA ATHLETES IN OPEN DIVISIONS

OPEN DIVISION athletes from U.S. must have placed in TOP TWO of an OPEN CLASS at an NPC national qualifier since January 2024.

This must be an OPEN NON TESTED EVENT, and not an NPC Natural event.

OR

Placed in the TOP 5 of an OPEN class at one of the following 2024 NPC or NPC Worldwide (USA) Pro Qualifier contests (placing for the following must occur in 2024).

NPC NATIONAL EVENTS:
NPC Junior USA Championships
NPC Wheelchair Nationals
NPC Junior National Championships
NPC Universe & National Fitness Championships
NPC USA Championships
NPC National Championships

NPC WORLDWIDE (USA):
Arnold Amateur (USA)
North American Championships (USA)**
Olympia Amateur (USA)


FOR USA ATHLETES IN MASTERS DIVISIONS

MASTERS DIVISIONS just must have competed at an NPC national qualifier since January 2024. No placing is required. Pro cards are not awarded in Masters divisions. If you want to be in an OPEN division, you must meet the OPEN division rules above)


Proof of USA citizenship or residency must be one of the following:

A birth certificate, voter’s registration card, Military discharge papers. Naturalization Papers(Form N560), Consular Service Form FS24 for those born outside of the United States to United States parents, or a valid United States Green Card


Residency:

Note: Residency is four (4) months prior to a contest or must be a full time student in the area and must provide proof of residency at checkin, such as utility bills or other documents proving you have lived in US for at least 4 months.


ARE YOU FROM CANADA?


CANADIAN ATHLETES

For the 2025 Arnold Amateur only, Canadian competitors just must have competed in an open Pro qualifier CPA event in Canada since January 2024 and have an active CPA card.

Contact the CPA at ronhache@unitz.ca for any additional info for Canadian competitors


ARE YOU FROM A COUNTRY OTHER THAN the U.S. AND CANADA?

HERE ARE QUALIFYING RULES FOR ATHLETES FROM ANY COUNTRY OTHER THAN THE UNITED STATES OR CANADA


Athletes from outside of the United States and Canada must meet the qualifying rules below, plus have an NPC Worldwide card which matches the country of their passport. More info on NPC cards below.

Athletes from many countries are required to pre-qualify in a regional event in their country (see below for list of countries with this requirement).

If you have questions, contact arnoldamateur@npcevents.com



RULES FOR
OPEN DIVISIONS FOR:
Athletes from Countries OTHER THAN the US and Canada

OPEN DIVISION athletes from countries OTHER THAN the United States and Canada must have competed in an OPEN class at a regional in their home country, since January 2024, IF their country requires REGIONAL NPC Pre-Qualification (regional certificate).

To find the countries with regional pre-qualifying (regional certificate) requirements:

CLICK HERE

If your country has a regional pre-qualifying requirement on the link above, you must have competed according to those rules, dating back to January 2024.

Also, you must pre-qualify in a non tested, not natural event.  No specific placing is required. They must also have a proper NPC WORLDWIDE card. See below for more info on these subjects.


RULES FOR
MASTERS DIVISIONS FOR: 
Athletes from Countries OTHER THAN the US and Canada

The rules are the same as OPEN except the pre-qualifying class must have been a MASTERS CLASS.



REGIONAL PRE-QUALIFYING
(regional certificates and evidence of pre-qualifying event)

Some athletes from outside of the US and CANADA are required to PRE QUALIFY as noted above. You do NOT need to PHYSICALLY GET a regional certificate, as we can track your contest history, but you must have pre-qualified in your HOME COUNTRY IF your home country has regional pre-qualifying requirements.


WHICH COUNTRIES HAVE REGIONAL PRE-QUALIFYING RULES?

TO REVIEW:

CLICK HERE


LETTERS OF INVITATION
FOR ATHLETES FROM OUTSIDE THE US and CANADA

In some countries outside the US, a letter of invitation may be requested to allow the athlete to travel or obtain a visa to compete in the event.   If you DO require a letter of invitation, please REGISTER and PAY FOR THIS EVENT (The Arnold Amateur), and then you can generate an invitation letter from your "athlete profile", which will be sent to you after you register.


NPC CARD

All athletes (except Canadian athletes) must be a member of the National Physique Committee.

Canadian athletes must have an active CPA card.

US ATHLETES NEED A VALID NPC USA CARD

ATHLETES FROM OUTSIDE THE US AND CANADA NEED JUST AN NPC WORLDWIDE CARD. USA card not required for athletes from outside the US and Canada

CARDS MUST BE PURCHASED BEFORE THE EVENT AND ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT CHECKIN. Purchase from the entry form on this site!

CARDS ARE NOT SOLD AT THE EVENT. PRE-PURCHASE ONE from entry form




IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS:


If you have further questions on qualifying requirements or this Arnold Amateur event, please review everything above. If your question is not covered here, please contact arnoldamateur@npcevents.com.