CrossFit Community Cup 2025 marks a significant shift in the CrossFit Games qualification process, replacing the quarterfinals with a more inclusive competition format. Athletes who complete all Open workouts will now have the opportunity to participate in this new event, unlike the previous system that limited advancement to only the top 10-25% of competitors.
Scheduled from June 9th to June 15th, 2025, the Community Cup 2025 workouts will feature three challenges released one week before the competition begins. Furthermore, each workout will include modifications designed for different skill levels, making the event accessible to a wider range of participants. Athletes will also benefit from an extended training period, with several months between the February-March Open and the June competition.
This comprehensive guide explores everything competitors need to know about participating in and how to watch CrossFit Community Cup 2025, including its structure, significance for affiliate gyms, and what makes this format revolutionary for the CrossFit community.
What is the Community Cup 2025?
Essentially, it’s an affiliate-based online competition designed for athletes who completed all three workouts during the 2025 CrossFit Open. The competition runs for one week from June 9-15, featuring three workouts that participants can complete in any order. One of the most notable aspects is how the Cup creates an even playing field by grouping athletes into five distinct tiers—Rookie, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and Pro—based on their Open performance.
Why it replaced quarterfinals
Previously, the quarterfinals system limited advancement opportunities to just the top performers—initially only 10% and later expanded to 25% of Open participants. This structure left the majority of CrossFit enthusiasts without a competitive outlet after the Open.
In response, CrossFit developed the Community Cup to potentially include over 260,000 more athletes in the post-Open competition phase. Moreover, the new format offers greater precision in rankings, allowing athletes to see exactly where they stand among peers with similar abilities, rather than against the entire global field.
How it fits into the CrossFit season
The Community Cup occupies a strategic position in the 2025 CrossFit calendar, occurring several months after the February-March Open. This intentional gap provides athletes with additional training time between major competitions. Additionally, the Cup serves as a bridge in the competitive season, offering most participants a meaningful way to extend their CrossFit journey beyond the Open.
What makes this format particularly special is its focus on affiliate community building—individual scores contribute to a gym’s overall ranking, creating a team-oriented atmosphere where every athlete’s performance matters regardless of their tier. This structure reinforces CrossFit’s core values of inclusivity and community while maintaining the competitive spirit that drives the sport.
How the Community Cup 2025 Works?
The structure of the CrossFit Community Cup 2025 follows a straightforward format designed to maximize participation while maintaining competitive integrity. Here’s exactly how this new competition works:
Community Cup 2025 dates and timeline
The inaugural Community Cup runs for one week from June 9-15, 2025. Registration opens on May 12, 2025, giving athletes nearly a month to prepare. All scores must be submitted by Sunday, June 15, before 5 p.m. PT. This timeline provides sufficient flexibility for participants to schedule their workouts around personal commitments, as the competition window spans an entire week.
Workout format and release schedule
In contrast to the surprise element of the Open, all three Community Cup workouts will be released a full week before the competition begins. This advance notice allows affiliate owners to prepare their facilities and integrate the workouts into their class schedules. Notably, CrossFit will provide class plans through the Affiliate Toolkit to help gym owners deliver a seamless experience.
Athletes can complete the three workouts in any order throughout the competition week. Each workout features appropriate modifications for different skill tiers, ensuring the challenges remain meaningful yet achievable for everyone from Rookies to Pros.
How to participate and submit scores
First, athletes must have completed all three workouts in the 2025 CrossFit Open to receive an official competition level. Subsequently, registration must be completed through the athlete’s competition dashboard. Two registration options exist:
- Basic registration: $20 (includes a $25 Velites gift card)
- Premium bundle: $40 (includes t-shirt, gift card, and nutrition course)
Despite the online score submission process, all workouts must be performed at an affiliate in good standing. However, participants aren’t restricted to their home gym—any affiliate in good standing will suffice. Once scores are submitted, they’re automatically validated without requiring affiliate manager approval.
A crucial rule: athletes cannot switch competition levels or scale workouts differently than prescribed for their assigned tier. These guidelines ensure competitive fairness throughout this community-focused event.
What Makes this Format Different?
The CrossFit Community Cup 2025 reimagines competitive fitness through several distinctive features that set it apart from previous CrossFit competition formats. These innovations create a more inclusive and meaningful experience for athletes across all skill levels.
More time to train between Open and Cup
Unlike the tight turnaround between the Open and previous qualification stages, athletes now benefit from several months of dedicated training time. The gap between the February-March Open and the June Community Cup provides a significant window for competitors to address weaknesses identified during the Open.
This extended preparation period allows participants to focus on specific movements, build strength, or improve conditioning before testing their progress again. Consequently, athletes can arrive at the Community Cup better prepared and potentially see measurable improvements in their performance.
Level-based competition explained
At the heart of the Community Cup’s innovative approach is its tiered competition structure based on Open performance. Instead of competing against everyone worldwide, athletes are grouped into five distinct tiers:
- Rookie: Athletes in the 0-21st percentile
- Novice: Athletes in the 22-43rd percentile
- Intermediate: Athletes in the 44-65th percentile
- Advanced: Athletes in the 66-87th percentile
- Pro: Athletes in the 88-100th percentile
This tiered approach creates fair matchups between similarly skilled competitors. For instance, a Rookie athlete won’t face the same standards as someone in the Pro tier. Furthermore, these tiers remain fixed throughout the competition—athletes cannot switch levels or scale differently than prescribed for their assigned tier. This structure ensures integrity throughout the competition while simultaneously making success more achievable for participants at every level.
Workout modifications for all tiers
Perhaps the most groundbreaking aspect of the Community Cup format is how each workout is specifically programmed with modifications appropriate to each tier. Accordingly, a deadlift workout might feature different weights for Rookie versus Advanced athletes, or gymnastic movements might be adjusted based on skill level.
All three workouts will be affiliate-friendly and deliberately designed to challenge each level appropriately. This thoughtful scaling means every athlete faces challenges suited to their abilities—not too easy to be meaningless, yet not impossibly difficult. Throughout the competition week, these tailored workouts create an equitable testing environment where every participant can push their limits within an appropriate context.
Why the Community Cup Matters?
Beyond its competitive structure, the CrossFit Community Cup 2025 represents a significant shift in CrossFit’s approach to community-building and inclusive competition. This new format offers substantial benefits that extend far beyond simply determining who can lift the most weight or complete workouts the fastest.
Support for CrossFit affiliates
The Community Cup puts affiliates at the center of the CrossFit ecosystem. Every participant’s score contributes directly to their gym’s overall ranking, meaning each effort matters regardless of tier. This affiliate-focused approach energizes local gyms by creating a shared goal that unites members across all skill levels.
Indeed, CrossFit is also recognizing participation, team spirit, and creative community involvement, giving affiliates more ways to stand out. For gym owners, the Community Cup presents a perfect opportunity to strengthen member connections, showcase their community’s spirit, and potentially attract new members through this collective experience.
Opportunities for personal growth
Although the Community Cup creates tiered competitions, its primary value lies in personal development. By grouping athletes with peers of similar abilities, the Cup makes every rep and lift meaningful and achievable. This approach fosters an inclusive, encouraging atmosphere where participants can genuinely challenge themselves without feeling overwhelmed.
Furthermore, the Community Cup serves as a mid-year fitness checkpoint, allowing athletes to test skills they’ve been developing since the Open. Above all, this format enables participants to celebrate progress, bond with their affiliate community, and enjoy pushing their limits in a supportive environment.
How to watch CrossFit Community Cup 2025
For those interested in following the CrossFit Community Cup 2025, viewing options will primarily focus on community-generated content. Given the affiliate-centered nature of this competition, many gyms will likely share highlights through their social media channels and community platforms. CrossFit headquarters may also feature top performances and community stories across their official channels.
Spectators can experience the Community Cup firsthand by visiting participating affiliates during the competition week (June 9-15), supporting friends and fellow members as they tackle the three workouts. This grassroots approach to viewership aligns perfectly with the community-oriented spirit that defines this innovative competition format.
Final Words
The CrossFit Community Cup 2025 represents a fundamental shift in how fitness competitions can build stronger gym communities. Unlike traditional competitions where only elite performances get recognition, this event celebrates participation just as much as performance. Registered participants will receive a USD 25.00 Velites gift card, making it a worthwhile investment even beyond the competitive experience.
For many CrossFit enthusiasts balancing training with family, work, and other responsibilities, the Community Cup offers a focused week of purpose-driven workouts without the pressure of a full competition season. It creates a special opportunity to rally around your community, test your fitness, and rediscover your “why” in a supportive environment.
Throughout the June 9-15 competition window, gyms across the world will transform into hubs of excitement, encouragement, and shared achievement. The tiered format ensures every athlete—from Rookies to Pros—faces appropriate challenges that push their limits without being overwhelming. This approach makes the event genuinely inclusive while maintaining competitive integrity.
At its core, the Community Cup represents what makes CrossFit special: real effort, real people, and real community all happening inside affiliate walls. The event encourages participants to help teammates through tough sets and celebrate unexpected PRs together. When an athlete contributes to their gym’s leaderboard by simply showing up and pushing harder than usual, they’re already winning.
Think of the Community Cup as the CrossFit Affiliate Games—a chance to challenge yourself, connect with others, and participate in something bigger than individual achievement. It’s an opportunity to grow as an athlete, compete at your appropriate level, and strengthen bonds with your fitness community.