FIBO 2025 to include bodybuilding competition for amateurs and professionals

Germany’s FIBO fitness industry trade show, being held from 10th to 13th April 2025 at the Exhibition Centre Cologne, will see the 40th edition host bodybuilding competitions for amateurs and professionals.

With the NPC Worldwide FIBO Pro Qualifier Championships and IFBB FIBO Pro Championships presented by ESN and in co-operation with the IFBB Professional League, NPC Worldwide and NPC Germany, the championship will be a highlight of the event.

On 11th and 12th April 2025, the newly added Hall 11.1 at Exhibition Centre Cologne will be transformed into a competition arena in which visitors can look forward to two days of spectacular competitions where athletes from all over the world will showcase their hard work and passion.

Jens Thieme, Senior Visitor Experience Manager at FIBO shared “with the FIBO Championships, we not only bring exceptional athletes to the stage, but also celebrate the enormous discipline and passion that truly make bodybuilding so unique.

“And FIBO offers the perfect stage for bodybuilding competitions - after all, it's much more than just a trade show, it's the central meeting place for the entire fitness world. It's where fans, experts and decision-makers come together to experience the power, inspiration and diversity of this impressive world.”

The FIBO Championships 2025 promise pure excitement and emotion on two competition days - for the athletes on stage and the spectators in the audience.

Friday 11th April sees athletes compete in seven categories – from Men's Bodybuilding to Women's Wellness. The overall winners receive an IFBB Pro Card and can compete directly with the professionals the next day. The up-and-coming athletes are given a unique stage to present themselves and attract the attention of the bodybuilding community.

The 12th April spotlights the IFBB Pros in which top international athletes compete in the four classes Men's Open Bodybuilding, Men's Classic Physique, Women's Figure and Women's Bikini and demonstrate what it means to be at the top of bodybuilding. The focus is not only on muscle mass, but also on symmetry, posing and stage presence. Each pose is an expression of years of dedication and tells a unique story of passion and triumph. The winners of the IFBB Pro Championships can also look forward to a total prize money of US$115,000.

On partnership, Jim Manion, President IFBB Pro League / NPC, and Tyler Manion, Vice President note  “FIBO has a long-standing history of being one of the world's most impressive health and fitness events.  We are incredibly excited to partner with their team once again to elevate and bring the best of the best from the IFBB Professional League and NPC Worldwide to the bodybuilding community, continuing to strengthen this multi-year partnership.”

ESN, a German brand, will be the exclusive presenting sponsor of the championships with Philipp Markmann, General Manager ESN adding “Bodybuilding is the core of our brand and deeply rooted in our DNA. As the presenting partner of the FIBO Championships 2025, we are proud to provide a stage for athletes and support the community that has shaped us so profoundly. These championships represent performance, passion, and the drive to achieve one’s best – values that we at ESN have embodied and promoted since the very beginning.”

Silke Frank, Event Director at FIBO shared “FIBO is and will remain the place-to-be for fitness enthusiasts, industry experts and athletes from the functional, calisthenics, strength and bodybuilding sectors. The FIBO Championships will be seamlessly integrated into a multitude of show highlights that will make FIBO 2025 a very special event.

“With an even larger Expo area, new shopping malls and spectacular live experiences, we continue to develop the trade show every year in order to offer our visitors an unforgettable experience even after 40 years and to inspire them again and again. In doing so, we pursue our vision: For a strong and healthy society. Because FIBO is not just a trade fair, it is a platform that inspires, strengthens and connects people.”

Registration for athletes will start shortly.

Click here for more information on FIBO in our industry Calendar.

Image top. Bodybuilding Championship; Image below:Spectators Credit: RX Deutschland GmbH / FIBO