British Athletics have announced an Athletics World Cup will take place in July ©British Athletics

British Athletics have announced the launch of an Athletics World Cup competition featuring, what they claim, are the sport's top eight nations.

The hosts will be joined by the United States, Poland, China, Germany, France, Jamaica and South Africa at the London Stadium.

It comes after the venue successfully staged the 2017 World Para Athletics and World Athletics Championships, five years on from hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Competition will take place in evening sessions over two days with each nation competing for a prize pool of $2 million (£1.4 million/€1.6 million).

"The Athletics World Cup London 2018 will be one of the biggest athletics events in 2018 and as such we’re thrilled to be able to launch it at the London Stadium," said Richard Bowker, the chair of UK Athletics. 

"This is world-class competition where nation will face nation and fans will see an amazing feast of athletics over two days featuring many of the biggest global superstars in the world of sport.

"This will be an incredible event which we are thrilled to be able to launch on the back of a highly-successful World Championships last summer."

The competition format will feature all track and field events up to, and including, the 1500 metres.

One man and one woman from the eight nations will contest each event in a straight final format.

Organisers have also announced that the event, in conjunction with a "Behind Every Great City" gender equality campaign launched by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, will mark the 100-year anniversary of women being given the vote in the United Kingdom.

Each nation will select a female athlete as their team captain for the competition.

All track events up to and including the 1500 metres will take place ©Getty Images
All track events up to and including the 1500 metres will take place ©Getty Images

The event has been given the backing of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

IAAF President Sebastian Coe has claimed it will be "fast-paced and exhilarating".

"This is one of the exciting innovative events we are seeing in our sport and our thanks go to British Athletics and the Mayor of London for creating it and hosting it," he added. 

"We have eight lanes, eight top nations, eight teams and a host of world class athletes lining up in each event to win the trophy and prize pot.

"This will be a fast-paced and exhilarating experience for athletes and fans."

The first edition of the event is due to take place on July 14 and 15, the same weekend as the Wimbledon tennis final and FIFA World Cup final in Russia.

Fans are being encouraged to register their interest for tickets by clicking here. 

A ballot will then be held in April.