The IAAF has introduced a new points format for the 2016 Diamond League season ©Getty Images

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has introduced a new points format for the 2016 Diamond League season, which will see athletes finishing in the top six places rewarded with points.

It differs from the previous six seasons of the global series where Diamond Race points were given to just the top three athletes.

Winners will receive 10 points with the runners-up receiving six and the third-place finishers receiving four.

Fourth spot will earn three points, while fifth and sixth will ensure two points and one point respectively.

As has always been the case, points will be doubled at the IAAF Diamond League finals in Zurich and Brussels.

The athlete with the most points at the end of the season wins the prestigious Diamond Trophy and the $40,000 (£28,300/€35,100) winner-takes-all first prize.

If two or more athletes are tied on points at the end of the season, the one with the most victories wins the Diamond Trophy.

Also new for this season is a change to the number of attempts for throwing events and horizontal jumps.

All athletes will have three attempts, after which the top four will get a further three attempts.

The new system will reward athletes finishing in the top six with Diamond Race points
The new system will reward athletes finishing in the top six with Diamond Race points ©Getty Images

Last month, it was announced that Rabat will become the first African city to host an IAAF Diamond League meeting after the event's General Assembly voted for the Moroccan capital to replace New York City in 2016.

The decision was made in Zurich, with Rabat joining a list of 14 locations which will host events during the prestigious series.

The event will be the third stop on the series, which sees the world’s top athletes compete in 32 individual track and field disciplines, with competition scheduled to be held on May 22.

It will follow the season opening competition in Doha on May 6, with events also scheduled to take place later that month in Shanghai and Eugene on May 14 and 28 respectively.

Rome, Birmingham, Oslo and Stockholm are set to stage events during June, before athletes undertake their final Rio 2016 Olympic preparations in Monaco on July 15 and London on July 22 and 23.

Newly-crowned Olympic champions are expected to be among those returning to the series on August 25 in Lausanne and two days later in Paris, before competition draws to a close with meetings in Zurich and Brussels on September 1 and 9 respectively.

The IAAF has confirmed that the Fantasy Diamond Race will be returning this year, offering fans the chance to be part of the series by demonstrating their own knowledge of the sport and ability to predict who will perform best at each of the meetings.