The World Surf League (WSL) has announced a significant evolution for its 2026 Championship Tour (CT), coinciding with the 50th anniversary of professional surfing. The upcoming season will feature a revamped 12-event schedule, an expanded women’s field, and a dramatic new format culminating in a high-stakes Pipe Masters finale. These changes aim to increase the consequence of every heat and elevate the sport’s premier competitive platform.
Key Takeaways
- 12-Event Schedule: The 2026 CT will span nine months and visit nine countries, featuring a mix of iconic and performance-oriented surf breaks.
- Expanded Women’s Field: The women’s roster will be larger than ever before, promoting greater inclusivity and competition.
- Revitalized Postseason: The tour will feature a two-event postseason leading into a climactic Pipe Masters finale.
- No More ‘Final Five’: The season will conclude with a cumulative points system, with the Pipe Masters carrying significant weight.
- Increased Stakes: Non-elimination rounds are removed, ensuring every heat has a direct impact on rankings.
A New Era for Professional Surfing
Marking a half-century of professional surfing, the 2026 WSL Championship Tour is set to usher in a new era with a comprehensive overhaul of its schedule and competitive formats. The season will kick off in April at Bells Beach, Australia, and conclude in December at the legendary Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii.
The 2026 Championship Tour Schedule
The 12-stop calendar promises a diverse range of waves and challenges for the world’s best surfers:
- Stop 1: Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia (April 1-11)
- Stop 2: Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia (April 17-27)
- Stop 3: Snapper Rocks, Queensland, Australia (May 2-12)
- Stop 4: Punta Roca, El Salvador (May 28 – June 7)
- Stop 5: Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (June 12-20)
- Stop 6: Jeffreys Bay, South Africa (July 10-20)
- Stop 7: Teahupo’o, Tahiti, French Polynesia (August 8-18)
- Stop 8: Cloudbreak, Fiji (August 25 – September 4)
- Stop 9: Lower Trestles, San Clemente, Calif., USA (September 11-20) – Last regular-season event
- Stop 10: Surf Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE (October 14-18) – Start of postseason
- Stop 11: Peniche, Portugal (October 22 – November 1) – Postseason
- Stop 12: Banzai Pipeline, Hawaiʻi, USA (December 8-20) – Pipe Masters Finale
Evolved Competition Formats
A significant change for 2026 is the elimination of non-elimination rounds. This means every heat will carry direct consequences for a surfer’s standing on the CT. The season will feature an expanded women’s field, with the majority of regular-season events including 36 men and 24 women. After the ninth stop, the field will narrow to 24 men and 16 women for the two postseason events in Abu Dhabi and Portugal.
A surfer’s best seven out of nine regular-season results will determine qualification for the postseason. The final World Champions will be crowned based on their best nine out of 12 results across the entire season.
The Pipe Masters Finale
The season will culminate at the iconic Banzai Pipeline for the Pipe Masters. This event will hold increased significance, offering 15,000 points – 1.5 times that of a standard CT event. The top eight men and women heading into Pipeline will receive advanced seeding, ensuring a dramatic and high-stakes conclusion to the World Title race. All surfers from the 2026 CT will compete in this finale, regardless of their postseason qualification.
A Commitment to Legacy and Future
WSL CEO Ryan Crosby stated, "These changes reflect our commitment to honoring surfing’s legacy while continuing to shape its future as the sport enters its 50th year." The updated formats and schedule are designed to provide a more compelling experience for both athletes and fans, leading professional surfing into its next chapter.
Sources
- World Surf League Releases 2026 Championship Tour Schedule and Formats, World Surf League.
- 2026 Championship Tour Schedule and Formats, World Surf League.
- New path to surfing World Title: Major WSL changes coming in 2026, FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
- Breaking: World Surf League Unveils Game-Changing 2026 Schedule, SURFER Magazine.
- World Surf League Drops ’26 Championship Tour Schedule!, BeachGrit.
