The World Surf League has unveiled the complete 2026 Championship Tour calendar, featuring a revamped 12-stop schedule that marks the 50th year of the World Tour.
The season will run from April to December, with the tour starting in Australia and concluding in Hawaii with a revitalised Pipe Masters finale. For the first time, men and women will compete across a fully combined schedule, with an increased women’s field joining the tour.
The regular season will feature nine events with 36 men and 24 women. Following stop nine at Lower Trestles in California, the fields narrow to 24 men and 16 women for stops 10 and 11, before full Championship Tour fields return to compete for the Pipe Masters titles at the season finale.
World Titles will be determined by each surfer’s best nine of 12 results across the season.
WSL CEO Ryan Crosby said the organisation was excited to celebrate the milestone anniversary with the updated format.
“We’re excited to welcome this new location to the CT in the 50th year of the World Tour,” Crosby said, referring to the addition of Raglan, New Zealand, as the tour’s fourth stop.
The 2026 season also introduces a streamlined competition format that removes non-elimination rounds. The WSL said this change raises the stakes from the outset and creates greater opportunities for high-impact heats to run in optimal conditions.
Australian Leg
The tour begins with three consecutive events in Australia during April and May.
Bells Beach in Victoria hosts the season opener from April 1-11, followed by Margaret River in Western Australia from April 16-26. The Australian leg concludes at Snapper Rocks in Queensland from May 1-11.
New Zealand Debut
Raglan, New Zealand, joins the calendar as stop four, scheduled for May 15-25. The event will be held at Manu Bay, a left-hand point break located on the west coast of the North Island’s Waikato region.
The addition marks the biggest surfing event ever staged in New Zealand. The 2026 “Backdoor King and Queen of the Point” event staged by Surfing New Zealand in early May will serve as the official trials, with the best performing man and woman receiving wildcards into the Championship Tour event.
2025 WSL World Champion Yago Dora welcomed the addition of a left-hand wave to the schedule.
“I’m very happy with the addition of a rippable left on tour,” Dora said. “It’s been a long time asking to have one on the schedule, and we finally got it!”
Women’s 2025 World Champion Molly Picklum was equally enthusiastic.
“We don’t have a rippable left point break on tour, so I absolutely love that I get to bring out the backside attack,” Picklum said.
Central American and South American Stops
The tour heads to Central America in June, with Punta Roca in El Salvador hosting stop five from June 5-15. The following week, surfers travel to South America for stop six at Saquarema in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from June 19-27.
Pacific Island Swing
August sees the tour move to the Pacific Islands for two events. Teahupo’o in Tahiti, French Polynesia, hosts stop seven from August 8-18, followed by Cloudbreak in Fiji from August 25 to September 4.
North American and Middle Eastern Events
Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California, hosts stop nine from September 11-20. This marks the final event of the regular season before fields are reduced.
Stop 10 takes place at Surf Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates from October 14-18, featuring the reduced field of 24 men and 16 women.
European Stop
Peniche in Portugal hosts stop 11 from October 22 to November 1, also featuring the reduced field.
Pipe Masters Finale
The season concludes at Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii from December 8-20. The revitalised Pipe Masters will close the season with a high-stakes, all-inclusive finale, with full Championship Tour fields competing for the prestigious Pipe Masters titles.
Full 2026 WSL Championship Tour Calendar
- Stop 1: Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia – April 1-11
- Stop 2: Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia – April 16-26
- Stop 3: Snapper Rocks, Queensland, Australia – May 1-11
- Stop 4: Raglan, New Zealand – May 15-25
- Stop 5: Punta Roca, El Salvador – June 5-15
- Stop 6: Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – June 19-27
- Stop 7: Teahupo’o, Tahiti, French Polynesia – August 8-18
- Stop 8: Cloudbreak, Fiji – August 25 to September 4
- Stop 9: Lower Trestles, San Clemente, California, USA – September 11-20
- Stop 10: Surf Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE – October 14-18 (reduced field)
- Stop 11: Peniche, Portugal – October 22 to November 1 (reduced field)
- Stop 12: Banzai Pipeline, Hawaii, USA – December 8-20 (Pipe Masters)
