Australia to host first three events of 2026 WSL Champions Tour
Australian surfers are the big winners in a revamped 2026 World Surf League (WSL) calendar that has axed the divisive finals day to decide the world champions.
The WSL has announced a new schedule, pushing the Championship Tour back from a January start to kick off at Bells Beach in April.
This is followed by events at Margaret River and Snapper Rocks, giving Australian surfers a flying start in their home breaks.
Photo shows
Female surfer speaking to media, smiling, prior to a surfing event
Surfing legend Stephanie Gilmore has said the competitive fires are still burning as she prepares to return to the World Surf League this weekend on the Gold Coast.
"I think kicking off the tour in Australia is a great way to start," WSL boss Ryan Crosby told AAP.
"There's so many amazing and iconic waves in Australia, it was a really good opportunity for us to start the season here and we're excited to do that.
"This change actually does a lot of things for us as it puts us into a lot of really good swell periods for all of our venues.
"It also allows us to bring the European leg into October, which is a big help for us because that's a really good window for them so that'll be a big improvement.
"Portugal will now be in a time of year when the wave will actually be better."
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There are still 12 events, with the Pipe Masters in Hawaii held in December the tour finale, with a win in that event worth 15,000 points instead of the usual 10,000.
The controversial mid-season cut has been softened, coming after the ninth tour stop at Lower Trestles in California, and that will be determined by a surfer's best seven results.
The fields of 36 men and 24 women will then be narrowed to 24 men and 16 women for stops 10 and 11 before all surfers return for the iconic North Shore event, with the top eight seeded.
Crosby said surfers were surveyed and represented by a new advisory council in discussions about the changes.
"We were talking about what's the optimal form for the league and what do we want it to look like, and the answer that kept popping up for us was finishing at the world's most iconic wave," Crosby said.
"We were listening to surfer feedback, to fan feedback — we spent a lot of time actually talking to the surfers."
Jack Robinson celebrates winning the final at Bells Beach with fans.
(
AAP: World Surf League/Ed Sloane
)
West Australian Jack Robinson, who won at Bells Beach last month and has competed in the one-day finals over the three years its been held, backed crowning the world champion at Pipeline.
"Pipeline is what it's all about — there's a reason so many people dedicate their lives to mastering it," he said in a statement.
"Starting my 2023 season with a win at Pipe was huge, but I can only imagine how incredible it would be to end the season winning both the event and the world title there.
"It's exciting to see the CT keep evolving, and I'm stoked the WSL is listening to feedback and working hard to make the tour better for everyone."
World Surf League Champions Tour calendar 2026
Round 1: Bells Beach, Victoria
Round 2: Margaret River, Western Australia
Round 3: Snapper Rocks, Queensland
Round 4: Punta Roca, El Salvador
Round 5: Saquarema, Brazil
Round 6: Jeffreys Bay, South Africa
Round 7: Teahupo'o, Tahiti
Round 8: Cloudbreak, Fiji
Round 9: Lower Trestles, United States
Start of post-season
Round 10: Surf Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Round 11: Peniche, Portugal
Round 12: Pipe Masters, Hawaii
AAP
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