World Surf Tour to conclude in 2026 with the revival of the Surfing-Pipeline event
Surfing's Big Leagues Are Getting a Makeover: Here's What's Changing
buckle up, surf fans! the world surf league (wsl) is shaking things up for 2026 and beyond. the revamped championship tour (ct) promises a more exciting, unpredictable, and high-stakes finale at hawaii's infamous pipeline masters. let's dive in and see what's in store for our favorite wave riders.
for decades, the pipeline masters has been surfing's ultimate battlefield, attracting the sport's greatest talents such as kelly slater, gabriel medina, and john john florence. this year-end extravaganza has crowned numerous champions, solidifying its status as the sport's epicenter.
however, in recent years, the pipeline masters has served as the opening act, with a winner-takes-all contest for the top five surfers being held in softer waves in southern california. the 2025 finals are even being held in fiji. fortunately, that will change starting in 2026, when the pipeline masters returns to its rightful place as the season-ending showdown.
Ryan Crosby, the wsl's chief executive, acknowledges the special significance of the pipeline masters: "pipeline has always held a special place in surfing history, and our fans have made it clear they want to see our sport's most critical moments unfold there."
in addition to the return of the pipeline masters, the wsl is also making other changes to the tour. for instance, all 36 men and 24 women will now compete in the first nine "regular season" events and return for the 12th and final event at pipeline.
notable stops on the tour include bells beach in australia, jeffreys bay in south africa, the 2024 olympics venue of teahupo'o in tahiti, and new venues like surf abu dhabi and peniche in portugal. however, the pièce de résistance remains the pipeline masters, where results are worth 1.5 times the standard championship tour events. world titles will now be determined by a surfer's best nine results from the April-December tour.
"i've never felt anything like the moment i won at pipeline," said 2019 world champion Italo Ferreira. "winning the olympic gold medal and competing in the wsl finals were amazing, but nothing in surfing compares to winning the world title at pipe. i'm so excited for the chance to compete for that feeling again."
the wsl's controversial mid-season cut of one-third of competitors is also being tweaked. all surfers will now have the opportunity to compete in the first nine regular-season events, with only their best seven results counting towards their total. this is a major departure from the 2022–2025 "Final Five" structure that was criticized in the wsl's announcement.
heading into its 50th year in 2026, professional surfing has experimented with a variety of formats and venues in an effort to broaden its appeal. Crosby, a keen surfer for more than 20 years, recognizes the importance of focusing on what's best for the sport and its athletes, rather than pursuing short-term popularity.
"our goal is to really focus on doing what's right for surfing and doing what's right for surfers," Crosby told our website. "the belief is that focusing on that engaged audience is the organic growth mechanism to a broader audience."
with these changes, the wsl championship tour is poised to deliver a more thrilling, competitive, and unforgettable experience for both fans and surfers alike. here's to another 50 years of surfing history in the making!
2026 WSL Championship Tour Locations
- bells beach, victoria, australia
- Margaret river, western australia, australia
- snapper rocks, queensland, australia
- punta roca, el salvador
- saquarema, brazil
- jeffreys bay, south africa
- teahupo'o, tahiti
- cloudbreak, fiji
- lower trestles, california, usa*
- surf abu dhabi, united arab emirates
- peniche, portugal
- pipe masters, hawaii, usa**
* end of regular season, start of postseason** full championship tour fields rejoin postseason surfers to compete at pipe masters
- Italo Ferreira, a previous world champion, expressed his excitement for the return of the Pipeline Masters event in 2026, stating, "I've never felt anything like the moment I won at pipeline."
- The world surf league (WSL) announced that the Pipeline Masters will once again serve as the season-ending showdown, making it the pièce de résistance of the revamped championship tour (CT) starting from 2026.
- Ryan Crosby, the WSL's chief executive, emphasized the unique importance of the Pipeline Masters, stating, "Pipeline has always held a special place in surfing history, and our fans have made it clear they want to see our sport's most critical moments unfold there."
