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- What: 2026 World Surf League Men’s Championship
- Date: April 1st-December 20th, 2026
- Location: Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia; Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia; Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; Raglan, New Zealand; Punta Roca, La Libertad, El Salvador; Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Teahupoʻo, Tahiti, French Polynesia; Cloudbreak, Fiji; Lower Tresles, San Clemente, California, USA; Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Supertubos, Peniche, Portugal; Oahu, Hawaii, USA
- Venue: Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, Western Australia, Margaret River Pro, Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro, Corona Cero New Zealand Pro, Surf City El Salvador Pro, VIVO Rio Pro, Tahiti Pro, Fiji Pro, Lexus Trestles Pro, Surf Abu Dhabi, MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, Lexus Pipe Masters
Professional surfing turns 50 in 2026, and the World Surf League is pulling out all the stops.
The Championship Tour spans nine months and visits 12 events across nine countries. The season kicks off at Bells Beach in April and builds through stops at Snapper Rocks, Margaret River, Raglan, El Salvador, Saquarema, Fiji, Teahupo’o, and Lower Trestles. It all wraps up at Banzai Pipeline in December, with the Pipe Masters carrying 15,000 points.
The format has also been overhauled. Non-elimination rounds have been removed, meaning a loss in Round 1 ends your event immediately. Turning up the stakes from day one should increase the intensity.
Defending champion Yago Dora arrives looking to prove his 2025 title was no fluke. The Brazilian is electric in powerful surf and figures to thrive at both Pipeline and Teahupo’o. Griffin Colapinto and Jack Robinson are other names most likely to challenge him. Both are proven at elite venues and hungry for a first world title.
The wildcard situation makes this season really interesting. Three-time world champion Gabriel Medina returns after sitting out the 2025 season. Medina is one of the most gifted competitive surfers alive. Rust could be a factor early, but underestimating him at Pipeline would be a mistake.
When it comes to placing your bets and answering any betting questions, take a look at our in-depth betting guide.
2026 World Surf League Men’s Championship Odds
| Movie |  |  |  |
| Gabriel Medina | +400 | +500 | +500 |
| Yago Dora | +650 | +600 | +600 |
| Griffin Colapinto | +400 | +650 | +650 |
| Italo Ferreira | +1000 | +800 | +800 |
| Jack Robinson | +450 | +800 | +800 |
| Ethan Ewing | +650 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Filip Toledo | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Kauli Vaast | +1600 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Kanoa Igrashi | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Leonardo Fioravanti | +4000 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Barron Mamiya | +3300 | +3000 | +3000 |
| Jordy Smith | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 |
| Cole Houshmand | +4000 | +5000 | +5000 |
| Joao Chianca | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 |
| Morgan Cibilic | +3600 | +6600 | +6600 |
Gabriel Medina
We have to discuss the Medina factor. Unlike the other returning wildcards, Medina missed 2025 due to injury rather than choice. A severe pectoral tear suffered in January 2025 wiped out his entire season. That context matters. He is not returning rusty from a sabbatical. He is returning hungry from a forced absence.
Reports suggest his time away functioned more like a full mental, physical, and emotional reset than a simple recovery. He spent his time surfing freely at his co-owned wave pool in São Paulo, reconnecting with the joy of surfing without rankings or jerseys.
A partir de agora, o Tricampeão Mundial @gabriel1medina vestirá a lycra #1 🇧🇷
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From now on, three-time World Champion @gabriel1medina will wear the #1 jersey 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/Jht2pXLvME— World Surf League (@wsl) February 28, 2026
The 2026 schedule suits him well. Stops at Teahupo’o, Fiji, and the heavily weighted Pipe Masters are all waves where Medina has historically excelled. Over 13 seasons, he has won 18 CT events and three world titles. If the pectoral holds up, a fourth title is well within reach.
Yago Dora
No defending champion in history has had to wait as long as Dora to start their title defense. All that time off? It’s a double-edged sword. The hunger may be sharper, but so is the target on his back. Dora’s 2025 title came in the absence of both John John Florence and Gabriel Medina. This fueled his detractors’ wondering how much the title actually counted.
Flow & estilo impecável do atual melhor surfista do mundo Yago Dora AO VIVO em Fiji 🇧🇷
World No. 1 Yago Dora’s flow is undeniable, especially with those Mick Fanning FCS fins, a bit different from his usual AM2 choice. The Brazilian used to ride Futures before, but it looks like… pic.twitter.com/gLqgADyRIM
— World Surf League (@wsl) August 28, 2025
Dora has a decade of experience, pure talent, and a fierce competitive will to claim surfing’s top prize once again. He’s proved he could build points consistently across a full season, which is exactly how the new format is set up.
It would be foolish to dismiss Dora here, and I’d absolutely bet on Dora to repeat as champion at +650 odds.
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Griffin Colapinto
Colapinto may be the most compelling title contender who has never won a world championship. The San Clemente native finished as runner-up on the Championship Tour in 2025. Prior to 2025, he finished in third-place in both 2023 and 2024. In the new cumulative points format, this type of steady production is exactly what wins titles.
can’t count how many excellent waves Griffin Colapinto has caught in and out of the jersey at Lowers 🇺🇸
Semifinals 🔜 watch the @lexus #TrestlesPro live ar https://t.co/ie0ZfMVLPY@outerknown pic.twitter.com/CsEtRjdBMx
— World Surf League (@wsl) June 14, 2025
He’s got a great chance this season. His strengths align beautifully with the 2026 schedule. Lower Trestles is his home break, and he has event wins in El Salvador and Fiji. After years of heartbreak and podium finishes, can Colapinto finally put it all together?
At +650, I like Colapinto due to the new format. I’d take a chance on him at this price.
Jack Robinson
Jack Robinson is one of the most physically imposing surfers on tour. The West Australian comes into the season off a Final 5 spot in 2025. He delivered impressive performances at Tahiti Pro and Teahupo’o, solidifying his contender status.
As clutch as it gets 🏆
Heading to Tahiti, the Aussie prodigy Jack Robinson needed to win the event to make it to the WSL Finals. The rest is history… pic.twitter.com/9qEAMXa7Jm
— World Surf League (@wsl) December 21, 2025
He’s evolved from a former tube-riding prodigy into a versatile world-title surfing threat. The schedule is favorable to him as well, with friendly venues. He’s thrived during heavy water events, and a season-ending at Pipeline fits his style perfectly.
Robinson at +800 is just a bit too much for me. I think he performs well this season, but I would be shocked if he ended up winning. I’d pass on him at this price.
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