The countdown is on to one of the most ambitious and exciting developments in competitive club surfing.
The 2026 World Club Championship will be held from the 13th-15th of February and will include 32 of the world’s top boardriders clubs who will converge on the iconic Snapper Rocks surf break on the Gold Coast to compete for the ultimate prize in boardriders club surfing.
In collaboration with the US Boardriders Clubs (USBC), the inaugural Championship will also see the rollout of a brand-new team’s format.
Teams will still consist of four competitors:
- 1 Open Men’s (any age)
- 1 Open Women’s (any age)
- 1 Junior (must be under 20 before 27 February 2026)
- 1 Master (must be 40 or over on or before 27 February 2026
This new structure is designed to ensure every team showcases a balance of youth, experience, and elite talent, making for thrilling and unpredictable heats.
The Field is Set to be Fierce:
This global contest will feature elite clubs from Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Europe, United Kingdom, Japan, and the Pacific Islands. International clubs already confirmed include:
- Legian Boardriders Club (Indonesia)
- Omi Wan Boardriders (Japan)
- Bay Boardriders (New Zealand)
- La Torche (France)
- Federation Tahitienne De Surf (Tahiti)
- Portugal
- Newquay (UK)
- Space Coast Boardriders Club (Florida)
- Kauai Boardriders (Hawaii)
- North Shore Oahu (Hawaii)
- Huntington Beach (California)
- Santa Cruz (California)
- San Diego Encinitas Boardriders Club (California)
- Wrightsville Beach (North Carolina)
- South Bay Boardriders (California)
- San Clemente (California)
The eight US mainland clubs were selected based on their results at the US Boardriders National Championships, where the top eight teams secured a place. Kauai Boardriders qualified through their result as a 2025 World Club Challenge finalist.
National qualifying formats are being replicated in other countries. France hosted its own selection event, Japan follows a similar process, while New Zealand runs an annual qualifying competition. Portugal has also adopted its own national pathway.
Australia’s Pathway to the Championship
Australia will be represented by 16 clubs, with selection coming through:
- Automatic qualification for 2025 World Club Challenge finalists: North Narrabeen, Snapper Rocks, Culburra, and Kauai Boardriders (international finalist).
- Top 4 from the 2025 Australian Boardriders Battle (held at Burleigh Heads in April 2025).
- Select winners of Australian Boardriders Battle Regionals: WA, QLD, VIC, NSW North, NSW South, NSW Central (to be held in October/November 2025).
- Remaining spots determined by a combination of next-in-line placements (overlaps, doubled-up qualifiers) and past recent ABB National Champions.
With national pride on the line and the world watching, the 2026 World Club Championship promises to deliver surfing at its absolute best — and with the new format, every heat will count.
Stay tuned for more updates as the world’s top clubs prepare to make history at Snapper Rocks.