European SUP League Bigger in 2026: 6 Stops, 5 Nations, 1 Continental Title

Following its successful launch in 2025, the European SUP League (ESL) returns in 2026 with a broader international footprint and an expanded competitive structure. The inaugural season featured four events across two countries — three in Spain and one in Portugal — and marked the first step toward creating a unified professional circuit for SUP Racing in Europe, officially sanctioned by the the European Surfing Association 

For 2026, the league grows significantly, with six events scheduled across five different European countries. The updated calendar reflects both the rapid development of the circuit and the ESL’s commitment to establishing a consistent, high-quality European competition platform.

The first-ever overall winners of the ESL were Christian Andersen (DK) and Alba Frey (ES) — now the question is: who will take the crown in 2026?

A Refined Calendar for 2026

After an extensive review process carried out in collaboration with each local organizer, the ESL has confirmed the official calendar for the 2026 season. The evaluation was conducted according to the guidelines set by the ESL Technical Committee and the European Surfing Federation (ESF), ensuring that each event meets the sporting and organizational standards required to host a stop of the European league.

The final calendar was defined through the joint work of ESL Technical Director Daniel Parres and the ESF technical committee, led by Technical Director Tiago Motos together with Executive Committee member Michael Lindberg.

While seven events had originally been announced in December, the circuit will ultimately feature six stops in 2026 after adjustments to the schedule.

The 2026 ESL Tour

#1 The season will open in Santa Pola, Spain (April 24–26) with the World SUP Festival Costa Blanca and a full program including Sprint, Technical Race and Long Distance events. The stop will also host several community races such as an inflatable long distance race, a popular race and brand relays. The prize purse reaches €5,000 per scoring race (Total: €15,000)

#2 Just one week later, the circuit heads to the Lido Gandoli Race in Taranto, Italy (May 1–2), where Mario Tagarelli and the crew at SUP Academy Taranto will welcome athletes competing in Technical Race and Long Distance disciplines, again accompanied by popular participation events. Prize money will amount to €3,000 per scoring race (Total: €6,000)

#3 The tour then moves to the Big Paddle Festival in Zürich, Switzerland (June 20–21) with a full program of Sprint, Technical Race and Long Distance competitions, offering €3,000 per scoring race (Total: €9,000)

#4 Only a week later, Racibórz, Poland (June 27–28) hosts the fourth stop as part of the Odra SUP Cup, featuring Sprint and Technical Race formats with €3,000 prize money per race (Total: €6,000)

#5 After the summer break, the league resumes in Huelva, Spain (September 5–6) with Sprint and Technical Race competitions and €3,000 per scoring race (Total: €6,000)

#6 The 2026 season will conclude for the second consecutive year in Sesimbra, Portugal (September 11–13). The grand finale includes Sprint, Technical Race and Long Distance events and will deliver the overall prize money of €30,000.

Adjustment to the Calendar

As part of the technical review process, the event initially planned in Pornichet, France, will not be included in the 2026 circuit, as it did not meet the minimum organizational requirements established by the ESL technical committee.

The ESL and the European Surfing Federation have maintained constructive dialogue with the local organizers, with the aim of potentially integrating the event into future editions once the required standards are achieved.

European Titles and Expanded Categories

Beyond individual race victories, the 2026 season will also crown several official European champions under the framework of the European Surfing Federation. Titles will be awarded in the three main disciplines — Sprint, Technical Race and Long Distance — as well as for the overall European ranking.

The Open division will include five official age-group titles: Under-18, Masters 40+, Grand Masters 50+, Kahuna 60+, alongside the Sub-16 youth category.

To encourage participation and grassroots development, additional non-official promotional categories will also be featured, including Sub-8, Sub-10 Sub-12 and Sub-14 divisions. Riders of any age will also have the possibility to compete directly in the Open category.

The Yellow Jersey and the Battle for the Overall

One of the distinctive elements of the ESL circuit is the overall ranking system. The leader of the standings after each stop earns the right to wear the circuit’s yellow jersey throughout the next competition — a visible symbol of consistency and performance across the season.

Official Media Coverage

The ESL has also partnered with the TotalSUP team as one of the circuit’s official media partners. TotalSUP will provide comprehensive coverage throughout the season. This includes on-site reporting at every event, pre-event athlete interviews and detailed post-event reports.

I will be present at each stop of the tour to anchor the official ESL video productions, livestream coverage and behind-the-scenes content, while also producing interviews, stories and live race updates for the international sup race community, family and friends.

Looking Ahead

Registration links for the 2026 events will be progressively released in the coming weeks through the league’s official communication channels. Registrations are already open for the World SUP Festival Costa Blanca April 24-26!
www.europeansupleague.com
www.youtube.com/@EUROPEANSUPLEAGUE
www.facebook.com/esl.europesupleague
www.instagram.com/european_sup_league/