World Surf League Announces Major Changes to World Tour Format in 2026

For the past five years, the World Surf League (WSL) has undertaken an experiment that noticeably changed the structure of the world tour and world championship.

WSL’s 2021 Format Shift: A New Structure

Starting in 2021, the WSL implemented a series of rules impacting how the tour was scheduled and the championship was won. The biggest changes were a midyear cut that saw the bottom third of the tour rankings dropped from the tour (forced to fight for requalification on the Challenger series) and the single-day championship event that was contested by the five top-ranked surfers on both the women and men’s tours. At the end of the 10-event regular season, rather than awarding the world title to the person with the highest cumulative point total, the top five battled it out at Trestles for the title, with each surfer’s seeding in the championship event based on their year-end ranking.

Mixed Reactions and Key Criticisms

This new structure was controversial, to say the least. While it had some pros—such as shortened events in the back half of the season and a made-for-television finals event that was scheduled ahead of time and offered guaranteed drama, it also replaced Pipeline with Trestles as the final, deciding event of the year. In addition, it penalized surfers who had dominated their seasons with multiple wins and huge points leads, as they were still required to win on finals day in order to claim the championship cup.

Arguments for and Against the Format

While there were some arguments for this format—such as the fact that it reflected the format in other sports, that it forced the world’s best to be able to perform under pressure, and that it gave underdogs a chance to win world titles (such as Steph Gilmore, who famously surfed her way from the fifth ranking all the way through to the championship, winning her record-breaking eighth world title—it also heavily favored surfers whose approach was fit naturally with the wave at Lower Trestles and robbed consistently dominant athletes of what would previously have been guaranteed world titles.

Photo from: worldsurfleague.com

Carissa Moore: A Case Study in Format Impact

The biggest example of this was Carissa Moore, who lost three world titles in the single-day finals format during years when she absolutely dominated the regular season and came into the finals with hefty points leads. If it weren’t for the WSL’s experiment, Carissa would have won eight world titles instead of five, and Steph Gilmore would only have won seven—which means Carissa would be the record holder for most female world titles.

WSL’s Reversal: Back to Traditional Format in 2026

After five years of this format, the WSL’s new CEO, Ryan Crosby, announced this week that the world tour will be reverting to its traditional format—albeit with a few small changes. Starting in 2026, the world tour will no longer use the single-day finals format. Instead, the athlete with the highest cumulative points total at the end of the season will once again be crowned world champion. In addition, the Pipe Masters will once again be the final stop on the world tour (rather than the opening event, as it has been the past five years), with the WSL regaining the rights to the Pipe Masters IP from Vans.

Pipe Masters Returns as the Final Event

And to increase the influence of Pipe on the world tour, the points at the Pipe Masters will receive extra weight (with a multiplier of 1.5). While the other 11 events of the year will award 10,000 points to the winner, the “finals” event at Pipeline will award 15,000 to the winner, with the other placings also increased by the same multiplier.

Other Format Changes in Detail

Other changes to the format include the fact that the first-round non-elimination heat will no longer occur in events (which means that every heat will be an elimination heat) and the midyear cut will no longer exist. Instead, the entire roster of tour athletes will contest the first nine events of the year. Then, the 10th and 11th events (which the WSL is calling the “post-season”) will only feature the top 2/3 of the tour’s athletes (due to the assumption that anyone ranked in the bottom 1/3 after nine events will not be a mathematical contender for the title). Finally, all of the tour athletes (including those who didn’t surf the “post-season”) will join together to surf the “finals” event at Pipeline. After Pipe, the world title and year-end rankings will be decided by counting athlete’s top seven results from the nine-event “regular season,” as well as their two “post-season” results and “finals” result at Pipeline.

Positive Reactions Across the Surf Community

This change has received a lot of positive press over the past week, with surf fans and competitors alike celebrating the return to a cumulative points world championship that ends at Pipeline. It has also generated speculation about whether the changes will motivate a number of the sport’s most legendary athletes to return to competition.

Will Legends Return in 2026?

Carissa Moore stepped away from the world tour this past year to focus on having a family. At the same time, John John Florence also took a sabbatical this season, opting to focus on his family, freesurfing, and other passion projects. Steph Gilmore is also in the midst of a two-year sabbatical (although she surfed the Gold Coast event this week as a wild card). Finally, Gabriel Medina has missed the first half of the 2025 season with an injury, and has missed previous seasons for personal reasons. These four athletes hold 19 world titles between them, and many fans hope that the new format will entice them back onto the world tour. Oahu’s Carissa and John John, in particular, have a lot to gain from the 2026 format, as they are two of the best ever at Pipeline, and have also proven to be consistently dominant competitors throughout the course of entire seasons.

Photo from: https://mauinow.com/

The Comeback Carousel Summary: Who Might Return?

This change has ignited discussions about potential returns from surfing’s elite:

• Carissa Moore: Currently on break to focus on family.
• John John Florence: On sabbatical, eyeing a comeback.
• Steph Gilmore: Midway through a two-year break.
• Gabriel Medina: Recovering from injury.

With 19 combined world titles, their return could elevate the competition to legendary levels.

John John and Kelly Slater React

When asked about the recently announced changes, John John was enthusiastic about the effect it would have on the sport, as well as the fact that Pipeline would once again be the final event of the season and likely decide the world title. “Pipeline holds a legendary place in the world of surfing,” said Florence. “It’s one of the most perfect, yet challenging waves on the planet, and it’s where some of our sport’s most iconic moments have unfolded. Every year, the surf world looks forward to what Pipeline will deliver. I can’t wait to see the season end in Hawaii again.”

Kelly Slater: Pipeline Is Home

11-time world champion and retired world tour competitor Kelly Slater shared similar sentiments, saying, “Pipeline has shaped the history of surfing more than any other wave, especially in competition. Many of the most defining moments of my career happened there. I wanted to win the Pipe Masters almost as much as I wanted to win the world title, and it’s great to see those two things now reconnected. Putting Pipe back where it belongs on the CT, with added weight, honors the past while setting up something really special for the future.”

Photo from: https://stabmag.com/

2026 Season Schedule Overview

The WSL will introduce this new format in Australia at the first event of the 2026 season, which is scheduled for April at Bells Beach (historically held on the week of Easter). This will be followed by two more Australian events at Margaret River and Snapper Rocks. The tour then heads to Latin America for the fourth and fifth events, at Punta Roca (El Salvador) and Saquarema (Brazil), respectively. The final four events of the “regular season” will then be contested at Jeffreys Bay (South Africa), Teahupoo (Tahiti), Cloudbreak (Fiji), and Lower Trestles (California). The two “post-season” events will be held at the wave pool in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) and Supertubos (Portugal), before the world tour congregates on Oahu’s North Shore for the 12th and final event at Pipeline.

Tour Schedule Table

The updated 2026 tour schedule is both international and strategic, designed for wave quality and athlete performance:

FAQs

Why was the WSL finals format so controversial?
It forced top-ranked surfers to compete in a single event to claim the world title, regardless of season dominance.

How does the 2026 format differ?
It returns to a cumulative points system where consistent performance is rewarded across the season.

Why is Pipeline important?
Pipeline is both iconic and challenging, representing the pinnacle of competitive surfing.

Will Carissa Moore return in 2026?
There’s speculation that Moore may return given the favorable structure and Pipeline finale.

What’s the point multiplier for the Pipe Masters?
Winners receive 15,000 points, a 1.5x multiplier compared to regular events.

Will this increase WSL’s global appeal?
Absolutely. The balanced tour schedule and format fairness could boost athlete engagement and fan loyalty.

 

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