Photography: Jorge Matreno / ANSurfistas
As final stage before the elite championship tour, WSL announced the Challenger Series for 2026/2027 will include a stop in Ericeira.
The calendar includes five events between July 2026 and March 2027 in South Africa, the USA, Brazil, Australia and Portugal. Ericeira will host the competition from October 6 to 12.
new category QS 6,000 international
WSL also introduced the new category QS 6,000 international, another addition to the qualification system. From now on, it will form part of the pathway to the 2027 Championship Tour. Results from these events will count towards both the Challenger Series rankings and the regional rankings for international competitors.
Portugal will host up to two events for this series, dates are still to be defined. The new category allows regional surfers to test themselves at Challenger-level events and will feature competition windows of seven to nine days, with a men’s field of 144 athletes and a women’s field of 80.
The Challenger Series qualifies the top 10 men and top 6 women for the Championship Tour.
