Roster to be increased from 18 to 24 female athletes in 2026Move hailed but number still well short of men’s 36 competitorsThe World Surf League is taking another step towards gender parity by increasing the size of the women’s Championship Tour field for 2026. In a move welcomed by Australian veteran Sally Fitzgibbons, the roster will increase from 18 surfers to 24 for each event.Under the new format, that will include the top 14 surfers from the CT, the top seven qualifiers from the Challenger Series, two WSL seasonal wildcards, and one event wildcard. A decision is still to be made on whether the women’s mid-season cut will remain at just 10, which it will be reduced to in 2025 after the seventh tour stop in the 11-event schedule. Continue reading...