In late 2025, the International Federation of Sport Climbing rebranded to World Climbing. That makes 2026 the 38th edition of the international competition circuit, but the very first under the World Climbing Series name. The tour runs from spring through autumn across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Central Europe gets a heavy share of the calendar this time around. Events in Prague, Innsbruck, Bern, and Madrid put high-level competition right in reach for local fans, alongside rounds landing across Asia and the Americas.
The Disciplines
The circuit covers the three standard disciplines:
- Bouldering: Unroped moves on short, steep walls where athletes solve tricky, powerful problems under time pressure.
- Lead: Climbers head as high as possible on a long, sustained wall, clipping their rope as they go.
- Speed: Two climbers sprint head-to-head up a standardized 15-metre route. It's over in seconds and usually decided by hundredths.
Most rounds stream online, but seeing an event live is a completely different experience. If a stop lands nearby, it's worth going just to see how high the sport's baseline has gotten. If you want to get on a wall yourself around an event, you can explore climbing gyms on climbing.place.
