The International Canoe Federation has further strengthened its calendar of major events for next year with the allocation of eight World Cups. 

The locations and dates for World Cups in Canoe Marathon, Canoe Freestyle, Canoe Ocean Racing, Stand Up Paddling, and Wildwater Canoeing were all approved by the ICF Board of Directors in an online vote.  

Eight different nations were confirmed as hosts, with China, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Slovakia prepared to welcome the elite in paddle sport.  

China will stage an ICF Canoe Marathon World Cup in 2026, with Bazhong, located in the north-eastern part of the Sichuan province, set to play host from May 23 to 24. 

Three World Cups have been awarded in Wildwater Canoeing, with Hungary, Italy, and Slovakia allocated events.  

The first of those will take place in Dunaremete in Hungary from June 5 to 7.  

A week later, Slovakian capital Bratislava will hold a Wildwater Canoeing World Cup from June 13 to 14.  

This will be soon followed by a third, as Mezzana, Italy, will host Wildwater Canoeing races from June 25 to 28.   

Back-to-back ICF Canoe Freestyle World Cups will also be staged in an action-packed June.  

It will be a busy two weeks of Canoe Freestyle action with Krakow, Poland playing host from June 15 to 21, followed by Millau, France from June 22 to 27.  

Sort, Spain, was initially planned to hold an ICF Canoe Freestyle World Cup in June next year.   

But a decision was taken by organisers to prioritise preparations for the 2027 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships and continue progression towards a future international Freestyle Hub in Sort.   

After the success of last year’s ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships in Madeira, elite surfski paddlers will return to the Portuguese island in 2027.  

The ICF Board of Directors have agreed for an ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Cup to be staged in Madeira from May 1 to 3.  

It will be the first part in a five-leg series for the discipline, with events already awarded to Kuantan in Malaysia from July 3 to 5, Tahiti, France, from July 31 to August 2, Molokabra, Brazil, from September 19 to 21, and Reunion from November 9 to 15.  

A decision was also made by the ICF Board of Directors to award an ICF SUP World Cup to Greece.  

Agios Nikolaos, a coastal city on the Greek island of Crete, will host the major SUP event from September 20 to 23.  

Latest competition allocations for 2026 

• ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Cup – Madeira, Portugal  
  May 1 to 3  
• ICF Canoe Marathon World Cup – Bazhong, China  
  May 23 to 24  
• ICF Wildwater Canoeing World Cup – Dunaremete, Hungary  
  June 5 to 7  
• ICF Wildwater Canoeing World Cup – Bratislava, Slovakia  
  June 13 to 14  
• ICF Canoe Freestyle World Cup – Krakow, Poland  
  June 15 to 21  
• ICF Canoe Freestyle World Cup – Millau, France  
  June 22 to 27  
• ICF Wildwater Canoeing World Cup – Mezzana, Italy  
  June 25 to 28  
• ICF SUP World Cup – Agios Nikolaos, Greece  
  September 20 to 23