The countdown has begun in Nazaré. The World Surf League (WSL) has confirmed the return of the TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge for the 2026/27 season. From 1 November until 31 March, surfers and organisers will be watching the Atlantic closely, waiting for the conditions needed to stage one of the most spectacular events in world surfing.
As always, there is no fixed competition date. The event takes place on a single day, selected when the swell, wind, tides and safety conditions align at Praia do Norte, the Portuguese beach famous for producing some of the largest surfable waves on the planet.
The WSL is looking for a powerful swell of at least 25 feet (approximately 7.6 metres). The waves themselves can grow considerably larger, sometimes exceeding 10 or even 15 metres when powerful Atlantic swells reach the coast of Nazaré.
A competition that can be called at just a few days’ notice
Between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027, World Surf League teams will monitor Atlantic weather systems and incoming swells approaching Portugal’s western coastline.
Unlike conventional surfing competitions, the Nazaré Big Wave Challenge cannot be scheduled months in advance. Competitors must remain ready throughout a five-month waiting period, knowing that they could be called into action at relatively short notice.
When forecasts begin to indicate a promising window, the WSL can issue a Yellow Alert, potentially up to 72 hours before the event. This signals that conditions may be suitable for competition.
A Green Alert then confirms that the event is expected to proceed within the following 24 hours, provided the latest forecasts remain favourable.
Even at this late stage, changes in wind direction, swell or tidal conditions can affect the final decision.
For spectators hoping to experience the spectacle from the cliffs overlooking Praia do Norte, this uncertainty is part of the challenge. There is simply no way to know several weeks in advance exactly when the competition will take place.
9 teams invited for the 2026/27 season
The WSL’s initial invitation list features 9 teams: 6 men’s teams and 3 women’s teams. The line-up may still change before the competition is called.
Portuguese surfer Nic von Rupp will once again join forces with France’s Clément Roseyro. Having won the previous edition together, the pair are among the leading names to watch this season.
Their rivals include Brazilian partnerships Rodrigo Koxa and Vitor Faria, Will Santana and Gabriel Sampaio, and Lucas Chianca and Pedro Scooby.
British big wave specialist Andrew Cotton will team up with Australian surfer James Carew, while France’s Benjamin Sanchis will compete alongside Moroccan surfer Jérôme Sayhoun.
In the women’s competition, French big wave star Justine Dupont returns as one of the event’s most prominent competitors. She will be partnered with Nazaré local Dino Carmo, who will take on the role of jet-ski driver.
Brazilian surfer Michelle des Bouillons and Britain’s Laura Crane complete the initial list of invited female competitors.
In tow-in surfing, the jet-ski driver’s role extends far beyond towing the surfer into position. The driver is also responsible for collecting the surfer after a ride and playing a vital part in rescue operations.
In waves of this size, a matter of seconds can make all the difference.
A new competition format for Nazaré
The 2026/27 season introduces a revised competition format for both the men’s and women’s events.
In the men’s competition, the six teams will be divided into two semi-finals. The winning team from each semi-final will advance directly to the final.
The third qualifying place will go to whichever runner-up achieves the highest combined score across the two semi-finals. This leaves three teams competing in the decisive final heat.
Individual performances will also continue to count towards the title of best male surfer.
In the women’s competition, all three teams will advance directly to a single final, with each featuring a female surfer and a jet-ski driver.
Individual rankings will be determined by each surfer’s two highest-scoring waves, with the best wave counting twice. Each wave can earn a maximum of 10 points, giving an individual surfer a possible total of 30 points.
The format is designed to reward both outstanding individual performances and effective teamwork in one of surfing’s most demanding environments.
Justine Dupont and Nic von Rupp among the names to watch
The previous edition once again saw several familiar Nazaré competitors take centre stage.
Nic von Rupp and Clément Roseyro secured another team victory, while Justine Dupont claimed the women’s individual title.
Brazil’s Lucas Chianca returned to the top of the men’s individual standings, adding another achievement to his big wave surfing career.
Several of these leading competitors are returning for the new season, bringing extensive experience of the powerful and often unpredictable conditions at Praia do Norte.
Nazaré itself needs little introduction in the world of big wave surfing. The combination of enormous Atlantic swells and the underwater geography of the Nazaré Canyon, just offshore, can create exceptionally powerful waves.
Over the years, this natural phenomenon has transformed a traditional Portuguese coastal town into one of the world’s most celebrated destinations for extreme surfing.
When conditions are right, the cliffs above Praia do Norte become a natural grandstand, offering spectators a remarkable view of surfers attempting to ride waves of extraordinary size.
Five months of waiting for the Green Alert
For now, however, nobody knows when the competition will actually happen.
From 1 November, surfers, organisers and spectators enter a five-month waiting period, with forecasts monitored closely for the arrival of a suitable Atlantic swell.
The event could be triggered relatively early in the season, or the right conditions might not materialise until much later. Ultimately, the ocean will determine the schedule.
For anyone hoping to witness the Nazaré Big Wave Challenge in person, flexibility will be essential.
And across the surfing world, attention will turn to the two words capable of transforming this quiet stretch of Portugal’s Atlantic coast into the centre of international big wave surfing almost overnight: Green Alert.
