EQUESTRIAN: Longines Global Champions Tour of 2026 calendar

Season 2026 04.03.2026 – 21.11.2026

Source: https://www.gcglobalchampions.com/en-us/ https://www.instagram.com/longinesglobalchampionstour/

The moment you’ve been waiting for ✈️🌎 Introducing the Longines Global Champions Tour of 2026 calendar 🙌🏼🏆 BRING. IT. ON. 🔥

17 iconic destinations, a new stage, and the same top sport. Come along for the ride 😏🐴

History

The Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) is widely considered the “Formula 1 of equestrian sports.” Founded in 2006, it transformed show jumping from a traditional European circuit into a high-stakes, global spectacle held in the world’s most iconic locations.

As the tour celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026, here is the history of its evolution.

1. The Vision of Jan Tops (2006)

The tour was the brainchild of Jan Tops, a Dutch Olympic gold medalist (Barcelona 1992). Tops noticed that show jumping lacked a cohesive, high-profile global circuit that could attract mainstream sponsors and massive prize money.

• The Launch: The tour debuted in 2006 with six events across Europe and a mission to bring together the Top 30 riders in the world.
• The “Home” Ground: Valkenswaard, Netherlands, became the spiritual home of the tour, hosting events at the state-of-the-art Longines Tops International Arena.

2. Growth and Five-Star Status (2007–2012)

By its second year (2007), the LGCT achieved CSI 5 status* from the FEI (International Federation for Equestrian Sports), the highest ranking for a jumping competition.

• Global Expansion: The tour began moving beyond Europe, adding venues in the Middle East (Doha) and later the Americas.
• Record Prize Money: It quickly became the richest series in equestrian history. By 2014, overall champion Scott Brash earned nearly €300,000 for a single win—a figure previously unheard of in the sport.

3. The Longines Partnership (2013–Present)

A pivotal moment in the tour’s history was the entry of the Swiss watchmaker Longines as the Title Partner and Official Timekeeper in 2013.

• Brand Synergy: This partnership cemented the tour’s reputation for “elegance, tradition, and performance.”
• Long-Term Commitment: In 2025, Longines announced a landmark renewal of this partnership through 2032, ensuring the circuit’s financial stability for another decade.

4. Launch of the Global Champions League (2016)

In 2016, the tour expanded to include the Global Champions League (GCL). This introduced a team-based format where riders from different nations could compete together on the same private team (e.g., London Knights, Paris Panthers).

• The GC Playoffs: In 2018, the tour introduced the GC Playoffs in Prague. This season-ending event features the “Super Grand Prix,” where all individual Grand Prix winners from the season face off in a final showdown for millions in prize money.

5. Iconic “Street” Arenas

The LGCT is famous for “taking the sport to the people.” Rather than staying in remote countryside arenas, the tour builds temporary stadiums in urban centers:

• Paris: Under the Eiffel Tower.
• London: At the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
• Miami Beach: Directly on the sand, meters from the Atlantic Ocean.
• Rome: Surrounded by the marble statues of the Stadio dei Marmi.

Key Historical Milestones