With the countdown officially underway, the 2026 starting grid promises one of the most competitive and internationally diverse seasons in GCL history. Over recent months, team managers and owners have been working relentlessly behind the scenes, reshaping squads, securing headline signings and strengthening their rosters as they prepare to go all in for championship glory.

Across the league, teams showcase a formidable blend of champions, proven GCL winners and some of the sport’s most exciting U25 talent — underlining once again why the GCL remains show jumping’s ultimate team showdown.

Star Power Across the Grid

  • Peder Fredricson to Monaco Aces and Cian O’Connor is recruited to Riyadh Knights
  • Edwina Tops-Alexander returns to 2025 Championship winning team Valkenswaard United
  • Georgina Bloomberg returns to New York Empire and they sign Max Wachman as U25 star
  • Brand new team of Cairo Pharaohs secure Nayel Nassar
  • Istanbul Warriors powered by Carpe Diem Equestrian Team and Prague Lions powered by Czech Equestrian Team stick to their guns making no changes
  • Nicola & Olivier Philippaerts are traded to Basel Cosmopolitians
  • Monaco Aces & Riyadh Knights teams are back in the game for 2026

The 2026 season brings together an extraordinary concentration of elite talent. Shanghai Swans arrive stacked with experience, featuring Ben Maher, Daniel Deusser, Christian Ahlmann, Giacomo Casadei, Jane Richard and team manager Max Kühner.

Championship ambition runs deep at Riesenbeck International powered by Horse Gym, where Christian Kukuk, Philipp Weishaupt, Marco Kutscher, Ciaran Nallon, Emanuele Camilli and Max Weishaupt anchor another title-challenging campaign. Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames continue to showcase elite performance with Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann, Katrin Eckermann, Jörne Sprehe, Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli, Anastasia Nielsen and Sophie Hinners. While Madrid In Motion boast serious depth with Maikel van der Vleuten, Victor Bettendorf, Eduardo Alvarez Aznar, Sergio Alvarez Moya, Kim Emmen and Jack Whitaker.

New storylines emerge from Cairo Pharaohs, bringing together regional stars and international experience with Nayel Nassar, Ines Joly and Dalma Malhas, while Doha Falcons arrive with a strong mix of youth and championship pedigree, led by Sheik Ali Bin Khalid Al-Thani, Sanne Thijssen and Jessica Mendoza.

With refreshed line-ups across multiple teams, the 2026 season promises new intensity and dramatic new rivalries at every stage.

The 17 Teams Lining Up for 2026

· Valkenswaard United: Thibault Philippaerts, Gilles Thomas, Marcus Ehning, Hans-Dieter Dreher, Lorenzo De Luca, Edwina Tops-Alexander
· New York Empire: Georgina Bloomberg, Bertram Allen, Scott Brash, Max Wachman, Denis Lynch, Michael Pender
· Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames: Sophie Hinners, Katrin Eckermann, Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann, Jörne Sprehe, Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli, Anastasia Nielsen
· Basel Cosmopolitans: Géraldine Straumann, Marlon Modolo Zanotelli, Zascha Nygaard, Nicola Philippaerts, Olivier Philippaerts, Andreas Schou
· Riesenbeck International powered by Horse Gym: Ciaran Nallon, Philipp Weishaupt, Max Weishaupt, Christian Kukuk, Marco Kutscher, Emanuele Camilli
· Prague Lions powered by Czech Equestrian Team: Anna Kellnerová, Thibeau Spits, Niels Bruynseels, Pieter Devos, Derin Demirsoy, Fernando Martinez Sommer
· Scandinavian Vikings: Sara Vingralkova, Jur Vrieling, Jorge Matte Capdevila, Lara Tryba, Deirdre Reilly, Susan Fitzpatrick
· Monaco Aces: Iñigo Lopez de La Osa Franco, Gregory Cottard, Peder Fredricson, Yuri Mansur, Duarte Seabra, Mariano Martinez Bastida
· Rome Gladiators: Yali Kass, Guido Grimaldi, Jennifer Hochstaedter, Luiz Felipe Neto De Azevedo, Clara Pezzoli, Ioli Mytilineou
· Shanghai Swans: Giacomo Casadei, Max Kühner, Christian Ahlmann, Daniel Deusser, Ben Maher, Jane Richard
· St. Tropez Pirates: Jeanne Sadran, Antoine Ermann, Nadja Peter Steiner, Jérôme Guery, Piergiorgio Bucci, Kaitlin Campbell
· Istanbul Warriors powered by Carpe Diem Equestrian Team: Oliver Fletcher, Hasan Şentürk, Efe Siyahi, Henrik von Eckermann, Simon Delestre, Abdel Saïd
· Madrid In Motion: Jack Whitaker, Kim Emmen, Victor Bettendorf, Eduardo Alvarez Aznar, Maikel van der Vleuten, Sergio Alvarez Moya
· Cairo Pharaohs: Ismail Osama El Borai, Nayel Nassar, Inès Joly, Annelies Vorsselmans, Dalma Malhas, Pim Mulder
· Doha Falcons: Caroline Rehoff Pedersen, Jessica Mendoza, Oliver Lazarus, Sheik Ali Bin Khalid Al-Thani, Sanne Thijssen, Nathan Budd
· Mexico Amigos: Niamh McEvoy, Carlos Hank Guerreiro, Eduardo Menezes, Zoe Hank Conter, Kendra Claricia Brinkop, Koen Vereecke
· Riyadh Knights: Tom Wachman, Cian O’Connor, Olivier Perreau, Rodrigo Gesteira Almeida, Emanuele Gaudiano, Mathijs van Asten

What’s New for 2026

For 2026, the GCL introduces an evolved competition format that places even greater emphasis on strategy and consistency. Each event still features a two-round, same-day format with no drop scores, meaning every fault counts, but only the top 10 teams from Round 1 (1.60m) advance to Round 2 (1.55m), with scores carrying over to determine the final standings. With the format now being a knockout competition, tension and jeopardy will be increased to the max.

Qualification for the LGCT Grand Prix at each event now takes place in Round 1, where the top 30 individual riders qualify, and a separate competition for individuals on day one sees the top 10 riders of that 1.60m class qualify for the LGCT Grand Prix, bringing the total to 40 riders.

Teams continue to be built around six riders, including a mandatory U25 athlete, while team managers retain the ability to change riders or horses between rounds and utilise mid-season transfers — adding an extra tactical dimension as the championship race intensifies. At season’s end, only the top 16 teams qualify for the GC Playoffs, with the top four earning a direct route to the GCL Super Cup semi-finals, raising the stakes from the very first event.

From the opening stages of the season to the high-pressure finale at the GC Playoffs, consistency will be key as teams chase championship points, podium finishes and a share of tens of millions in prize money.

“The strength of the GCL is in its teams, and the 2026 line-up is one of the strongest we have ever seen as this exciting series continues to grow and develop. With the updated format and the incredible depth of talent across the grid, fans can expect intense battles, bold strategy and world-class sport from start to finish.”
— Jan Tops, Founder and President of the GCL

From tactical masterstrokes to headline-making performances, the 2026 GCL season is set to deliver unforgettable moments as the world’s best riders unite as teammates and face off as rivals.

Fasten your seatbelts. The road to GCL glory begins now.