Women's Circuit Racing World Championship 2026: riders, calendar and all you need to know
The FIM Women's Circuit Racing World Championship 2026 debuts at Portimao on the weekend of 27, 28 and 29 March. Is the third season of the FIM World Championship dedicated exclusively to female riders and this year will put, again, a big show for the fans.
WorldWCR debuted in 2024 with great success. Since then, we had a grid with plenty of entries from all around the globe, intense racing action – including dramatics endings at Jerez with an all-or-nothing fight for the title – and all the media attention all the female riders deserve.
In 2024 Ana Carrasco became the first ever WorldWCR champion. In 2025, Maria Herrera toke his chance and won the title… will Herrera repeat the feat? We bring you all the details of the 2026 WorldWCR season you need to see how unfolds the season!
What is WorldWCR?
The FIM World Women's Circuit Racing (abbreviated WorldWCR) was created with the mission of highlighting and promoting women's talent in motorcycling. The WorldWCR offers a competitive platform where female riders can showcase their skills and compete globally, guaranteeing great exposure for the riders and teams.
WorldWCR debuted in 2024 with a great success. A grid with plenty of entries from all around the globe, intense racing action, including a dramatic ending at Jerez with an all-or-nothing fight for the title, and all the media attention all the female riders deserve.
The FIM has been working for many years to increasingly include women in motorcycling, so creating the first women's championship with world status is a great achievement. Moreover, this women's championship does not mean segregation in road racing: riders who wish to can also compete in other mixed championships.
The championship is held on various renowned circuits and along the WorldSBK circus: the WorldWCR takes profit to be disputed on the same weekend of some World Superbike rounds; a great help in maintaining cost, maximizing media and fans exposure and an amazing experience for the riders.
2026 WorldWCR Calendar
The 2026 season of the WorldWCR consists of 6 Rounds and operates similarly to the different categories of WorldSBK. The riders will compete in a total of two races per Round: one on Saturday and another on Sunday, with qualifying and practice sessions on Friday. This makes for a calendar with 12 races on its 6 different avenues.
WorldWCR 2026 Calendar:
- Pirelli Portuguese Round, AIA Portimao – March 27/28/29
- Pirelli Dutch Round, Assen TT Circuit – April 11/12/13
- Motul Hungarian Round, Balaton Park Circuit – May 1/2/3
- Pirelli Emilia Romagna Round, Misano MWC Marco Simoncelli – June 12/13/14
- Prosecco DOC UK Round, Donington Park Circuit - July 10/11/12
- Pirelli Spanish Round, Circuito de Jerez - Ángel Nieto - October 16/17/18
WorldWCR has never competed at Portimao: the first round of 2026 will be also the premiere of the track on the series and a discovery for many riders. The other venues are more familiar for them: Assen, Balaton, Donington Park and Jerez were on the schedule last year, meanwhile Misano returns to the calendar after being the first ever WorldWCR Round back in 2024.
Where to watch WorldWCR 2026?
The 2026 WorldWCR season will be aired for free in Youtube for all the world! As happened last year, the races are live streamed in the championship Youtube channel: all the action from qualifying to the twin races on a weekend. And there’s more: exclusive content, interviews and all the information. Make sure to subscribe to the channel!
WorldWCR 2026 will be also seen in TV, during the live broadcast of the rest of WorldSBK races. Check in what TV channel you can see WorldWCR in your country here.
Which riders are going to compete in WorldWCR 2026?
The 2026 WorldWCR promises high action in the front, as last year we saw big fights between María Herrera and Beatriz Neila, fighting for victories and the title until the very last race. The Italian Roberta Ponziani was the only other rider to win a race (Cremona Race 1) along the impressive wildcard of Paola Ramos in Jerez, while Chloe Jones, Sara Sánchez and Lucie Boudesseul also made podiums.
For this year, many of these main characters in the series have changed teams: the current champion Herrera joins the Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha, meanwhile Sara Sánchez switches to Hadden Racing Team. The extraordinary wildcard of Paola Ramos made her secure a seat for a complete season with the Swiss Klint Racing Team alongside Roberta Ponziani; Ramos can be a rookie but surely will be a title contender. Also, Chloe Jones’ podiums caught the eye of Crescent Racing and for 2026 will be teammate of Beatriz Neila, the 2025 runner-up.
The list of riders for 2026 WorldWCR has already been made official, with a total of 24 entries, coming from 11 different countries, a truly diverse grid.
- Find here the complete 2026 WorldWCR entry list.
What bikes do WorldWCR riders compete on?
To maximize equality and emphasize rider skill, WorldWCR is a single-make championship. Riders will compete on the Yamaha YZF-R7, modified for the circuit, in line with the ethos of World Superbike, which focuses on production-based motorcycles.
The Yamaha YZF-R7 is equipped with a 689cc twin-cylinder engine, delivering approximately 80hp, placing its performance between a Supersport 300 and a Supersport bike. The maintenance of the bikes are managed by Luca Montiron's JiR structure, although each rider's team will have the flexibility to make minor adjustments and set up the bike for each round.
The use of this motorbike also holds an advantage for the near future: from 2026 onwards, the World Supersport300 class will be remodeled with new technical rules using mid-size lightweight sport motorcycles like the YZF-R7. Thus, the WorldWCR can be a big springboard for future female riders to enter the WorldSBK panorama.
All motorcycles will use the same Pirelli Diablo Superbike tires as other WorldSBK categories. Panta Racing Fuel has been selected as the official fuel supplier for the championship, a role it already fulfills for the WorldSSP and WorldSSP300 categories. Additionally, Motul will supply engine oils and lubricants for the competition.