X Games introduces new format for action sports with year-round competitions and team-based leagues

Silverthorne’s Red Gerard competed in the Laax Open in Switzerland, where he stared down the slopestyle course. X Games will be shifting to a global, team-based format in 2026, according to an announcement made on June 13. This change is a departure from the current model, which features two domestic events each year focusing on snowsports, skateboarding, BMX, and motocross.

The new format will be modeled after Formula One, with teams of athletes from various action sport disciplines competing for individual and team points to earn prize money. The league will continue to feature seasonal action sports from both summer and winter disciplines, with each league initially composed of four global events and four teams.

ESPN has stated that the competition schedules will include both X Games signature events and collaborations with existing competitions. The goal of the team format is to provide athletes with stability that is often lacking in action sports, offering them an annual income, benefits, and commercial opportunities.

Teams have not yet been selected, but they will eventually be formed through an industry-wide draft where athletes are nominated. Winter Park’s Svea Irving and Lawrenceburg, Indiana’s Nick Goepper are among the professional winter sport athletes who have shown early enthusiasm for the news. Goepper praised X Games for innovating and bringing fresh ideas to the table, while Irving described the move as huge in her Instagram story.