The prestigious event will see the sport's biggest stars battle for glory in the Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix and GCL Super Cup, with over €11 million in prize money at stake, at the Veronafiere Exhibition Centre in the historic Italian city.
The decision to relocate follows recent development in the region and significant logistical challenges associated with staging the event in Riyadh. Following careful consideration of delivering an international sporting event of this scale, Global Champions has made the decision to move the 2026 GC Playoffs to Verona, ensuring the season finale can proceed.
Global Champions has successfully secured a new home for the GC Playoffs despite the considerable logistical complexities involved in relocating an event of this magnitude. Thanks to the support and cooperation of Fieracavalli at such short notice, ensuring the event will go ahead as planned and with GC’s determination to honour its commitment to fans, riders, team owners and partners. The Playoffs will retain the sporting excellence, world-class competition and exceptional atmosphere that have established the event as one of the most anticipated fixtures on the international equestrian calendar.
Jan Tops, Founder and President of the Longines Global Champions Tour and GCL, said:
We as Global Champions remain fully committed to the sport at the highest level and our exceptional GC Playoffs event and have explored every possible option to ensure the 2026 Global Champions Playoffs can go ahead. We now look forward to delivering a successful and memorable edition of the Playoffs in Verona in just a few weeks’ time.”
“We are proud that Global Champions has chosen Veronafiere to host the GC Playoffs for the first time, the finale of one of the world’s leading show jumping circuits,” says Federico Bricolo, President of Veronafiere. “This choice, made at very short notice by a leading authority in international equestrian sport, recognises the organisational strength and the quality that Fieracavalli has built over 128 editions. Less than two weeks after the close of this year’s show, the stars of the Global will compete in the same arena that has just hosted the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™️. We will bring all our experience in trade fairs and major international events to guarantee the best competition conditions for horses and riders, with hospitality, facilities and services worthy of an event of this calibre. Verona, a UNESCO World Heritage city, will offer athletes and international spectators the chance to experience one of Italy’s most remarkable regions.”
Throughout the 2026 season, the world's leading riders and horses have competed across some of the most breathtaking destinations on the international sporting calendar, battling for valuable points in the Longines Global Champions Tour and GCL Championships.
In a milestone year celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Longines Global Champions Tour and the 10th anniversary of GCL, the season continues with a landmark new event against the extraordinary backdrop of the Pyramids of Giza in Cairo, before the Championship Finals in Rabat at the end of October.
Attention will then turn to Verona, where the GC Playoffs will provide a fitting finale to an unforgettable season. At the heart of the four-day sporting programme will be the Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix, bringing together the season's qualified Grand Prix winners for an ultimate individual showdown, alongside the GCL Super Cup, where the world's leading teams will go head-to-head through an electrifying knockout format.
Adding further excitement to the programme, the event will also feature CSI2* show jumping competitions, creating additional opportunities for riders to compete on this prestigious stage and offering spectators an even broader programme of top-level equestrian sport.
Combining world-class competition, entertainment and an electric atmosphere, the GC Playoffs in Verona promise an unforgettable celebration of sporting excellence as the 2026 season draws to a close.
Further details on the sporting schedule, ticketing and event programme will be announced shortly.