GOLD COAST, QUEENSLAND (1 December 2025) – Professional surfing returns to the Gold Coast this summer as the Gold Coast Open makes its highly anticipated comeback to Burleigh Heads from 18–22 February 2026.
Now upgraded to a WSL Qualifying Series (QS) 4000 event, the 2026 Gold Coast Open will deliver one of the most prestigious stops on the Australia/Oceania regional tour, offering surfers a major opportunity to earn critical ranking points toward qualification for the 2026 Challenger Series. The increased rating also extends the event from three days to five full days of world-class action, setting the stage for one of the strongest fields in the event’s history.
This year’s event will also feature a live broadcast, showcasing Burleigh’s world-renowned point break to fans across Australia and around the globe.
WSL APAC Regional Tour Manager Ty Sorati expressed his excitement for the elevated status of the event.
“Burleigh Heads is one of the world’s premier waves, and upgrading the Gold Coast Open to a QS 4000 reflects the importance of this location on a regional and global stage,” Sorati said.
“We’re thrilled to continue working alongside Surfing Queensland and look forward to seeing the next generation of Australian and international talent battle for valuable Challenger Series qualification.”
The QS 4000 divisions are expected to attract some of the region’s most exciting surfers, including rising stars and proven competitors who have performed strongly across the Asia Pacific leg. With a significantly larger pool of points on offer, the 2026 Gold Coast Open will play a defining role in shaping the season ahead.
Spectators can look forward to more than just elite surfing. The event will bring five days of entertainment to Burleigh, including live music, skate clinics and demonstrations, community activities, a beach bar, sunrise yoga, food vendors, and interactive experiences.
Surfing Queensland CEO Luca Liussi said the upgraded event marks a major milestone for the organisation and for surfing in Queensland.
“We are excited to grow the event in 2026 from a QS 1000 to a QS 4000 rated event and give our surfing community five days of amazing surfing at the iconic Burleigh Heads,” Liussi said.
“The QS 4000 gives our Aussie surfing talent an opportunity to compete for more points at home, and the event will also attract a larger cohort of international surfers to the Gold Coast. We witnessed some incredible surfing at this year’s WSL events at Burleigh, I encourage everyone to come along to the five day surfing festival!”
Burleigh has a long and proud history of producing champions, with past winners including Queensland legends Mick Fanning, Julian Wilson, and Isabella Nichols, along with world-class competitors Sally Fitzgibbons, Taj Burrow, and Owen Wright.
The 2026 Gold Coast Open is supported by the World Surf League, Tourism and Events Queensland and Experience Gold Coast.
Surfing Queensland acknowledges its corporate partners for their continued support: BYD Gold Coast, Queensland Government, DriTimes, QMS, We Are Feel Good Inc., The Point Coolum, Sunshine Coast Council, Cooee, Mogu Mogu, and Blue Horizon
