SYDNEY, 19 August 2026 — Australia gave the world some of surfing's greatest champions, its beach culture and much of the sport's identity. Yet despite shaping modern surfing, it has never had a professional domestic league of its own.
That changes today.
The Surfing Super League (SSL) has officially launched, unveiling Australia's first national professional surfing competition. The eight-team franchise league has been designed to transform surfing into a fast-paced, broadcast-ready team sport while creating new commercial opportunities for athletes, partners and coastal communities.
Launching in Summer 2028, the league will feature eight foundation teams representing some of Australia's most iconic surfing regions, competing across an eight-week home-and-away season before culminating in the inaugural Surfing Super League Grand Final.
Designed specifically for modern audiences, every SSL match will be played within a fixed 90-minute broadcast window. Four surfers compete as a team in a relay format, with every wave contributing to the overall score before each half concludes with a high-pressure Power Surfer finale, ensuring every match builds to a dramatic finish.
Rather than reinventing surfing, the league builds on Australia's deeply rooted boardriders culture, elevating the team format that generations of Australian surfers have grown up competing in.
Founder and CEO Chris Mater said the vision was to create a professional competition that remains true to surfing while making it easier to follow, easier to broadcast and more engaging for fans.
"The Surfing Super League celebrates everything people already love about the sport while introducing the structure, rivalries and consistency that define the world's great professional competitions."
"Surfing is one of the country's most powerful untapped commercial opportunities. Millions of passionate participants, a fanbase that spans every major market, and participation growth that is outpacing all mainstream sports. This is a sport deeply embedded in the Australian identity, yet it has never had a format worthy of its scale. That is exactly what we are building."
The league also introduces one of the most progressive athlete models in Australian sport, with every contracted surfer receiving equal pay regardless of gender or playing tier. With an $89,000 player salary for the 8-week season. Team lists will combine Australian surfing legends, current professionals, international & out-of-market Australian marquee athletes and emerging talent, creating a new domestic professional pathway while giving fans the opportunity to support their favourite surfers week after week.
Olympic medallist and former World Tour star Owen Wright will make his return to competitive surfing as part of the Surfing Super League, drawn back by the opportunity to compete at home and help shape the next era of Australian surfing.
"I genuinely thought that chapter of competitive surfing was finished for me. But when I heard what the Surfing Super League was building, it felt different. The chance to compete at home, as part of a team and for something bigger than your own result got me excited to put the jersey back on. I still love competing, and this feels like a really special reason to do it again and to help build a new era for Australian surfing, give back to the sport that's given me so much, and create something meaningful for the next generation."
Professional surfer Sophie McCulloch said the league would also create greater financial security and commercial opportunities for athletes.
"Professional surfing has traditionally offered limited sponsorship opportunities, particularly outside the surf industry, and many surfers still work part-time just to fund the international travel required to compete. The Surfing Super League will help athletes build more sustainable careers by providing guaranteed income through professional contracts, while also giving us a platform to grow our personal brands and attract a broader range of sponsors. It creates the financial security to spend more time developing our skills and pursuing international events, without the constant pressure of trying to fund our careers."
For decades Australia produced incredible surfers, but never had a national professional competition that showcases the depth of Australian talent. The SSL creates new opportunities for athletes while giving fans something they've never had before: A team to follow and rivalries to get behind. Each home round will transform one of Australia's iconic beaches & cities into a purpose-built beach stadium, complete with grandstands, hospitality, entertainment and fan experiences, creating a festival atmosphere that celebrates Australia's unique beach lifestyle.
The foundation teams will represent Sydney's Northern Beaches, Sydney's South, Newcastle, Northern Rivers, 2x Gold Coast teams, the Sunshine Coast and Melbourne, establishing the first national franchise competition in Australian surfing history.
For more than half a century Australia has helped shape surfing around the world. Now, for the first time, it has a professional league to call its own. The Surfing Super League will launch in January in the Summer 2028.
Fans can register their interest and receive priority access to league announcements, player signings and ticket information at surfingsuperleague.com.
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A B O U T T H E S U R F I N G S U P E R L E A G U E
The Surfing Super League (SSL) is Australia's first professional surfing league. Eight franchise teams compete in a 90-minute, team-based format across eight weekends each summer on Australia's East Coast, broadcast live on television. The regular season runs seven rounds, with the top four teams progressing to a Grand Final. Season 1 begins in Summer 2028. More at surfingsuperleague.com.
