International Surf Competitions in El Salvador: Surf City Becomes a World Capital

🏆 El Salvador: A Major World Surfing Destination

El Salvador has become one of the preferred hosts for both the International Surfing Association (ISA) and the World Surf League (WSL), having welcomed more than ten major events since 2019. Driven by the "Surf City" initiative, the country has established itself as a true world capital of competitive surfing, with a particularly busy 2026 season.

🔥 2026 Season: Results and Confirmed Events

The year 2026 confirms El Salvador's place at the pinnacle of international surfing, between already-completed WSL events and upcoming ISA championships. Here are the verified highlights.

WSL Surf City El Salvador Pro 2026 — Results (June 2026)

A Championship Tour event (Stop No. 5), held at Punta Roca, La Libertad, presented by Corona Cero. The competition ran in the June 4-15, 2026 window and crowned two exceptional champions.

A historic victory for Leonardo Fioravanti: he became the first Italian surfer ever to win a Championship Tour event, marking his maiden CT victory. On the women's side, Carissa Moore, Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion, claimed back-to-back CT wins and climbed to World No. 2 in the rankings.

ISA World Junior Surfing Championship 2026 — Upcoming

• Dates: September 4-13, 2026
• Locations: La Bocana and El Sunzal, Surf City El Salvador
• Status: Registration open (confirmed by ISA)

This event crowns the world's best junior surfers and serves as a talent pipeline for the professional tour. El Salvador previously hosted it in 2022 and 2024.

ISA World Longboard Championship 2026 — Upcoming

• Dates: October 16-22, 2026
• Location: El Sunzal, Surf City El Salvador

El Sunzal, a right-hand point break ideal for longboarding, will once again welcome the world elite of the discipline. The event was previously held at the same spot in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

ISA World Surfing Games 2026 — Punta Rocas, Peru

For the first time in several years, the 2026 ISA World Surfing Games will take place outside El Salvador:

• Dates: November 6-15, 2026
• Location: Punta Rocas, Peru (south of Lima)
• Stakes: Olympic qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Games

This event awards team qualification slots for the Olympics (one man, one woman) and marks the beginning of the qualification pathway to LA 2028.

🌊 ISA World Surfing Games: The Flagship Event

The ISA World Surfing Games represent the most prestigious team surfing competition in the world. El Salvador has hosted this event several times:

2021 Edition: Qualification for Tokyo 2020

• Dates: May 29 - June 6, 2021
• Locations: El Sunzal and La Bocana
• Participants: 256 surfers from 51 nations
• Stakes: Final Olympic qualifications for Tokyo 2020 (12 slots: 7 women, 5 men)

This historic event saw 121 women compete (47%), a record for the competition. France won the team gold medal, and Sally Fitzgibbons (Australia) earned her third individual gold medal.

2023 Edition: Qualification for Paris 2024

• Dates: May 30 - June 7, 2023
• Locations: El Sunzal and La Bocana
• Participants: 297 athletes from 64 nations (record)
• Stakes: Continental Olympic qualifications for Paris 2024 (8 slots)

Gabriel Medina (Brazil) dominated the competition, winning eight consecutive heats. Peru won the team gold medal for the fourth time in its history. Continental Olympic qualifiers included Kauli Vaast (France/Europe) and Kanoa Igarashi (Japan/Asia).

2025 Edition: The Largest in History

• Dates: September 5-14, 2025
• Locations: El Sunzal and La Bocana
• Participants: 297 surfers from 61 nations
• Olympians present: 22, including Kauli Vaast (Paris 2024 gold medalist) and Amuro Tsuzuki (Tokyo 2020 bronze)

This edition broke all participation records and crowned exceptional medalists:

Australia thus claimed its first team title in 14 years, ending a long drought.

🏄 Other Major Competitions Hosted

ISA World Longboard Championship

El Salvador hosted this event in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and will host it again in October 2026:

• 2025: April 25 - May 1 at El Sunzal
• Record: 143 athletes from 44 nations (69 women, 48%)
• First participations: Norway, Poland, Tahiti, Thailand
• 2026: October 16-22 at El Sunzal, Surf City El Salvador (upcoming)

ISA World Masters Surfing Championship 2024

• Dates: October 18-24, 2024
• Location: El Sunzal
• Legend present: Tom Curren (USA), three-time WSL champion

ISA World Junior Surfing Championship

Held in 2022 and 2024 at El Sunzal and La Bocana, this event gathers the world's best young surfers.

• 2026: September 4-13 at La Bocana and El Sunzal (registration open)

ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship

• 2019: First major ISA event in El Salvador
• 2025: November 10-15 at El Sunzal — Spain won the team gold medal

📍 Competition Spots

Punta Roca

The legendary right-hand point break of La Libertad, nicknamed the "Mecca of Central America." This is where the WSL Surf City El Salvador Pro is held every year. The long, high-performance waves can exceed 10 feet and offer one of the best right-handers in the world.

El Sunzal

A world-renowned right-hand point break, perfect for long maneuvers and longboarding. The 3-6 foot waves (up to 8 feet) offer ideal conditions for competitions.

La Bocana

A peak with fast and powerful waves, ideal for high-performance surfing. This spot has seen some of the highest scores in ISA competitions.

🤝 Historic ISA - El Salvador Partnership

In January 2025, the ISA and El Salvador signed an unprecedented partnership through 2027, guaranteeing:

• World Longboard Championship every year (2025-2027)
• World Surfing Games alternating with World Junior Championship
• Option for the World Masters Championship

This is the first agreement of its kind in ISA history, reflecting El Salvador's commitment to world surfing.

🏅 Results and Records

Dominant Nations at ISA World Surfing Games (all-time)

Notable Champions in El Salvador

• 2021: Joan Duru (France) - Men, Sally Fitzgibbons (Australia) - Women
• 2023: Alan Cleland Jr. (Mexico) - Men, Tatiana Weston-Webb (Brazil) - Women
• 2025: Dane Henry (Australia) - Men, Janire González Etxabarri (Spain) - Women
• 2026 (WSL): Leonardo Fioravanti (Italy) - Men, Carissa Moore (Hawaii) - Women
• Gabriel Medina (Brazil): Dominant performance in 2023 with 8 consecutive wins

📊 Impact and Statistics

• Total ISA events: more than 10 since 2019
• Participation record: 297 athletes (2023, 2025)
• Nations record: 64 countries (2023)
• Gender parity: Steady progression, reaching 48% female participation in 2025
• Olympic slots awarded: 20+ surfers qualified for Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024

💡 Why El Salvador?

El Salvador's success as a destination for international competitions is explained by:

• Wave quality: World-class spots with consistency (Punta Roca, El Sunzal, La Bocana)
• Infrastructure: Major investments in facilities
• Government support: President Bukele's commitment via "Surf City"
• Accessibility: Proximity to the Americas, international flights
• Hospitality: Warm welcome from locals
• Climate: Optimal surfing conditions year-round

🎯 Future of Competitions

With the ISA partnership running through 2027 and the recurring presence of the WSL Championship Tour, El Salvador remains at the heart of the global competitive ecosystem. Confirmed 2026 calendar:

On the WSL side, the 2026 Championship Tour features 12 stops across 9 countries, with the new addition of the Philippines (Cloud 9, Siargao) from October 31 to November 10, 2026. El Salvador remains an unmissable stop.

El Salvador has definitively established itself as a world capital of competitive surfing, attracting the elite of international surfing and playing a crucial role in the Olympic development of the sport.