Drone Champions League (DCL) is launching its 2026 season with a format that builds on the momentum of 2025 and continues the evolution of competitive drone racing. Combining virtual and real-life competition across multiple stages, the new campaign brings together the world’s top FPV teams in a format designed for speed, consistency, and high-stakes progression.
Following the success of last season’s structure, the 2026 season once again features three Cups – the Falcon Cup, Eagle Cup, and Hawk Cup – followed by one Super Final. This format creates several major milestones across the year and gives teams multiple opportunities to perform on different tracks and in different race environments before the season reaches its decisive final stage.
Each Cup represents its own chapter of the season, with results feeding into the broader championship picture and setting the stage for the final showdown. The format is built to reward consistency across the year while keeping every race meaningful for teams and fans alike.
The 2026 season has already begun with the Riyadh Seeding Race, a two-step opener that began virtually on the simulator and moved into real-life competition in Riyadh. The live seeding race finals took place on 29 January 2026 during the Drones Hub Opening, hosted by Tuwaiq Academy, marking the first real-life DCL race of the 2026 season.
The Riyadh event set the tone for the months ahead by turning early-season pace into live, on-site pressure. It was the first key test of the year and the opening statement of a season that will continue to blend digital precision with physical racing intensity.
With the season now underway, more updates are on the way. New teams and new tracks for the 2026 season will be revealed soon, adding fresh competition and new visual identities to the championship as the year unfolds.
Alongside the main DCL season, the AI Grand Prix introduces an important autonomous racing dimension to the wider 2026 calendar. Operated by DCL in partnership with Anduril, the competition brings together top engineering talent from around the world to compete in fully autonomous drone racing, with remote qualification in spring 2026 and a live final planned for November 2026 in Ohio, USA.
The AI Grand Prix strengthens DCL’s position at the intersection of sport and technology. While the main league continues to showcase elite human pilots, the AI Grand Prix highlights how autonomous systems are becoming an increasingly important part of the future of drone racing.
With the season now underway and more reveals on the horizon, DCL 2026 is set to build on the momentum of 2025 and deliver another year of high-level racing across virtual and real-world competition.
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