Pro Climbing League Launches in 2026 with World's Top Climbers!

A NEW ERA FOR CLIMBING BEGINS: THE PRO CLIMBING LEAGUE IS LAUNCHING, WITH AN ELECTRIFYING HEAD-TO-HEAD FORMAT, AND OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS JANJA GARNBRET AND TOBY ROBERTS HEADLINING AT THE DEBUT EVENT IN LONDON.

A new tournament format pits professional climbers against each other in a thrilling competition broadcast by Red Bull TV.

The world of indoor bouldering is about to witness a new level of competition when the Pro Climbing League launches its first event in London on 28th of February 2026 - broadcast by Red Bull TV.

Created by climbers, for climbers, the Pro Climbing League brings together the world’s strongest professional boulderers for a tournament that pits climbers against each other - not just the wall.

Climbing on identical boulders, side by side, this new style of competition is fast, clear, and easy to follow. It is an experience designed to give back to the athletes and people that love our sport.

The debut event will take place in Greenwich, London, at Magazine London, bringing sixteen of the world’s best professional climbers together. Fourteen of the best athletes in the world have been invited and there will be one qualifier spot for men and women up for grabs in a competition hosted by the Font Wandsworth climbing gym in London at the end of January.

The main tournament is made up of two competitions: one for eight women and one for eight men, each in our new, head-to-head format. Both competitions follow a simple three-round, knock-out format, with athletes paired in every round and only one advancing. Olympic gold medallists Janja Garnbret and Toby Roberts are already confirmed, with more athletes to be announced soon.

The Pro Climbing League is excited to announce Red Bull TV as its official media partner, capturing all the action at the upcoming London event. Expect world-class production, expert commentary, and unrivalled athlete access - bringing audiences around the globe closer to the action than ever before and marking a new chapter in competitive climbing.

Danaan Markey, who co-founded the Pro Climbing League alongside climbing broadcaster Charlie Boscoe, said: “The climbing industry is growing rapidly and in many directions. We want to use this momentum to better support athletes, climbers, and fans. Our new format puts the pressure back into climbing competition, and gives the best athletes from our sport a new kind of challenge, side by side and head to head. It’s projecting under pressure, and will reward creativity and intuition just as much as raw strength.”

“I’ve lived and worked in every part of the climbing world and shared so many moments with people who are equally passionate and deeply in love with this sport. The Pro Climbing League is built to stand beside and represent that energy and passion that our community has, and to support those who dedicate their lives to climbing. We’ve worked long and hard to create new opportunities that will allow the industry and its people to grow and see a long and bright term future.”

“I can’t wait for the world to see what climbing has to offer - and laugh and shout and be stoked alongside our incredible community.”

Toby Roberts, Olympic Gold Medalist in climbing, said: “I can’t wait to take part in the Pro Climbing League. It’s an exciting format that will be a new challenge for the athletes and a great event to watch for the crowd.”

“I've never gone head to head before, and I'm really psyched to try it out in London - my home city - in front of a huge crowd. Hope to see you there.”

Simon McCaugherty, Director of Experience Economy at London & Partners, the city’s growth agency, said: “Bringing the Pro Climbing League to London for the first time is a big moment for our city’s climbing community which is one of the largest and most vibrant in Europe. This new head-to-head format means fans can get right up close to the action and see some of the world’s best climbers push their limits. We hope this event and experience inspires more Londoners and visitors to give climbing a go and helps our climbing community keep growing.”

How does it work?

Sixteen climbers (eight men and eight women) compete in separate male and female competitions, climbing head-to-head in pairs across three rounds (Qualifying, Semi Final, and Final). Each boulder has a 4+ minute time limit (climbers can finish an attempt if they leave the ground within the 4 minute time limit).

Round One (Qualifying)

The pairs compete head-to-head on three boulders in the first round, and the winner is the climber who “tops” the most boulders. If both climbers top, the winner is the climber who tops first. If neither of them top a boulder, the winner is the climber who controlled the highest hold. If they’re still tied, the climber who reached the highest point first wins.

Round Two (Semi Final)

The four winners from the pairs in round one progress to round two, and compete on a single boulder with the same rules/scoring as round one.

Round Three (Finals)

The four climbers then compete for the podium on two separate boulders with the same rules/scoring as in round two.

Stay tuned

Find out more about the Pro Climbing League at www.proclimbing.com, and follow

@proclimbingleague for the latest updates.