Castro Daire, Central Portugal — 19 April 2026

The 2026 Mountain Running World Cup season got underway in spectacular fashion, with São Brás Cross in Central Portugal providing a worthy and atmospheric curtain-raiser. This year's World Cup competition is the most ambitious yet, spanning four continents and ten countries across 16 races - a global showcase that balances beloved calendar staples such as Sierre-Zinal and the Grossglockner Mountain Run with fresh venues designed to showcase exciting new venues and landscapes.

The wait is over. The 2026 WMRA Mountain Running World Cup gets underway this weekend, launching what promises to be the most spectacular season in the competition's 27-year history. 16 races, 10 countries, four continents, and months of breathtaking racing ahead.

From the mountains of Central Portugal to the peaks of Austria, Switzerland and beyond, the world's finest mountain runners will battle it out across some of the most dramatic landscapes on the planet. China, Spain, North America, Italy, Poland and Canada all feature on a calendar that spans the globe and showcases the full, thrilling range of the sport.

But before all of that, Portugal. This Sunday, the curtain goes up with São Brás Cross in the Castro Daire region, and the 2026 season will begin in style, fittingly supported by Turismo Centro de Portugal – “MOVE CENTRO DE PORTUGAL – THE SPORTS REGION,” official sponsor of the Classic Up & Down category of the WMRA Mountain Running World Cup 2026.