BURSTThe British Mountaineering Council (BMC) has confirmed that a World Climbing Series event, sanctioned by World Climbing (formerly the International Federation of Sport Climbing), will return to the UK in June 2027 and be hosted in Manchester. The event will take place one year ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Games, giving GB Climbing athletes the chance to compete on home turf in the lead-up to the next Olympic and Paralympics.
The announcement was made at the launch of the BMC’s new Route to Adventure strategy and marks a significant moment for climbing in Britain, bringing a major international competition back to the UK calendar for the first time since the IFSC Lead World Cup in Edinburgh in September 2022.
The BMC’s Route to Adventure strategy sets out how the organisation will use major events alongside sustained investment in participation and development to support the long-term growth of climbing across England and Wales. The return of a World Series event provides a platform to raise the profile of the sport and inspire more people to take part in climbing.
World Climbing President Marco Scolaris said Great Britain has a rich history in organising world class events and expressed enthusiasm about returning with the World Climbing Series in 2027 “in a city synonymous with sport.” He added that “the timing is also perfect with the strength of the British athletes on the world stage, the climbers and the BMC have helped grow the climbing community in Britain. Since Toby Roberts capped a strong British Olympic performance with a gold medal at Paris 2024, everything has gone up another level.” Looking ahead to the event, Scolaris said, “I’m excited to visit Manchester and see the reaction of the crowd not only to the British athletes, but all of our climbers. The British public always comes out to support sport, and now we will get to experience that amazing support firsthand.”
BMC CEO Paul Ratcliffe said it was exciting to confirm that a World Series climbing event will return to the UK in 2027 as part of the BMC’s major event programme. “Hosting a competition of this scale in Manchester is a strong statement about the UK’s place on the international climbing stage and a great opportunity for our athletes, fans, the climbing community and the wider public to experience the sport at the very highest level,” he said. Ratcliffe added that the Route to Adventure strategy outlines how the BMC will build on moments like this to support people into climbing and help them progress, “whatever their starting point,” noting that “using major events to inspire participation, strengthen pathways and reinforce our commitment to inclusion is central to our long-term approach”.
UK Sport Head of Major Events Esther Britten said the organisation was delighted to support the event with investment from The National Lottery, adding that “it gives a golden opportunity for fans to see British athletes compete in the UK as they build towards the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028.”
The 2026 dates and locations World Climbing can be found here.
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