JEFFREYS BAY – The World Surf League will not return to Jeffreys Bay in 2026 due to a funding dispute, forcing the event to move to New Zealand.
While Kouga Executive Mayor Hattingh Bornman blamed inadequate national support, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture maintained no formal funding application was submitted.
The disappointing announcement was made by Bornman, who cited insufficient financial backing as the primary reason for losing the international event that has become synonymous with the coastal town’s tourism calendar.
“It is with regret that we announce the World Surf League will not host an event in Jeffreys Bay in 2026,” said Bornman.
“The absence of a confirmed funding commitment from the national Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture has led to this decision.”
Despite the municipality’s continued support for the event, local funding alone proved inadequate for an international competition of this scale.
“Despite Kouga Municipality’s ongoing support, the municipal contribution alone is insufficient for an event of this magnitude,” said Bornman.
The WSL has confirmed it will move this leg of the tour to New Zealand, where organisers have secured the necessary funding to host the event.
The loss represents a significant blow to the local economy, with the WSL event traditionally bringing substantial tourism revenue and international exposure to Jeffreys Bay, one of South Africa’s premier surfing destinations.
However, Bornman remains hopeful about the future.
“This is disappointing news, given the positive economic and tourism impact that the WSL event brings to our community. We remain optimistic that, with the necessary support, the event will return to Jeffreys Bay in 2027,” said Bornman.
He further emphasised the municipality’s commitment to economic growth through major events.
“We will continue to prioritise growing our local economy through events like this and many others to come.”
In a press release, WSL stated that in order to maintain a 12-event CT format this season, Jeffreys Bay will not feature on the CT schedule for 2026.
WSL CEO Ryan Crosby said, “We love JBay and the community there, and we’re really grateful to them for welcoming us for so many years.”
“It’s undoubtedly one of the best waves in the world, and we will continue to explore ways to return in the future. That said, we have made the difficult decision to pull Jeffreys Bay from the 2026 CT calendar. We did our very best to make J-Bay work in 2025, but the financial support isn’t there to make it viable this year.”
Crosby said that their goal is to set professional surfing up for long-term success and make sure the world’s best surfers have the platform to keep advancing the sport for many years.
“Achieving this goal requires making decisions that prioritise the health of the overall business,” said Crosby.
Commenting on the tourism impact, Jeffreys Bay Tourism chairman, Deon Freemantle, said he was distraught by the WSL’s decision, as it will directly affect the community and local businesses.
“The surf festival in July is a huge financial injection with both national and international tourists visiting the town,” said Freemantle.
He said the cancellation has created a significant void, and JBay Tourism plans to meet with Kouga Municipality soon to explore how they can address the shortfall.
While it remains unclear if the surf festival will continue without the WSL event, Freemantle said that if the festival proceeds, they will have to develop alternative attractions for tourists.
“It is a huge benefit to host the surf festival,” said Freemantle.
Dr Vicky Knoetze, Democratic Alliance member of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature, said that the loss of the World Surf League (WSL) event from Jeffreys Bay in 2026 is a serious blow to the Eastern Cape economy, stripping the province of a flagship tourism platform and placing thousands of livelihoods at risk.
She said that the DA will raise this matter formally in the Eastern Cape Legislature to seek clarity on why no funding commitment was secured, what efforts were made to retain the event, and what immediate steps will be taken to mitigate the economic damage.
Knoetze said that the DA will also drive the issue of creating a coordinated provincial tourism recovery plan to support affected businesses and workers and to ensure that Jeffreys Bay is properly positioned to reclaim the WSL in 2027.
She further said that Oscar Mabuyane, Premier of the Eastern Cape, has repeatedly stated that job creation and inclusive economic growth are top provincial priorities, even setting ambitious targets to increase employment across the province.
“This loss, which generates millions of rand in economic activity and supports thousands of jobs, demands action that matches these commitments,” said Knoetze.
She said that Mabuyane must urgently engage the national government, convene affected stakeholders, and ensure that provincial economic development plans are adapted to protect businesses and workers impacted by this funding failure.
Knoetze said that he must also account for the lack of provincial support, as commitments from the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency failed to materialise.
“Previous WSL events have injected tens of millions of rand into the local economy, supporting accommodation providers, restaurants, informal traders, transport operators, and seasonal tourism workers.
“Thousands of visitors travelled to Jeffreys Bay each year for the competition, providing vital income for small businesses and families across Kouga and the wider Eastern Cape,” said Knoetze.
She said that major international sporting events play a critical role in attracting visitors, stimulating local economies, and showcasing the Eastern Cape on the global stage.
“Behind every cancelled booking and every quiet shop floor is a family whose income depended on this event. Government inaction should not be paid for by ordinary residents,” said Knoetze.
The Kouga Business Forum (KBF) has expressed deep disappointment at the cancellation of the WSL event in Jeffreys Bay this year.
Lieb Swiegers, chairman of KBF, said this decision is a significant setback for Kouga and Jeffreys Bay, which have long relied on the event as a vital economic and marketing boost during the traditionally slower winter season.
He said the WSL event has historically provided a substantial injection into the local economy, sustaining businesses across hospitality, retail, tourism and services during a period when activity is otherwise subdued.
“The cancellation will negatively affect a wide spectrum of businesses, from restaurants and shops to guesthouses, property sales and transport providers, all of whom benefit directly from the influx of visitors,” said Swiegers.
Beyond the immediate financial impact, he said the WSL has served as a powerful international marketing platform for Jeffreys Bay and South Africa.
“The global exposure generated by the event has consistently elevated Jeffreys Bay’s profile as a premier surf destination, attracting both tourists and investors from around the world,” said Swiegers.
According to Jaco Bothma, franchisee of Pam Golding Properties and a KBF member, the cancellation will have a particularly negative impact on the real estate sector.
He said short-term rentals, which are in high demand during the event for television crews, event coordinators, professional surfers and visitors, will suffer the most immediate losses.
“In past years, the event drew local visitors from Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal, as well as international enthusiasts from the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Switzerland and the USA,” said Bothma.
“The 2025 event even generated enquiries on high-end properties from foreign buyers, opportunities that will not materialise this year.”
Swiegers said that from the information available to them, it is clear that bringing back this high-profile event to Jeffreys Bay will require serious national intervention and substantial subsidies.
The KBF emphasises that the business community, together with event organisers, must do everything possible to ensure that this world-class event returns to Jeffreys Bay.
“The WSL is not only a sporting highlight but a cornerstone of the town’s economic resilience and international reputation.
“Its reinstatement is essential for the prosperity of local businesses and the continued growth of Jeffreys Bay as a global surf capital,” said Swiegers.
According to a press release by the DSAC, it stated that the narrative that suggests Minister Gayton McKenzie withdrew support from the event, leading to the demise of the WSL event, is inaccurate.
“Anyone wishing to apply for funding for such an event must do so in line with the Bidding and Hosting of International Sport and Recreational Events Regulations, which set out the prescribed process to be followed by organisations intending to bid for and host international sporting events in South Africa,” the statement said.
Furthermore, in terms of these Regulations, event organisers are required to submit a formal application to the Department whenever they bring international competitors to South Africa for a sporting event.
The statement said that McKenzie considers such applications and may approve or decline them.
Where an application includes a request for national government funding, guarantees, or services from other government departments, the McKenzie is required to submit the request to Cabinet for consideration and approval.
The statement further said that the Regulations exist to ensure that international events hosted by South Africa are properly planned, financially viable, and implemented in a sustainable manner, with due regard to available resources.
The statement indicated that in the case of the WSL event, the Department and Ministry did not receive any formal application submitted in accordance with the Regulations.
“As no request for national government funding, guarantees, or associated services was formally submitted for consideration, no funding decision was therefore taken at national level,” the statement said.
“All public comments that are now seeking to place the blame at the feet of the Minister for the inability to secure a WSL event in 2026 are misguided, a form of deflection and unjustified scapegoating.”
The statement said that the Department continues to support the development of the sport through the provision of an annual grant to Surfing South Africa, in line with an approved three-year funding agreement and subject to the availability of funds.
“DSAC remains committed to supporting sport development and the hosting of international events in South Africa through transparent, lawful, and sustainable processes,” the statement said.
