Show Jumping Teams Are Announced for Longines League of Nations™

Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates, or the UAE) once again hosts the first of four qualifying events in this 2026 team series. Eleven powerhouse jumping nations go head-to-head in a battle for victory, national pride, and the lion’s share of league points during the season opener.

On February 13 at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club (ADEC), a mix of championship veterans, rising stars, and their phenomenal equine partners will line up to represent their nations under the desert sun. With each Chef d’Equipe’s four chosen athletes confirmed, the team announcements signal a fiercely competitive start in the UAE’s capital.

Meet Team USA

Team USA leans on girl power to pack a punch in their opening campaign, as Robert Ridland’s transatlantic-bound quartet has been named: Natalie Dean, Callie Schott, Sarah Segal, and Skylar Wireman. 

Rankings for the Longines League of Nations™

The Longines League of Nations™ is open to ten qualified teams. The winning team from the previous season’s Final gains automatic qualification, while the remaining nine places are allocated to the nine highest-ranked jumping nations in the world. For 2026, the ranking list that determined those nine teams was the Longines League of Nations™ Ranking No. 26, which included results up to October 31, 2025.

Points accumulated by the top six athletes from each nation, including one U25, are combined to give each nation its total. These totals determine the national rankings from which the top nine teams become eligible to compete in the Longines League of Nations™.

The USA headed the Longines League of Nations™ Rankings No. 26

The USA is joined in the 2026 series, in order of qualification, by Belgium, Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, and Brazil, who rejoins the Longines League of Nations™ having participated in the 2024 inaugural season before dropping out of the qualification places for 2025. Great Britain finished sixth in the team rankings but had already qualified for the 2026 series by winning the Longines League of Nations™ 2025 Final. These ten qualified teams are joined in Abu Dhabi by the host nation, the United Arab Emirates.

Longines League of Nations™ Series

The series consists of four qualifying events, each offering a prize fund of $837,000, culminating in the Final in Barcelona (Spain) in October, where more than $1.9 million in prize money and lucrative bonus rewards await the world’s elite.

From Abu Dhabi, the series heads across the Atlantic to Ocala, Florida (USA) in March, returns to Rotterdam (the Netherlands) in June, before St.Tropez–Gassin (France) -a successful addition to last year’s calendar - again hosts the final qualifying leg in September.

Following the four qualifying legs, the top eight teams in the league standings will qualify for the most prestigious team jumping competition in the world, the Longines League of Nations™ Final. The finale will once again take place on the magnificent grounds of the Real Club de Polo de Barcelona, where the 2026 Longines League of Nations™ Champions will be crowned.

Longines League of Nations™ Format

The 2026 Longines League of Nations™ series will follow the same proven format as in the past two seasons. The unique concept differs slightly from that of traditional Nations Cups. The Longines League of Nations™ also consists of two full rounds of Jumping over an identical track, but while all teams send out four athletes in round one with the best three scores counting for the team total, it is the subtle plot twist in round two which has proven to ramp up the pressure and excitement of the team competition like the world has never seen before.

The best eight teams return for round two, where the Longines League of Nations™ puts its own stamp on the historic team Jumping format. Teams returning for the second round no longer have the luxury of a discard score, as only three athletes from each nation may jump again, with every score now counting. After two rounds, the team with the lowest combined score (the fewest faults) will be the winner.

In the event of a tie for first place after the second round, there will be a jump-off between the tying nations, with just one athlete from each of those teams coming forward. There will be no jump-off for any placings beyond this. In the event of a tie for lower placings, the combined time of the three athletes in the second round will determine the final standings.

See the other country team members here.

This article is an edited FEI press release.

Photo: Longines League of Nations™ - Ocala (USA)Aaron Vale (USA) riding Carissimo 25, part of the winning team from the USA at the Longines League of Nations™ - Ocala (USA)

Copyright © FEI/Shannon Brinkman