Shauna Coxsey and Erin McNeice perform during the PCL Test Event in Nijmegen, Netherlands on December 15, 2025

© Stefan Voitl / Red Bull Content Pool

Bouldering

All you need to know about the brand-new Pro Climbing League

With the first ever Pro Climbing League event ready to go, here's our complete guide to the new series, including how the format works, when it premieres and where you can watch it all live.

By Chris Magill

3 min readPublished on 02/17/2026 · 5:18 PM UTC

Brand–new for 2026, the Pro Climbing League is a professional bouldering competition that features the world's best climbers battling in an innovative head–to–head format. It's designed to be fast, thrilling and easy to follow – and it will be available to watch live on Red Bull TV on Saturday, February 28.

Find out all you need to know about the series and the athletes involved below.

01

How to watch the Pro Climbing League live

Where: The first–ever Pro Climbing League event will be broadcast live on Red Bull TV on Saturday, February 28.
How: Watch the competition live as it happens, or catch up afterwards on demand with the full replay.
Location: The premiere takes place at Magazine London, Greenwich.

02

What is the Pro Climbing League?

Featuring 16 elite climbers – eight men and eight women – the Pro Climbing League sees athletes go head–to–head in a high-pressure knockout format in bouldering, which is a form of rock climbing performed on formations or artificial rock walls without the use of ropes or harnesses.

The series was founded by climbers Danaan Markey and Charlie Boscoe, who wanted to make the most of the recent and rapid growth of the sport and offer viewers an exciting and easy-to-follow tournament. "It's a place where the sport can grow, connect and inspire – all while staying true to the people at its heart," says Markey.

Amber Schiffeleers and Erin McNeice perform during the PCL Test Event in Nijmegen, Netherlands on December 15, 2025 — Climbers will go head-to-head in the new high-pressure format
© Stefan Voitl/Red Bull Content Pool

03

Pro Climbing League format and rules explained

16 climbers: Eight men and eight women compete head–to–head in pairs on identical boulder problems.
Qualifying rounds: Each match-up consists of the best of three boulders. If both finish, the first to reach the top wins, while no tops means the climber who controlled the highest move advances. If that's still equal, the one who reached the highest point first wins.
Semi–finals: Four winners from the pairs in round one progress to round two, where the same rules apply, but this time they compete on just one boulder.
Final: The four semi–finalists then duel it out for the podium places on two separate boulders – one battle to crown the ultimate champion and one battle for third place – under the same rules as the previous rounds.

Erin McNeice and Shauna Coxsey perform during the PCL Test Event in Nijmegen, Netherlands on December 15, 2025. — The winner of each head-to-head matchup will advance to the next round
© Stefan Voitl/Red Bull Content Pool

04

Athletes to watch in the Pro Climbing League

Among the confirmed female athletes are Slovenia's climbing legend Janja Garnbret, a double Olympic and now 10-time world champion across several disciplines, as well as French phenomenon Orian Bertone, one of the hottest young properties in both bouldering and lead climbing.

In the men's lineup, the UK's Toby Roberts is the Paris 2024 combined gold medalist and multiple World Cup winner in lead and bouldering, while teenage sensation Darius Râpa of Romania is an exciting prospect to look out for in this new format.

In addition, Shauna Coxsey – the most successful competitive climber in British history – will appear as host and commentator at the inaugural event in London.

Shauna Coxsey seen during the PCL Test Event in Nijmegen, Netherlands on December 15, 2025. — Shauna Coxsey will be hosting the first-ever PCL event in London
© Stefan Voitl/Red Bull Content Pool

05

How the Pro Climbing League differs from traditional climbing competitions

Traditional climbing

Pro Climbing League

Format

Athletes take turns on separate boulders.

Head–to–head duels on identical boulders.

Scoring

Rankings based on performance over multiple rounds.

Knockout rounds until a champion is crowned.

Excitement

Rankings change over time and rounds.

Side–by–side duels create a simple, high–energy spectacle.

Representation

Athletes compete for their countries.

Individual–focused league where athletes represent themselves.

06

Pro Climbing League FAQs

When does the Pro Climbing League event take place?

Where to watch the Pro Climbing League

What style of climbing is it?

Why was the Pro Climbing League created?

How does it compare to traditional climbing competitions?

Who's competing?

Part of this story

Pro Climbing League

Pro Climbing League brings elite boulderers together for a new, high-pressure head-to-head format.

Pro Climbing League

A brand-new professional knockout style head-to-head climbing competition features the world's best climbers.

February 28, 2026

Janja Garnbret

A hugely successful Slovenian climber, Janja Garnbret was crowned World Champion in both Bouldering and Difficulty climbing in 2019.

Oriane Bertone

The youngest-ever climber to master a V14 boulder problem, French phenomenon Oriane Bertone is one of the sport's hottest properties.

Toby Roberts

The youngest British climber to redpoint a 9a route, a multiple World Cup winner in lead and bouldering, and a gold-medal winner in Paris, Toby Roberts is a star of the sport.

Darius Râpă

The first Romanian to climb a 9A route, teenage sensation Darius Râpa achieved the feat on home soil at the Vânturatorea Waterfall in Băile Herculane.