The 2026 Head of Shanghai River Regatta — elevated for this year's edition to host the inaugural World Rowing Shanghai Sprints — will bring Olympic and World Championship-caliber elite rowing competition to Shanghai's iconic Suzhou Creek from September 24 to 27.

The four-day event unfolds in two consecutive phases: the Head of Shanghai River Regatta, running from September 24 to 25, immediately followed by the high-stakes World Rowing Shanghai Sprints on September 26 to 27, featuring a thrilling 500-meter sprint format. The course is set between two historic Shanghai waterfront landmarks, with two dedicated competition lanes.

The event will welcome eight of the world's top rowing teams, headlined by the top seven national squads from the 2025 World Rowing Championships medal standings: the Netherlands, Great Britain, China, Romania, Ireland, the United States, and Germany. Completing the lineup is a star-studded World Team composed of elite international rowers.

"The World Team will be an outstanding crew, bringing together some of the world's very best rowers," Chris Perry, executive director of World Rowing, said. He added that — guided by a Chinese coxswain — the team's athletes from Greece, Lithuania, Switzerland, France, New Zealand, and Poland will come together in one boat, representing the global spirit of the sport.

First launched in 2021, the Head of Shanghai River Regatta has grown steadily over the last five years, with the 2026 edition marking its full-scale upgrade to a dual international IP event in partnership with World Rowing.

"Events like the World Rowing Shanghai Sprints are not only about competition, but about growing the popularity of rowing in China and around the world," Perry said. "By bringing our sport into the heart of this iconic city and presenting it in a fresh, dynamic format, Shanghai is helping rowing reach new audiences in an exciting and meaningful way."