Logo for the 2026 World Bass Championship, featuring a detailed bass fish with bold text reading 'The Champions' and 'A World Bass Championship 2026'. 
Nashville, Tennessee · Oct 28-Nov 1, 2026

The Champions
2026

The Champions 2026 The most anticipated bass fishing event in history. 50 anglers. One lake. One Champion. The largest purse the sport has ever seen.

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The first of its kind.

The top 25 from Bass Pro Tour against the top 25 from Bass. Two tours, one lake, neutral rules. For the first time ever.

Five days at Old Hickory Lake. $3.25 million on the line.

1st Place
$1,250,000
2nd Place
$500,000
3rd Place
$300,000
4th
$200,000
5th
$100,000
6th
$75,000
7th
$60,000
Total Purse
$3,250,000+
25v25
Head to Head
Tour vs Tour. Two leagues that have never competed head to head, until now.
3
Competition Rounds
50 anglers in rounds 1 and 2. Top 15 advance to the championship round for the $1.25M winner-take-most prize.
5
Heaviest Fish
Standard bass tournament format. Each angler targets their five heaviest fish per day. Heaviest cumulative weight advances.
Event Calendar
← Scroll to see full schedule →
Oct 26 to 27
Practice Days
On the water
Practice Rounds
Old Hickory Lake
October 28
Media Day
Press
Media Day
Gaylord Opryland Resort
Official
Opening Ceremonies
Gaylord Opryland Resort
Intro
Angler Introductions
Gaylord Opryland Resort
October 29
Day 1 — Competition
Competition
Shotgun Start
Old Hickory Lake, Sanders Ferry
Expo
Expo Opens
Gaylord Opryland Convention Ctr
Competition
Round 1 Weigh-in
Sanders Ferry Park · Live on stage
October 30
Day 2 + Concert
Expo
Expo Day 2
Gaylord Opryland Convention Ctr
Competition
Round 2 Weigh-in
Sanders Ferry Park
Top 15
Top 15 Announced
Live on stage
Concert
Friday Night Concert
Sanders Ferry Park
October 31
Championship Day
Expo
Expo Day 3
Gaylord Opryland Convention Ctr
Final
Championship Round
Top 15 compete for $1.25M
Historic
Champion Crowned
$1,250,000 winner announced
VIP
Champions Dinner
500 attendees
November 1
Pro-Am
Pro-Am
Pro-Am
Percy Priest Lake
Participants
Top 15 + Celebrities
Percy Priest Lake
  • A largemouth bass jumping out of the water during a fishing tournament with a boat in the background and a banner that reads "Lake Oconee Bass Challenge."

    The Tournament

    50 anglers · 3 competition days · Old Hickory Lake · $3.25M purse

  • Stage with musicians performing under purple and blue lights, silhouetted audience in foreground.

    Friday Night Concert

    Headliner TBA · open to all ticket holders

  • A crowded outdoor event with numerous tents and banners, surrounded by green trees, with many people walking around and browsing stalls.

    150K Sq Ft Expo

    Top outdoor brands · gear demos · fan experiences · Gaylord Opryland

  • A person with aged hands holding a moth or butterfly with long antennae and patterned wings, viewed from below against a plain light background.

    Pro-Am · Nov 1

    Top 15 anglers + celebrities · Percy Priest Lake

  • A crowded outdoor market or fair with numerous people walking and shopping under a canopy of green trees. Various vendor tents and flags are visible, suggesting a lively event.

    3 Day Fan Festival At Sanders Ferry Park

    Kids activities • Petting Zoo • Kids fishing, • Food trucks • Beer garden • 4 bands a day

Person holding a cicada by its wings, viewed from below against a plain white background.
Black and white logo with stylized text and a flame graphic.

About World Bass Enterprises

World Bass Enterprises was built for one reason: to give professional bass fishing the stage it deserves.

The Champions 2026 is the first chapter. A destination event, a record purse, and a format built to answer the question bass fishing fans have been asking for decades.

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Hospitality & Tickets

VIP packages and general admission

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Pro-Am

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