INGELWOOD, Calif. — Fifty of the world’s top action sports athletes converged on Southern California soil Thursday evening for the 2026 X Games League Draft. The event marked a major step in transforming the iconic competition — which began in 1995 — into a global, team-based professional league.
The coed draft took place at Cosm Los Angeles, where athletes in skateboarding and BMX were selected to four inaugural clubs representing New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo and São Paulo. The event was streamed worldwide on YouTube, Roku Sports Channel, and the ESPN app, giving fans a first look at which athletes will compete in the upcoming 2026 season.
“It’s great to have a new narrative, it's exciting,” São Paulo General Manager Bob Burnquist told The Sporting Tribune. “The Olympics have been the narrative, and to have something apart from that as a skateboarder and fan, that’s awesome.”
The overall No. 1 pick selected was 16-year-old Australian skateboarder Chloe Covell for XC New York. Next on the clock was Los Angeles, taking 17-time X Games skateboard medalist and Southern California native Tom Schaar. Arisa Trew, also from Australia, was taken third by Tokyo. Rounding out the first round, XC São Paulo chose Brazilian skater Gui Khury.
“Bob [Burnquist] is a legend, I would be stoked being drafted by him and competing for my local club,” Khury manifested earlier in the night walking the red carpet.
Image @XGames
Number four overall pick, skateboarder, Gui Khury.
The MoonPay X Games League (XGL) represents the first league-style structure in the company's history. The multi-year partnership signals a shift away from standalone competitions in favor of a season-long, team-based format designed to create city identities and expanded earning opportunities for competitors.
More than 150 athletes opted into the draft pool, with 40 ultimately selected across five rounds to fill the four club rosters. Each team features 10 athletes, evenly split between men and women, competing in skateboarding and BMX disciplines.
Athletes entering the new league structure will receive guaranteed compensation, including $30,000 base pay, along with travel benefits and additional performance incentives.
“This is a defining moment for action sports,” said X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom. “For three decades, X Games has celebrated the world’s best athletes through iconic competitions. Tonight, we’ve taken the next step creating teams, building rivalries, and launching a league that will connect fans with these athletes year-round.
The XGL season begins June 26 in Sacramento, before crossing the Pacific Ocean to Japan in early July and concluding with the championships July 24–26 in New Orleans. The club with the highest cumulative score across the season will be crowned the league’s first champion.
