Zwift Racing League 2026/27 Round 1 Details: Routes, Rules, Registration + More

Now in its 20th round, Zwift Racing League continues to take racing to the next level on Zwift! Registration is now open for the first round of the 2026/27 season, which begins on September 22.

This page contains everything you need to know about the current ZRL round and is updated as WTRL announces new details.

Intro to ZRL

Zwift Racing League (ZRL) is team-based racing for all abilities. It’s also the world’s largest virtual cycling competition, with over 30,000 riders of all abilities participating in each of the past two seasons!

Organized by WTRL, this is a team-based points competition spanning multiple weeks, with teams divided into divisions based on time zones and ability. Races take place every Tuesday, and the season is divided into distinct rounds with brief breaks in between.

ZRL is Zwift racing at its highest level. Its unique structure and varied race formats drive serious Zwift racers to show up week after week while providing a place for new racers who jump in and find their first team home.

Key Changes this Round

Zwift + WTRL continuously collaborate to modify ZRL’s structure and rules with the aim of engaging as many racers as possible. Heading into this first round of season, many rule changes have been made. See below for the basics, and see WTRL’s website for details.

4x 6-Week Rounds

The 2025/26 season ended with a four-week round, but this year all four rounds are full six-week affairs.

Team Size

Team sizes are being reduced from 12 riders to 10, with only 5 riders (instead of 6) racing each week.

FTS Points Expansion

Fastest Through Segment points were formerly given to the top 5 riders. They will now be awarded to the top 10 riders: 15 points for 1st, then 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, down to 1 point for 10th place. Learn all about FTS, FAL, and other points systems used in ZRL >

“Race of Truth” Format

The first race of each round will now be a “Race of Truth”. This format is scored just like a ZRL points race, but there’s one big difference: drafting is turned off (and so are TT bikes)!

Steering and Braking

For the first time ever, steering is enabled in all races. Braking will be available for TTT events only.

Road to Zwift Racing League Introduction Rides

Training events will be held every Tuesday until this round begins. Ride alongside other Zwifters and learn about team racing, what to expect when you race ZRL, and how to take the next step and join a team. No racing – just a group ride.

See upcoming events at zwift.com/events/tag/zrlintro.

In-Game Rewards

250 XP will be rewarded for every lap completed, adding up to thousands of XP across the season.

‘Rider for Hire’ System

Essentially a “classifieds” list of people looking for a team, with the ability for existing team admins to easily search the list and contact riders.

WTRL says this won’t be live until the first week of September, so if you’re looking for a team before then, visit wtrl.racing/zrl/teamhunt.

Jersey Rules Strictly Enforced

Teams must wear their chosen ZRL kit in every race. There are no exceptions, and penalties (currently not yet specified) will apply.

Additional Team Management Functionality

These upgrades are not yet fully in place, but the plan is to reduce the need for riders to click a RacePass each week. Instead, team admins can optionally select and sign up their 5 riders each week.

Power Accuracy and Pairing Guidelines

WTRL is updating their rules to clearly state pairing and accuracy standards. Here are some excerpts from the rules:

1. Where a Smart Trainer with a built-in power meter is used, the Smart Trainer MUST be connected directly to Zwift as the primary Power Source. A separate pedal-, crank-, spider- or hub-based power meter MUST NOT be used as the primary Power Source when the Smart Trainer is capable of measuring to a manufacturer-published accuracy of ±2% or better. The Smart Trainer must also be connected to Zwift for Resistance/Controllable. This requirement standardizes power measurement at the trainer, after drivetrain losses, and is consistent with Zwift Esports equipment requirements.
2. Where a Smart Trainer has a manufacturer-published power accuracy worse than ±2%, a pedal-, crank-, spider- or hub-based power meter with a manufacturer-published accuracy of ±2% or better may be used as the primary Power Source instead.
3. Division A & B racers MUST transmit power information to the game (Zwift). Suitable equipment includes:
   • Smart turbo trainer.
   • Smart bike.
   • Classic ‘dumb’ trainer with separate power meter.
4. Division C & D racers may use any equipment including ZPower (non-smart trainers) though a power meter or smart trainer is heavily recommended for racers to enjoy the most beneficial experience.
   • Racers on ZPower will be awarded 50% of points earned in the event.
   • Racers on ZPower may only make up 40% of the team during a Team Time Trial event.

For details on ZRL rules, see the ZRL Rules page >

Routes and Dates

Each ZRL round comprises weekly races which are either scratch races, points races (including Race of Truth), or team time trials (TTT). Scratch Races and Points Races are both actually points-based in terms of final results, but Points races include intermediate segments while Scratch Race points are all earned at the finish line. TTT winners are the teams who complete the race course fastest, with team time taken from the fourth rider across the line.

Race #1: Montmartre Mixer
September 22, 2026 (Race of Truth)

The round begins with the new “Race of Truth” format on one of the new Paris routes! In this format, we’re all on road bikes (no TT bikes allowed), but drafting is disabled. So basically, a Merckx-Style TT… with FAL+FTS segment points… on Zwift! Back-to-back Montmartre climbs are going to hurt, particularly in this format.

• 1 Lap of Paris’ Montmartre Mixer (27.6km, 198m elevation)
• Intermediate Segments (FAL+FTS):
  • Lutece Sprint (0.15km, 3.5%)
  • Monceau Sprint (0.3km, -0.1%) (2x)
  • Église Sprint (0.25km, 0%)
  • Montmartre KOM (1.2km, 4.2%) (2x)
  • Tchou Tchou Sprint (0.15km, -0.2%)
• PowerUps: TBD 🛈

Race #2: Innsbruckring
September 29, 2026 (Scratch Race)

We head to Innsbruck for the first scratch race of the season, held on the popular Innsbruckring circuit. The elastic will stretch and break every time up the Leg Snapper… but who will stay away for that long final sprint?

• A/B: 4 Laps of Innsbruckring (35.4km, 308m elevation)
• C/D: 3 Laps of Innsbruckring (26.6km, 231m elevation)
• PowerUps: TBD 🛈

Race #3: Makuri 40/Urumaze
October 6, 2026 (Points Race)

Our first true points races of the season are in Makuri Islands, with A/B riders on a different route from C/D. Both routes feature flat sprint segments hidden behind short climbs.

• A/B: 1 Lap of Makuri Islands’ Makuri 40 (40.3km, 317m elevation)
• A/B Intermediate Segments (FAL+FTS):
  • Village Sprint Reverse (0.15km, 0.8%)
  • Country Sprint Reverse (0.15km, 0%)
  • Alley Sprint Reverse (0.38km, -1.2%)
  • Castle Park Sprint (0.22km, -0.7%)
  • Shisa Sprint Reverse (0.28km, 0%)
• C/D: 1 Lap of Makuri Islands’ Urumaze (26.8km, 202m elevation)
• C/D Intermediate Segments (FAL+FTS):
  • Tidepool Sprint Reverse (0.31km, 0%) (3x)
  • Tower Sprint (0.32km, 0.4%)
  • Shisa Sprint Reverse (0.28km, 0%)
• PowerUps: TBD 🛈

Race #4: Watopia Figure 8 Reverse
October 13, 2026 (TTT)

The only TTT of this round is on Watopia’s classic Figure 8 Reverse, a route popular in the early days of Zwift racing. Teams will take on the tricky Hilly KOM in both directions, as well as the rollers of The Esses and other pacing challenges.

• 1 Lap of Watopia’s Figure 8 Reverse (29.9km, 254m elevation)
• PowerUps: none 🛈

Race #5: Green to Screen
October 20, 2026 (Scratch)

The second scratch race of round 1 finds us in the Big Apple, taking on the Green to Screen route for the first time in ZRL history. Get ready for big attacks on the Brooklyn Bridge KOM near the finish!

• 1 Lap of New York’s Green to Screen (28.5km, 207m elevation)
• PowerUps: TBD 🛈

Race #6: Spiral Summit
October 27, 2026 (Points)

The final race of the round is another in which A/B riders take on a different course than C/D riders. This is the climbiest race of the round, by far, with A/B riders taking on a route that finishes at the Radio Tower! C/D riders will be on the brand-new Spiral Summit route, whose details we don’t even know (yet). Watch this space…

• 1 Lap Watopia’s new Spiral Summit (24km, 283m)
• Intermediate Segments (FAL+FTS): TBD
• PowerUps: none 🛈

Race Timeslots

Some divisions and start times are adjusted between rounds. Use the table below to find a time slot that works for your team. Please note that time slots may shift a bit – what you see below are provisional times. We will update this table once WTRL finalizes it.

Teams/Registration

Team registration is already open (go to wtrl.racing/zrl/myteams/ and click “Register a Team”). Registration for round 1 closes on September 18, 2026.

ZRL is a team-based competition – you cannot sign up as an individual rider. Teams can roster up to 10 racers, but only 5 can race in each event. Teams must have at least 4 riders on their roster, and a rider can join as many teams as they’d like, but only a maximum of two teams per league category.

Want to race, but don’t have a team? Here are seven ways to find a team:

1. Recruit friends onto a new ZRL team, then sign up your team at wtrl.racing/zrl/myteams.
2. If you’re already a member of a larger Zwift Club, contact a senior Club representative to see if you can join one of your Club’s ZRL teams.
3. Join an official team-lead ZRL Group Recon Ride (see below) where several teams can be found looking for more riders. These run several times a day, starting two weeks before the first race.
4. Join the ZRL Facebook Group and post preferred race times/league, Pace Group Category, and any other preferences under the #zrlteamhunt tag where many teams are eagerly waiting.
5. Reply to one of the #zrlrecruiting posts that teams make in the ZRL Facebook Group if you don’t want to post your own request.
6. Reach out directly to WTRL and they can match you to a team based on race times, category, and team preferences.
7. Use the new “WTRL Team Finder” tool once it becomes available at wtrl.racing/zrl/teamhunt.

First-Timer Tips

If this is your first time racing on Zwift, here are a few tips to get you started fast:

1. You must create a WTRL profile linked to your Zwift account – do so at wtrl.racing/registration
2. The minimum category you’ll race is determined by your power history on Zwift. See “Rider Categories” section here for details.
3. Riders must use a power sensor to transmit power to the game – this would be a smart trainer, smartbike, or power meter. (You’re allowed to race C and D categories with a “classic” trainer and virtual power, but your points are cut in half.)
4. Heart rate monitors are required. (You’re allowed to race without a HRM, but your points are cut in half.)
5. Cadence monitors are required.
6. You’ll want to have at least a few races under your belt before you try to join a team, so you are confident that you’re in the correct category. It causes a lot of hassle if you join a team and are forced to upgrade to a new category mid-round!

2026/27 ZRL Dates

• Round 1: September 22-October 27, 2026
• Round 2: November 17-December 22, 2026
• Round 3: January 12-February 16, 2027
• Round 4: March 2-April 6, 2027

Questions or Comments?

We recommend checking out WTRL’s Zwift Racing League page for rules, team registration, results, and more. They also have a Help Center with lots of useful info, and their Facebook page is the place to go for discussion of all things ZRL.

You may also share questions or comments below!