UCI, the world governing body for sports cycling, has announced that at least three rounds of the 2026 UCI Cycle-ball World Cup will feature a women’s tournament, a first for the international series. Cycle-ball, also known as “radball,” is a fast-paced sport similar to football, where teams competing to score by sending a ball into the opposing goal. The difference is that it is played on bicycles and players do not use their feet.
The women’s teams competed in the first round in Kobe, Japan on February 22, and will line up again at the sixth round in Prechtal, Germany on October 10, and the seventh round in Mosnang, Switzerland on November 21. The other rounds of the 2026 UCI Cycle-ball World Cup calendar can be found on the UCI website.
The launch of a UCI World Cup competition for women follows the introduction of the women’s cycle-ball category at the UCI World Championships in 2023.
Cycle-ball is played on a “field” that measures 14x11 meters, while the goals measure 2x2 meters. The ball is 17-18cm in diameter and is filled with animal hair, usually horsehair. Total playing time for each match is 14 minutes, with two 7-minute halves and a half-time break of 90 seconds. The specialized bicycles, typically weighing about 13kg, feature a fixed gear that allows the player to balance, stand still and ride forwards and backwards with rapid acceleration.
To know more: UCI.org
