Five things to watch ahead of the 20th Hyundai Archery World Cup

The 2026 Hyundai Archery World Cup is just days away, with stage one in Puebla next week marking the start of a milestone season – the 20th edition of the sport’s premier international circuit.

As in every non-Olympic year, the season features four stages across three continents – the Americas, Asia and Europe – before the final in Saltillo, Mexico.

It offers five opportunities to see the world’s best archers battle for outdoor supremacy, while also showcasing the next generation targeting the coveted World Cup trophy.

Here are five key storylines to follow ahead of another exciting season.

 1. Sara Lopez targets historic 10th title... again

Sara Lopez was named one to watch in last year’s preview, but her limited appearances in 2025 meant she could not mount a full campaign.

The most successful athlete in Archery World Cup history competed at just one stage – Central Florida – where she did not win, missing the chance to qualify for the Nanjing 2025 grand finale.

The nine-time compound women’s champion returns with a fuller schedule in 2026, confirmed for Puebla, Antalya and Madrid.

All eyes will once again be on Colombia’s superstar. With her record when active across the circuit, the question remains: can anyone stop her?

2. Elimination format returns

After four years, the individual competition format at stages reintroduces the 1/48 elimination round.

Rather than a strict top-64 cut from qualification – used between 2022 and 2025 – the revised structure allows more lower-ranked athletes into matchplay.

At the same time, the top eight seeds in each discipline advance directly to the round of 16, increasing the reward for strong qualification performances.

The change adds a new tactical dimension, raising the importance of ranking rounds while creating more opportunities for lower seeds to make deep runs.

3. Continental focus ahead of major Games.

While the World Cup remains a priority, several athletes will also be building towards major continental events.

Asian archers are preparing for the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, where traditional powerhouses Korea, China, Chinese Taipei, India and Japan will meet.

With the Games starting on 19 September – just one week after the World Cup Final in Saltillo – some athletes face a tight turnaround. Kang Chaeyoung, the Gwangju 2025 World Archery Champion, is among those expected to contend.

European athletes, meanwhile, will look ahead to the Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games. Host nation Italy and Türkiye – led by Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champion Mete Gazoz – will be among the key squads to watch.

4. Youth Olympic generation emerges

The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will also shape the season narrative.

Several medallists from the Winnipeg 2025 World Archery Youth Championships are now stepping into senior competition, with some already earning places on World Cup teams.

Among them is Türkiye’s 16-year-old Dunya Yenihayat, who has already qualified for the senior circuit.

For others, the World Cup offers a platform to gain experience, achieve minimum qualification scores and contribute to securing quota places for their nations.

Expect emerging athletes to challenge established names, particularly in the early stages of the season.

5. Big year for Mexico

Mexico enjoyed a standout 2025 season on the World Cup circuit, both on and off the field.

Mariana Bernal became the nation’s first compound women’s World Cup champion, while Andrea Becerra added stage wins in Central Florida and Antalya, alongside titles at the Gwangju 2025 Hyundai World Archery Championships and Chengdu 2025 World Games.

In recurve, Matias Grande claimed his first stage victory in Madrid and is among the athletes to watch this season.

Mexico will also host two stages in 2026 – Puebla and the final in Saltillo – underlining the country’s growing prominence in international archery.

Together, these factors could make 2026 a defining year for the nation on the Hyundai Archery World Cup circuit.