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From August 31 to September 6, 2026, Coruche became the world capital of coarse fishing. Twenty-one nations gathered in Portugal to compete in the 72nd Senior Freshwater World Nations Championship. After several days of practice, the two official rounds took place on September 5 and 6 on the famous Rio Sorraia course.
England Comes Out Strong in the Second Leg
On a particularly technical and uneven course, the ability to adapt played a decisive role. In particular, the competitors had to strategize their rounds by quickly targeting smaller fish before attempting to catch heavier ones in the final hours.
In this competition, England proved to be the most consistent team. The British had a particularly remarkable second day, with only 13 penalties , to finish the season with 35 points and 43.590 kg of fish . A performance that earned them the world title.
Behind it, the Czech Republic wins the silver medal with 43 points and 42.910 kg , while the Hungary rounds out the podium with 45 points and 38.110 kg. Italy falls just 1.5 points short of the podium with 46.5 penalty points.
France finishes fifth
No medal this year for the French team, but Les Bleus remain in contention with the world?s top nations. With 49.5 penalties , the French national team takes the fifth place , between Italy and Portugal, which is in sixth place with 50 points. The standings are particularly tight, with only 4.5 points separating third-place Hungary from France.
Rankings by country:
- England %E2euros%93 35 points
- Czech Republic %E2euros%93 43 points
- Hungary %E2euros%93 45 points
- Italy %E2euros%93 46.5 points
- France %E2euros%93 49.5 points
- Portugal %E2euros%93 50 points
José Alfonso Pardo García, Individual World Champion
The individual title goes to the Spaniard José Alfonso Pardo García , who had an almost perfect season with only 2 points and 12,990 kg . He is ahead of Ramon Ansing of the Netherlands and William Raison of England, both of whom have four points. João Pechincha of Portugal took a remarkable fourth place with four points and 9.220 kg.
The 2026 edition once again confirms the extremely high level of competition at the World Coarse Fishing Championship. On the Rio Sorraia, where each fishing spot required a different strategy, England drew on its experience and consistency to claim the top spot on the world podium.
