The 2026 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast officially begins this week in Fort Worth, Texas, where the world’s top bull riders and rankest bucking bulls on the planet will collide on the sport’s biggest stage.

The opening phase of World Finals returns to historic Cowtown Coliseum from May 7-10, where every ride will carry massive implications for the World Championship race. Riders will battle through the opening four rounds of competition in hopes of positioning themselves for Championship Weekend at Dickies Arena on May 14-17.

With the richest purse in the sport and a gold buckle on the line, the pressure could not be higher. Every point matters. Every out matters. And every ride could shift the trajectory of the World Championship race.

Here’s how to catch all the action.

Start Time

Thursday, May 7: 7:45 p.m. CT

Friday, May 8: 7:45 p.m. CT

Saturday, May 9: 7:45 p.m. CT

Sunday, May 10: 1:45 p.m. CT

Location

Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas

TV Coverage

Thursday, May 7 @ 9:00 p.m. ET – Exclusively on Paramount+

Friday, May 8 @ 9:00 p.m. ET – Exclusively on Paramount+

Saturday, May 9 @ 9:00 p.m. ET – Exclusively on Paramount+

Sunday, May 10 @ 3:00 p.m. ET – Exclusively on Paramount+

Full replays of PBR Unleash The Beast events will also be available to stream on Paramount+.

ROAD TO THE WORLD FINALS

Sunday, May 10 @ 12:00 p.m. ET – Exclusively on CBS

More Than Just the Main Event: Stream RidePass & the PBR App

2026 NEXT GEN BULL RIDERS FINALS

Thursday, May 7 @ 9:30 a.m. ET – Exclusively on RidePass and the PBR App

MINI BULL RIDING

Friday, May 8 @ 10:30 a.m. ET – Exclusively on RidePass and the PBR App

Saturday, May 9 @ 10:30 a.m. ET – Exclusively on RidePass and the PBR App

UBF MIDNIGHT BULLFIGHTS

Saturday, May 9 @ 12:30 a.m. ET – Exclusively on RidePass and the PBR App

Sunday, May 10 @ 12:30 a.m. ET – Exclusively on RidePass and the PBR App

For more information on how to watch, click HERE.

Play-by-Play: Craig Hummer & Cooper Davis

Sideline: Kate Harrison

International

International fans can learn more about how to watch the Velocity Tour and Unleash The Beast all season long by clicking HERE.

YouTube

Check the PBR’s YouTube channel for weekly highlights, top rides and the biggest wrecks of the weekends.

Key Storylines

It’s the Super Bowl of bull riding, and it all begins in Fort Worth with the 45 best riders and 150 of the best bulls in the world set to battle on the sport’s biggest stage. The 2026 World Finals field features a mix of seasoned legends, reigning champions and rising stars, led by No. 1 John Crimber, who enters Fort Worth after spending eight weeks atop the standings and carrying a 169.5-point lead over No. 2 Brady Fielder. Fielder and Sage Steele Kimzey share the tour lead with three event wins apiece this season, while Fielder also leads the UTB with six 90-point rides and is tied with Crimber for the most qualified rides with 28.

The field is stacked with championship experience, including six World Champions and nine PBR Riders of the Year, while PBR legends Eduardo Aparecido and Joao Ricardo Vieira continue to add to their Finals résumés as two of the most experienced riders in the field. This year’s Finals will also showcase the next generation of talent, with 10 riders making their World Finals debut.

One of the biggest storylines entering Fort Worth is the Rookie of the Year race, where Marco Rizzo arrives at his first PBR World Finals leading fellow rookie Maverick Smith by just 43 points. With both riders making their Finals debut on the sport’s biggest stage, every ride inside Cowtown Coliseum could shift momentum in one of the tightest rookie battles.

Other major storylines entering opening weekend include Koltin Hevalow being forced to withdraw following an injury suffered in Tacoma, joining Jose Vitor Leme and Kade Madsen on the sidelines. Meanwhile, two-time World Champion Jess Lockwood enters Fort Worth leading the UTB in average ride score at 89.29 points as he looks to make another run at a gold buckle on the sport’s biggest stage.

With a World Championship, gold buckle and bonus on the line, every ride inside Cowtown Coliseum will carry massive implications as the biggest event of the season officially gets underway.

Social Media

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Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media