Kerala’s popular Champions Boat League (CBL) is set to return for its sixth season on September 19, bringing the state’s traditional snake-boat racing to 11 venues across its backwaters and riverine landscapes.

Organised annually by the Kerala Tourism Department, the 2026 edition will open at Karuvatta in Alappuzha district and conclude on November 21 with the final at Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam, held alongside the President’s Trophy Boat Race. The league is being positioned not just as a sporting event but also as a platform to showcase Kerala’s distinctive boat-racing traditions and promote the state’s waterways and local culture to a wider international audience.

Kerala Tourism and Culture Minister P. C. Vishnunadh said the government intends to take the state’s snake-boat racing tradition to global audiences. He also highlighted the potential of the league to boost tourism in the destinations hosting the races. For visitors, the CBL offers more than the races themselves. The events bring a festive atmosphere to the host locations, while giving travellers an opportunity to explore Kerala’s backwaters, rivers, surrounding landscapes and local traditions. A change has also been introduced for this season. From CBL 2026 onwards, participating teams will be identified by the names of their respective snake boats, rather than by the team names used in earlier editions.

The 11-race schedule covers several districts and prominent waterways across Kerala:

• September 19: Karuvatta, Alappuzha – Opening race
• September 23: Kallada, Kollam
• September 26: Pandanad, Alappuzha
• October 2: Kottapuram, Thrissur
• October 10: Marine Drive, Kochi
• October 17: Piravom, Ernakulam
• October 24: Thazhathangadi, Kottayam
• October 31: Pulinkunnu, Alappuzha
• November 7: Kainakari, Alappuzha
• November 14: Kayamkulam
• November 21: Ashtamudi Lake, Kollam – Grand finale

The season was discussed at a planning meeting chaired by Minister Vishnunadh, with Minister for Co-operation and Excise M. Liju, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Anoop Jacob, district collectors and senior Tourism Department officials taking part.

With races spread across Kerala’s backwater destinations, the CBL is expected to bring together competitive boat racing, local celebrations and opportunities for travellers to experience the state beyond its better-known tourist spots.