Written off before a wheel had turned, an injury-hit Australian squad stunned the speedway world in Warsaw to claim its first World Cup crown in 24 years

Australia is the 2026 FIM Speedway World Cup champion after storming to a famous victory at the iconic PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw, Poland.

Entering the meeting without reigning Australian Champion Jack Holder, who was ruled out through injury, few people gave the Aussies a chance. But a breathtaking run of four heat wins in a row to kick off the night – through captain Brady Kurtz, rookie Ryan Douglas, Jason Doyle and Max Fricke – proved an indication of what was to come, as Australia stamped its authority on the final from the outset.

Incredibly, the rider drafted in to cover for Holder, Douglas, was undefeated after his first three rides and amassed 10 points from a possible 15 from his five races. It was a stunning debut for the likeable Brisbane racer, who has been coached for a number of years by former two-time World Under-21 Champion Darcy Ward.

The advantage Australia gained in the early stages was never surrendered despite Denmark and Poland closing the gap, with Denmark in particular threatening to spoil the party when it took five heat victories during the middle stages of the meeting. It was a tale of two halves from the enigmatic Victorian Fricke, who bookended his night with two incredible victories, including a storming win over World Champion Bartosz Zmarzlik in heat 18, which proved to be quite explosive. A mid-race clash between Zmarzlik and Denmark’s Mikkel Michelsen resulted in the Dane chasing the World Champion on foot before being wrestled to the ground.

Ironically, the Danish team was being managed by three-time World Champion Nicki Pedersen, who is best remembered as an absolute animal on the track – possibly the least gracious rider ever. Fricke’s win in heat 18 meant Kurtz needed only to finish second in his final ride to clinch the World Team Title, and he did just that in heat 19 despite being chased vigorously by Poland’s Kacper Woryna. In front of more than 40,000 fans inside Poland’s biggest football arena, Kurtz’s second place eventually sealed the deal for Australia, ending a 24-year Team Australia Speedway World Cup drought. Denmark then locked in second place in the decisive heat thanks to an Anders Thomsen victory, closing the door on any late Polish heroics. It was another top-shelf performance from our top-ranked rider.

There were huge celebrations in the pits as Australia celebrated its first win in the event since 2002. To cap off a near-perfect night, 40-year-old Hunter Valley racer Doyle left the 40,000-strong crowd speechless with an insane final heat in which he wheelstood through the first turn in very close proximity to the fence. It was truly frightening as he had no room for error, but once he regained full control he blasted away to take the win. It could not have been a better end to the meeting for the likeable Aussie, and what a superb night for Australian speedway on the world stage.

The result also means Australia now holds the FIM Speedway of Nations and Speedway World Cup titles concurrently. From an individual standpoint, Doyle has also become the first rider in the sport’s history to complete the modern-day grand slam – the two major team titles as well as his 2017 Speedway GP World Championship.

Kurtz was understandably proud after the triumph. “As a kid, there was nothing cooler than watching our country’s best riders wear the Team Australia suit at the Speedway World Cup. To think that now it was our time… I couldn’t be prouder and more honoured,” he said.

“What a team we had, and what a privilege to be a part of it. The boys and our teams were prepared, ready, and determined to get this over the line. Thousands of miles from home, what every Australian rider sacrifices to be here in Europe is something most nations will never truly know.

“Thank you to the whole Australian squad, our teams in the pits, and Lemo (Mark Lemon) in charge. Thank you to everyone who was in the stadium and everyone watching from home.”

Congratulations must also go to Australian Team Manager Mark Lemon, who had the responsibility of assembling a team capable of winning despite the absence of Holder. Great Britain was in third early before eventually dropping back to fourth, with skipper Robert Lambert finishing as his nation’s highest scorer on the night.

AUSTRALIAN SCORES

  • Brady Kurtz 11
  • Ryan Douglas 10
  • Jason Doyle 10
  • Max Fricke 7
  • Rohan Tungate 0 (reserve – did not ride)

Highest individual scorer: Denmark’s Mikkel Michelsen, 12 points.

TEAM SCORES

  • Australia 38
  • Denmark 30
  • Poland 29
  • Great Britain 23