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After 2025’s edge-of-your-seat FIM Supersport World Championship campaign, the table is already being set for the coming 2026 season. Despite the high bar set in 2025 and the departure of defending Champion Stefano Manzi to race with the GYTR GRT Yamaha Racing Team next season, many big-ticket riders have been linked with a move to the Championship. So far, the following names have been confirmed!

FAMILIAR FACES AT THE FRONT: 2025 heavy hitters to be sticking around in the paddock

Can Oncu has just put pen to paper on a deal that will send him to ride with Ten Kate Racing in 2026, filling the spot left behind by his title rival in 2025, Stefano Manzi. Oncu will ride alongside Yuki Okamoto, who will remain with the team. As for Oncu’s former Evan Bros Racing team, the Ravenna-based outfit has announced that their new riders will be Federico Caricasulo and Valentin Debise. While both riders have ridden with Evan Bros before, the pair and their team’s staff are embarking on a new challenge as they welcome new manufacturer ZXMOTO to the grid for what will be the Chinese manufacturer’s rookie campaign. 2025 Third-place finisher Jaume Masia has been confirmed to ride next to English rider Josh Whatley, joining forces with Masia’s same Ducati-powered Orelac Racing VerdNatura outfit. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) will return to ride atop his native British manufacturer in 2026, where he will be joined across the garage by his Australian teammate Oli Bayliss.

2025 WorldSBK rider and back-to-back WorldSSP Champion Dominique Aegerter has been confirmed to be rejoining the WorldSSP field. He will wear green leathers and ride alongside Jeremy Alcoba with the Kawasaki Racing Team. Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) is returning to his Ducati V2 after earning a pair of podiums and a fastest lap in his debut season with the team. The German will hope to build on his P6 finish from last season and return to his top-five form from his first stint in WorldSSP in 2020 and 2021. Having finished one position behind Oettl, French veteran Lucas Mahias will ride alongside Spanish rider Roberto Garcia at GMT94-YAMAHA. The 19-year-old impressed after joining midway through the 2025 season and will look to continue to grow in 2026.

RIDERS ON THE BUBBLE: 2026 riders looking to improve from their performance last season and break into the top 15

Aldi Mahendra will be changing teams to AS Racing where he will ride alongside 2020 Moto3 World Champion Albert Arenas. In 2025, AS Racing was partnered with MV Agusta Reparto Corse, but in 2026, the team and their riders will compete with the Yamaha R9. Simon Jespersen brought with him one of the great surprise moments in 2025 in the form of his second-place podium finish in Race 2 at Balaton. For 2026, Jespersen will be changing teams, riding with EAB Racing. Mattia Casadei finished 2025 riding with Motozoo ME Air Racing; however, in 2026, the 2023 MotoE World Champion will change to D34G WorldSSP Racing Team and ride atop their Ducati Panigale V2. Leonardo Taccini (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) will remain with his team, where it has been confirmed that MotoE title contender Alessandro Zaccone will join him. Replacing Debise, Renzi Corse has announced that Italian Rider Riccardo Rossi will be their rider in 2026. The Genoese rider brings with him seven years of experience in the Moto3 paddock. Joining a new team in 2026, Filippo Farioli will join forces with VFT Racing next season. Jacopo Cretaro has been announced with Team Flembbo-Pilote Moto Production to ride their MV Agusta F3 800 RR. All set to ride on an MV Agusta bike this upcoming season, Andrea Giombini has been announced as the Motozoo Racing Team’s sole rider. Two-time German Supersport 600 Champion Andreas Kofler will also be returning to the WorldSSP field after his two-round appearance back in 2023. The Austrian will be joining the grid as a part of the Yamalube Motosport Kofler outfit.

Look back through 2025’s plethora of jaw-dropping WorldSSP moments with the WorldSBK VideoPass!