By mid-October, the desert air over Eloy will set the stage for the best in the world to show up and compete.
In October 2026, Skydive Arizona will host the FAI World Skydiving Championships in Eloy, with event activities scheduled for October 17–24, 2026. The event will bring together elite athletes across multiple disciplines, all operating under the standards of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). For the skydiving community, the 2026 FAI World Championships mark one of the most important international skydiving events of the year. It’s a week where precision, speed, and creativity are pushed to their limits, supported by the lift capacity, facilities, and high-volume operations Skydive Arizona is known for.
Here’s a look at the World Championship skydiving disciplines coming to Eloy, Arizona.
27th FAI World Skydiving Championships of Formation Skydiving
Teams of 4 and 8 exit together and build a series of predetermined formations in freefall, turning points as quickly and cleanly as possible within working time. Formation Skydiving is one of the most recognizable competitive skydiving disciplines, requiring speed, accuracy, teamwork, and clean execution. This discipline is all about precision. Grips must be exact. Timing must be seamless. One missed transition can cost a round.
It looks like choreography at 120 mph, driven by pure discipline.
16th FAI World Skydiving Championships of Artistic Events
This category includes disciplines like Freestyle and Freefly, where athletes combine technical flying with creativity, performing routines judged on execution, difficulty, and presentation. Think dynamic carving, vertical transitions, and synchronized movement between performer and camera flyer.
It’s athletic performance and visual storytelling, designed to leave an impression.
6th FAI World Skydiving Championships of Speed Skydiving
You have one goal: go faster than anyone else.
Speed Skydiving measures the fastest vertical descent achieved within a defined altitude window using official speed-measuring equipment. Athletes streamline their bodies to minimize drag and maximize acceleration, reaching staggering speeds that push the limits of human flight.
It’s one of the purest expressions of freefall and one of the most intense.
11th FAI World Skydiving Championships of Canopy Piloting
Canopy Piloting tests how precisely athletes can control high-performance parachutes across a water course. Competitors are judged across three events: speed, distance, and accuracy. At the World Championship level, Canopy Piloting is a showcase of advanced parachute control, timing, and technical skill.
It’s a discipline built on deep canopy knowledge, control, and timing.
5th FAI World Skydiving Championships of Canopy Piloting Freestyle
Freestyle competitors perform dynamic maneuvers over water, including carves, rotations, and stylized approaches. Athletes are judged on execution and originality. It’s fluid, aggressive, visually striking, and almost performative.
It’s one of the most engaging events of the week to watch and enjoy for those approved to attend or participate, according to official event information.
A Drop Zone Built for This
With the World’s Largest Skydiving Fleet, massive lift capacity, and a drop zone designed to handle high-volume operations, Skydive Arizona has the fleet, facilities, and event experience to support a championship of this scale. Add in on-site amenities, dedicated landing areas, and a skydiving community that knows how to run big events, and you get a championship environment that works almost as hard as the athletes do.
This is where records are chased, where teams measure themselves against the best. Where the sky over Eloy becomes the center of the sport.
For official FAI World Championships event information, visit the FAI event page.