The FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX) has generated both curiosity and controversy since its inception in late 2021, initially positing an ambitious desire to be the leading series in the sport’s realm. Three years on from the initial pilot season, the championship seems to have found a solid footing, with Rewind taking a look at the short history of WSX.

When World Supercross first arrived, it came with a certain ‘new sheriff in town’ tone. This rhetoric was led by polarizing Australian businessman Tony Cochrane, who, in a nutshell, asserted that this series was the future – and that a migration from the Monster Energy Supercross Championship to WSX would naturally occur.

“In my humble belief, in the next two to four years, you’re going to see this championship grow enormously,” said Cochrane at the conclusion of the 2022 pilot season. “Next year’s going to be somewhere between eight and 10 rounds spread right across the globe. You know, we probably knock back more cities at the moment that have been on offer because we want to go to the right places.

“So, I think what you’ll see is a migration over the next three to four years to us, and I think you’ll see that supercross truly can stand on its own as a world-class sport and the athletes get the recognition on a global scale that the athletes deserve.”

It held merit in many respects, with Cochrane and the SX Global group aiming to take supercross beyond North America and establish a genuine world championship. Their vision was to model WSX after global motorsport platforms such as Formula 1 and MotoGP, tapping into emerging international markets along the way.

Image: Supplied.

Significant financial backing came from Mubadala Capital, the asset management arm of Abu Dhabi’s government-owned Mubadala Investment Company. The group pledged a reported $50 million USD over five years to support teams and infrastructure, with all systems go for the championship to take flight.

Ultimately, the series failed to launch as intended, as the collaboration between Monster Energy Supercross and Pro Motocross promoters in the US produced the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) – a post-season playoff-style series boasting a $10 million USD prize pool in its inaugural 2023 campaign.

That announcement arrived in August 2022, around eight months after WSX’s official launch. It remains unclear – and likely always will – whether this was a direct response to the new series, with suggestions that discussions between Feld Entertainment and MX Sports Pro Racing were already underway before WSX emerged.

Regardless, Cochrane’s lofty vision never came to fruition under his reign. The outspoken businessman quietly exited at the end of 2022, and the following 12 months would prove equally tumultuous for the organization.

A significant upheaval followed the opening round of the 2023 season at Birmingham’s Villa Park in early July, as rumors swirled that WSX’s prospects were on shaky ground. Scheduled rounds in Singapore, Canada, and Germany were uncertain, while founding investor Mubadala Capital was reportedly preparing to withdraw.

Image: Foremost Media.

By September, SX Global had been formally sold to a new group of investors, paving the way for the second iteration of the series seen today. Englishman Tom Burwell stepped into the CEO role, and WSX once again faced the challenge of rebuilding and regaining the trust of the wider industry.

An important sidenote is that even amid periods of instability, the rider roster has remained impressively strong. Ken Roczen – the marquee signing from the outset – captured the WSX premier class title in both 2022 and 2023, before American icon Eli Tomac claimed top honors in 2024.

An international line-up featuring Max Anstie, Shane McElrath, Joey Savatgy, Luke Clout, Cedric Soubeyras, and more has filled the gates, backed by several high-profile teams. It underlines WSX’s ongoing commitment to attracting world-class talent and giving global audiences a rare chance to see these stars compete outside the United States.

2024 appeared to be a step in the right direction, with a four-round series – including an Australian double-header – executed to a solid standard.

All this said, the 2025 season is upon us, and it seems WSX is gradually finding its place in the market – at least in the short to medium term. Recognizing that poking the North American bear probably isn’t the wisest approach, the series has shifted focus into the SMX off-season window, giving some of the world’s top supercross riders the opportunity to compete.

Image: Supplied.

Haiden Deegan, Eli Tomac, Ken Roczen, Jason Anderson, Cooper Webb, and other top names are set to contest at least one round of the five-event 2025 WSX series. For some, it’s a full-series commitment, for others a wildcard showing, but in every case it’s an ideal warm-up ahead of the US supercross season, which commences inside Anaheim’s Angel Stadium on January 10.

It’s been a tumultuous history to say the least, a consequence of both an ambitious initial aim and the challenges of creating something as substantial and intricate as a world championship. That’s no walk in the park, but it’s encouraging to see WSX beginning to find its footing, delivering on its promise to showcase the world’s fastest supercross riders on a global stage.