All five rounds of the 2026 Boost Mobile AUSX Supercross Championship have now been revealed, underlined by a high-profile return to both Western Australia and New Zealand, along with blockbuster appearances from Ken Roczen and Cole Davies at select events during the season. But what does this new shape of AUSX actually mean for the sport?

It’s been a steady climb for the stadium-based championship in recent years, with rights-holder AME Group growing the series from three rounds in 2023 to five individual rounds for 2026. During that period, the AUSX Open international event also returned, attracting the Lawrence brothers for both the 2024 and 2025 editions staged within Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium.

AUSX has largely consisted of an eastern-Australian footprint, with events held across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and Adelaide. In fact, Australian supercross hasn’t visited Western Australia since the ‘Super X’ era in 2009, while New Zealand’s only recent appearance came in 2018 and 2019 with the S-X Open Auckland.

Fast-track to 2026 and AUSX has confirmed visits to both Auckland’s North Harbour Stadium (October 31) and HBF Park in Perth (November 14), particularly addressing long-standing calls from fans in Western Australia who have voiced their frustration with the east coast-heavy nature of national racing calendars for many years. Unfortunately, it’s Adelaide that instead misses out.

The relocation of Queensland’s sole event from Redcliffe to Townsville at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on October 3 – the same weekend as the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations (MXoN) – has made for heated debate in the background, but on the front-end, it’s a huge win for North Queenslanders and the appetite for supercross in that region is already evident.

Image: Foremost Media.

At this time, it appears that the AUSX season-opener won’t actually have Australian championship status due to the clash with MXoN and also the KTM Australian Junior Motocross Championship contested that same week, which the rest of the rounds will. That means that we will strangely have a five-event ‘AUSX Supercross Championship’ that runs parallel with the four-round Australian championship sanctioned by Motorcycling Australia (MA), unless common ground can be met.

And to add to that, the expanded geographical schedule has raised broader questions, particularly among privateers that aren’t always privileged to the ongoing communication that teams and partners are across. They must factor in increased travel, time away from work, and the apparent cost of contesting the championship compared to previous seasons. After all, it’s important that all involved – from the pro classes to the development ranks – can financially survive.

AME has introduced a rider support initiative to directly offset those challenges, including logistical assistance through an AUSX-managed freight system, even if it’s not that clear-cut. Competitors will also benefit from reduced entry fees, secure transport crates, covered pit infrastructure at long-haul events, shared workshop facilities, and access to discounted accommodation rates.

The series-long freight support package comes at a $6000 expense and was developed following consultation with privateers, notably including Hayden Mellross and Zane Mackintosh according to AUSX organisers, who have assessed the expenses required to contest last year’s series while implementing this newfound structure. As a result, AME is in position to argue that there is a method behind their madness, so to speak.

These initiatives are expected to play an important role in supporting long-term participation beyond the factory-backed operations. While teams such as Monster Energy CDR Yamaha and Honda Racing have greater resources to manage the demands of interstate and even international travel, the same logistical hurdles present a significantly different matter for privateer competitors and their associated families or supporters.

Image: Foremost Media.

Additionally, an all-new content reward system – featuring up to $100,000 in incentive payments – will be available to riders who actively create content and drive digital engagement throughout the season. We don’t know much more than that, but hey, it’s something that we’ll be keeping tabs on to learn more about.

On face value, it’s easy to suggest where AME should be guiding AUSX, particularly through the lens of fan expectations and social media discussion. However, ambition and reality are not always aligned, and the two cannot be treated as interchangeable – especially when it comes to motorsports and stadium-based entertainment. There’s a lot on the line.

A measured approach remains the ideal strategy to ensure the long-term health of the series, with incremental improvements year-on-year capable of delivering significant growth over time. It’s the big picture plays like we’re witnessing in 2026 that will count in the end, though, and it’s obvious that AME continues to push boundaries in order to raise the bar of supercross locally.

Which brings me to the signings of Roczen and Davies for 2026, with more international attractions still to be announced by our understanding. AME has established a strong track-record of attracting international talent to Australia, with the reigning Monster Energy Supercross 450SX and 250SX East champions committed for select appearances.

At this stage, Roczen has been announced for Geelong – the location for the 2026 AUSX Open event – while Kiwi revelation Davies will headline the AUSX championship’s second round in Auckland. This pairing continues the evolving international presence of AUSX, bringing increased exposure and global attention to the series, and there are more to come by all indications.

Image: Foremost Media.

A supercross-focused annual schedule is also becoming an increasingly attractive option among certain riders, and with the Monster Energy SMX World Championship concluding in September before AUSX runs from October through November, there is an opportunity for more competitors to prioritise this pathway. It rests as an alternate option to World Supercross, too.

The final point is, commercial viability remains another critical consideration in all of this decision making and has historically been an area of strength for AME. State or local government support has again been secured for the 2026 season, with each of the rounds – in particular Townsville – all receiving instrumental backing that further drives the growth of AUSX and the wider business model.

Combined with Boost Mobile’s return as its naming-rights sponsor and Monster Energy continuing as presenting partner – yes, two massively influential brands from outside of the industry – the commercial foundations of AUSX appear to be well-positioned. And that matters in more ways than one.

It’s a somewhat bold new shape for AUSX, which AME has maintained that its long-term vision for the series expansion has been in planning for some time. Year-on-year growth has continued to reflect that direction, with this year’s expanded footprint representing another step in the execution of that plan – now far removed from the showground-based makeup of the sport that seemed destined for Australian supercross in the past. History tells, it’s just not enough.

Excitement typically peaks once the domestic supercross season finally arrives in Q4 of each year, serving as a reflection of the appeal and subsequent engagement that the promoters continue to attract. While 2026 represents an ambitious leap forward, it is the underlying energy that has enabled AUSX to continue to evolve. We’re expecting much the same attraction this time around.