The World Black Bass Championships (WBBC) is an international tournament where national teams compete in a multi-day event targeting largemouth black bass.

Each country selects its top tournament anglers to represent them, making it one of the highest levels of competitive bass fishing globally. Unlike domestic events, this is a Nation vs Nation competition with team and individual rankings. It’s fished under strict international rules and formats. It’s a world championship event with national pride at stake!

Australia first entered a team in 2019, consisting of six top tournament anglers. The team performed exceptionally, narrowly missing gold by just one point to host nation South Africa.

2026 marks Australia’s fifth entry into the Championship competition, following a stellar podium 3rd place finish at the2025 event in South Africa.

They proudly placed 2nd in Italy in 2024. Beaten only by Spain, Team Australia outranked favourites Italy, along with powerhouse teams from Germany and the USA, earning immense respect and growing recognition as a competitive tournament fishing nation.

• Competing against traditional bass powerhouses like the USA, Italy, Spain and South Africa

• Showcasing Australian angling skills on a global stage

• Raising the profile of tournament fishing nationally

• Inspiring grassroots anglers

Australia’s recent podium finishes demonstrate that the country is now firmly in the top tier of international black bass competition.

Media coverage of the World Championships has continued to improve in recent years. The 2024 event in Italy set a new benchmark, with the official Facebook page providing regular updates, high-quality images and consistent engagement. Team Australia also contributed significantly, with daily social media updates shared throughout the trip.

South Africa built on this momentum in 2025, delivering live streams, team interviews and stage coverage despite the challenges of a remote location. Team Australia again played a key role in sharing the experience with Australian audiences, resulting in increased engagement and growing interest in our international campaign.

In 2019 and 2022, Australia’s participation was entirely self-funded by the anglers. For 2024 & 2025, with support from generous companies and individuals through an online raffle, and an auction to fish with each team member, the team successfully offset some costs. In 2026, Team Australia is seeking support to compete at the highest level of bass fishing once again.

We would love to explore a partnership highlighting Australian angling culture, regional waters and Australia’s reputation in competitive fishing. All anglers are comfortable sharing, are confident on camera and with media and have prominent respectable social media followings.

Our funding target is $60,000 AUD. This has been based off previous years expenses and with the knowledge of the costs associated with travel in the USA.

Base Team Expenses (rounded) in 2025 - A team of Six to South Africa:

Car Hire & Practice Boat and Skipper Expenses: $10,000

Flights & (Pre-Comp) Accomodation Expenses: $13,000

Equipment Hire & Freight Purchases: $1,500

Entry & Competition Accomodations (all inclusive): $27,500

Total Expenses for 2025 = $52,000 (approx $8,600 per angler - not including fishing gear purchases or leisure activities)

Unfortunately no! We don't have any Black Bass - and that is what the competition is centered around.