The League - WDSF World Dancing League

The idea

A revolutionary project in DanceSport

The World Dancing League (WDL) was created to showcase the very best couples of the World DanceSport Federation ranking in a format that feels like a major sports event: invitations by ranking, head-to-head duels, live draws and a final showdown.

From its debut the WDL was built for the screen. The 2023 Sardinia Challenge evenings aired on Sky Sport Max; in 2024 Sky Sport was the Official Broadcaster and showed the competition live, with Corriere dello Sport as Official Media Partner. Through Sky Sport and Eurosport the WDL reached audiences in 47 countries.

The League is officially supported by the WDSF and, in Italy, by FIDESM. Its director is Federico Fantini, its artistic director Pietro Braga, and the WDL chairman is Nenad Jeftic.

Editions

Our history is the example

Every edition stays online as it was: rankings, judges, venues and results. The past is the proof of what the WDL can do.

'26

Barcelona · January 17–18, 2026

Olidata World Dancing League

Battle format open to all levels with a valid WDSF licence and a VIP Jury Panel next to the International Adjudicators Panel. Venue: Grand Hyatt Barcelona.

Event page →

'24

Cagliari · November 22–24, 2024

Sardinia Challenge 2024

The top 16 couples of the WDSF ranking (August 2024) in Standard and Latin at the PalaPirastu, live on Sky Sport (Official Broadcaster), Corriere dello Sport as media partner, WDSF Open and World Open competitions all weekend, free entry. Champions: Alexey Glukhov & Anastasia Glazunova (Moldova) in Standard, Charles-Guillaume Schmitt & Elena Salikhova (France) in Latin.

Couples & results →WDSF events →Officials →

'23

Cagliari · October 27–29, 2023

Sardinia Challenge 2023

The first edition, at the PalaPirastu: the top 16 couples per discipline in four groups of four, the best two of each group to the knockout rounds. Winners: Moldova in Standard, Germany in Latin. Evening highlights on Sky Sport Max, free entry, main sponsor the Sardinia Region Tourism Department.

Couples & results →Judges →Gallery →

Official results

Roll of honour

Final A decides the title, Final B third place. Scores from the official results of the 2024 Sardinia Challenge.

Standard 2024

1Alexey Glukhov & Anastasia Glazunova MDA116.200
2Rares Cojoc & Andreea Matei ROU114.500
3Dariusz Mycka & Madara Freiberga POL110.500
4Yuan Shaoyang & Qi Chongxuan CHN109.000

Latin 2024

1Charles-Guillaume Schmitt & Elena Salikhova FRA116.400
2Ionut Alexandru Miculescu & Andra Pacurar ROU112.200
3Jakub Lipowski & Tereza Kucerova CZE108.600
4Eric Testa & Federica Brezzo ITA107.300

2023 · Sardinia Challenge: Moldova won Standard, Germany won Latin.

Full official results 2024 ↗

Why the WDL

Art and sport, on the same floor

The World Dancing League turns DanceSport into a live sports event: rankings, duels, pressure, a winner. And it never forgets that every duel is also a performance.

01

Sport

Only the elite of the WDSF world ranking. Duels decided by certified international adjudicators, with a clear bracket and a clear champion.

02

Art

Standard and Latin danced at the highest level: technique, musicality and expression, staged with an artistic direction built for the show.

03

Show

Dances drawn at the moment, group battles, a final duel: a format that keeps the audience on the edge — in the arena and on TV.

The League in numbers

Built for the big stage

47countries reached by the TV coverage on Sky Sport and Eurosport

2editions on Sky Sport: Sky Sport Max in 2023, live as Official Broadcaster in 2024

16couples per discipline, invited from the top of the WDSF world ranking

34international adjudicators on the 2024 panel

18nations represented by the couples invited in 2024

3editions: Sardinia 2023, Sardinia 2024, Barcelona 2026

Why it matters

Giving dancers the stage of champions

01

For athletes

In 2024 every invited couple received a participation fee, four nights of hotel and full travel expenses. Dancers are treated as the elite athletes they are.

02

For the sport

A clear, spectacular format makes DanceSport easy to follow for people who have never watched a competition — and keeps experts on the edge of their seats.

03

For cities and partners

Each edition brings international couples, judges, media and visitors, and promotes the host region worldwide.

The format

From sixteen couples to one champion

16Invitation
The top 16 couples of the WDSF world ranking in Standard and in Latin.
4Groups
A live draw splits them into four groups: A, B, C and D.
3Dances, drawn live
Every duel is danced on three dances chosen by random draw on the spot.
8 → 4Battles
Group A meets D, B meets C. Eight couples advance, then four.
1Final duel
The last two couples face off for the title.

In 2026 the League opened to every WDSF licence holder — Youth, Under 21, Adult, Senior and Professional — with qualification rounds to the Top 16 and a Spider Scheme bracket for the Top 8.

On screen