FORT WORTH, Texas — The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) tour will extend its longstanding relationship with Billings by yet another year when the event returns in April 2026, the organization announced Tuesday.
Billings has hosted the PBR’s longest-running stop on its premier series schedule, with next year marking the 31st consecutive since its inaugural debut in 1996. The 2025 event, which celebrated the milestone 30th anniversary, was held last April.
Next year's First Interstate Arena dates are Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18.
Last year's Billings finale ended dramatically on a Saturday night when the final rider, Luciano De Castro of Guzolandia, Brazil, scored 87.25 points in the championship round to walk off his second win of the season.
The 2026 PBR season features a slate spanning 19 cities across 17 states, bringing the world’s top 40 bull riders and top bovine athletes together for five months of high-stakes competition. The season includes 18 regular-season events, highlighted by new venues and returning favorites.
For the first time, Boston’s TD Garden will host a PBR event, and Florida State’s Doak Campbell Stadium will welcome the tour during this upcoming season. Tampa, Florida, will rejoin the schedule after a 14-year hiatus, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will welcome back the tour following two sold-out nights last year at PPG Paints Arena.
The season’s climax, the PBR World Finals, will return to Texas for the fifth consecutive year. The finals are scheduled for May, beginning at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth from May 7-10, before moving to Dickies Arena in Fort Worth from May 14-17 to crown the sport’s champion.
Additionally, the 2026 season will open earlier than usual, with the Unleash The Beast campaign debuting in Manchester, New Hampshire, at SNHU Arena on Dec. 12-13, 2025. This marks a historic first for the series, which traditionally begins in the new calendar year.
Jose Vitor Leme won last year's world championship completing an extraordinary comeback after returning from injury with just seven weeks remaining. Leme's 8-for-8 performance culminated in his third PBR world title.
2026 PBR UNLEASH THE BEAST SCHEDULE
DATE, CITY, VENUE
Dec. 12-13, 2025 Manchester, New Hampshire SNHU Arena
Dec. 19-20, 2025 Chicago, Illinois United Center
Jan. 2-3, 2026 Boston, Massachusetts TD Garden
Jan. 9-11, 2026 New York City, New York Madison Square Garden
Jan. 16-17, 2026 Milwaukee, Wisconsin Fiserv Forum
Jan 23-24, 2026 Tampa, Florida Benchmark International Arena
Jan. 30-Feb1, 2026 Sacramento, California Golden 1 Center
Feb 6-7, 2026 Salt Lake City, Utah Delta Center
Feb 13-14, 2026 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania PPG Paints Arena
Feb. 20-21, 2026 Jacksonville, Florida VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
Feb 27-28, 2026 Bridgeport, Connecticut Total Mortgage Arena
March 6-7, 2026 N. Little Rock, Arkansas Simmons Bank Arena
March 13-14, 2026 Florida State – Tallahassee, FL Doak Campbell Stadium
March 21-22, 2026 Indianapolis, Indiana Gainbridge Fieldhouse
March 27-29, 2026 Albuquerque, New Mexico The Pit
April 10-12, 2026 Sioux Falls, South Dakota Denny Sanford PREMIER Center
April 17-18, 2026 Billings, Montana First Interstate Arena at MetraPark
April 24-25, 2026 Tacoma, Washington Tacoma Dome
* May 7-10, 2026 Fort Worth, Texas Cowtown Coliseum
* May 14-17, 2026 Fort Worth, Texas Dickies Arena
* 2026 PBR World Finals
(Editor's note: PBR Media contributed to this story)
