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We are talking Playoffs! The 2026 SMX World Championship Playoffs officially get underway this Saturday, September 12, at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, and you can stream it all live on Peacock.
The SMX Playoffs are still a relatively new wrinkle in the racing calendar, and if we’re being completely honest, the format can take a minute to wrap your head around. We’ll have plenty of time to dive into the riders, title contenders, dark horses and storylines as the week rolls along, but before we start talking about who can win this thing, it probably makes sense to explain exactly how someone wins this thing.
How do the Playoffs work? Who qualifies? How are riders seeded? How many points are up for grabs? And what is the payout? Consider this your quick refresher on everything you need to know about the 2026 SMX Playoffs.
Schedule
Round 1: Historic Crew Stadium | Columbus, OH | Sept 12
Round 2: Dignity Health Sports Park | Carson, CA | Sept 19
World Championship Final: Thunder Rider Nature Arena | Ridgedale, MO | Sept 26
How to Qualify
- A combined points tally is accrued through the Monster Energy Supercross and Pro Motocross seasons
- The top 20 points earners in 450 and 250 will automatically qualify and be seeded into the SMX World Championship
- Riders from 21st to 30th in combined points will compete in a Wild Card race for the final two positions of the 22-rider field
- If a seeded, top 20 athlete is unable to compete in an event, an additional opportunity will be made available for a provisional racer to qualify through the Wild Card
- Any racer outside the top 30 in combined points who also won a Supercross Main Event or Pro Motocross moto will also be eligible to compete in the Wild Card race for the 21st and 22nd position
Points Reset
The point system for the SMX World Championship will be unique to the playoff. Points will be reset for the final three races, beginning with 25 points for the top seed, 22 for the second seed, 20 for the third seed, and 18 for the fourth, followed by single-point denominations through the 20th seed. All racers outside the top 20 in combined points will begin the playoff rounds with zero points.
450SMX Standings (Qualify Automatically Into Mains)
250SMX Standings (Qualify Automatically Into Mains)
Points System
Playoff 1 will feature the same point structure, while Playoff 2 will pay out double points. The SMX World Championship Final will pay out triple points, guaranteeing an unpredictable outcome for the title.
Championship Payout
A season-long, history-making purse of $10 million will encompass the entire 31-race SuperMotocross season, where $5.5 million will be on the line for the Playoff rounds of the SMX World Championship. A record $1 million will be awarded to the 450cc division champion, and $500,000 for the 250cc division champion. It’s the most prize money in the history of off-road motorcycle racing.
SuperMotocross Playoffs Round 1 TV and Streaming Guide
| Date | Race | Time | Channel |
| Sat, Sept 12 | Race Day Live | 9:30 a.m. ET | Peacock |
| Sat, Sept 12 | Pre-Race Show | 2:30 p.m. ET | Peacock |
| Sat, Sept 12 | Gate Drop | 3:00 p.m. ET | Peacock |
| Sat, Sept 12 | Post-Race Show | 6:00 p.m. ET | Peacock |
| Sun, Sept 13 | Encore | 4:00 p.m. ET | NBC |
