Let’s be real, for a while now, international pigeon racing has felt a bit like the Wild West.
We’ve seen some incredible races, sure, but the regulations? They were often as leaky as an old wicker basket. For 2026, the FCI has finally shown its teeth. And trust me , it was long overdue. If we want our sport to be taken seriously on the global stage, we need steel-clad rules. No gray areas, no excuses , just total clarity.
I’ve spent the morning digging through the new official mandates. Here is what you need to know before you even think about basketting your first birds for the 2026 One Loft Race, OLR , season.
1. Ending the “Big Money” Dominance?
We’ve all seen it , those massive commercial lofts storming a race with hundreds of pigeons under a single name. For the small-time fancier with a handful of top-quality birds, it can feel like bringing a knife to a gunfight. The FCI is finally stepping in with a 12-pigeon team limit.
The Limit: You can register up to 12 birds per team.
The Catch: Have more than 12? They will be ruthlessly split into “Team A”, “Team B”, and so on.
Why is this good news? Because it puts the focus back on the quality of the pigeon rather than the size of the bank account. Winning an Ace Pigeon title against a stable of 500 birds from one owner is a feat, but now we’re going back to true head-to-head racing. That’s what the Pigeon Boss lives for, a fair fight on a level playing field.
2. The 25% Rule: A Race is a Race
There is nothing more frustrating than a final race that drags on for days because the organizers refuse to close the books. For 2026, the rule is crystal clear, the moment 25% of the birds are home, the hammer falls.
If that 25% mark isn’t reached? The race closes officially at 8:00 PM on the second day , no matter what. This is vital for the integrity of Ace Pigeon titles. An Ace Pigeon should be a bird with the character to show up when it counts, not a wanderer that drifts in three days late and still manages to scavenge points. We want winners, not just survivors.
3. Keep Your Hands Off the Rings
The FCI is tightening the screws on ring integrity. There will be no more “creative” business with early rings or obscure registration dates. The 2026 ring is sacred. The federation has announced that any OLR accepting pigeons ringed outside the official window will immediately strip the race of its Grand Prix status.
And quite right, too. If you’re trying to cheat on a bird’s age, you don’t belong in the top tier of this sport. Consider yourselves warned, double check your rings, because the inspections this year will be unforgiving.
4. Fair Pay for the Breeder?
Let’s talk about the money, where it really counts. For the official European Championships and FCI-sanctioned races, the auction payout structure is now set in stone. The deal for 2026 gives you, the breeder, 25% of the auction proceeds after the final.
25% for the Breeder , that’s you!
25% for the FCI , supporting the global sport.
50% for the Organizer , covering the overhead and risk.
Is it enough? We could argue about that all day, but the fact that it’s now written in black and white gives us a leg to stand on. It’s a transparent split that ensures quality is actually rewarded.
5. Professional Tech: No More Excuses
Finally, we are saying goodbye to “technical glitches” , failing clocks or dead antennas. Every FCI-certified loft in 2026 is required to have a full back-up system, including emergency power. We’ve seen too many winners go unrecorded because of a blown fuse or a faulty cable. That’s amateur hour , and in 2026, we’re moving past it.
The Pigeon Boss Verdict
The FCI is taking a massive leap toward professionalization with these rules. It’s going to be tougher, it’s going to be more business-like , but above all, it’s going to be fairer. And that is exactly what we need to make pigeon racing future-proof.
So, get your lofts in order. The bar is high, and the rules are sharp. Let 2026 come, we’re ready for it.
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
