New Year, New FEI Nations Cup Series: These Are the 10 Teams of the Longines League of Nations

The Longines FEI Nations Cup series will have a fresh new look for 2024.

Ten nations from around the world are set to compete in this brand-new, international team jumping spectacle, which kicks off in Abu Dhabi (UAE) in February 2024. The new series is set to replace the former FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ circuit with a unique, unified, global format.

With a nod to the tradition of nation vs. nation competition (which originally dates wayyy back to 1909!) the Longines League of Nations™ is made up of the top-10 teams from around the world based on FEI ranking points. The series will include four qualifying events, culminating in a grand finale in October in Barcelona, Spain—the longtime home of the former Longines FEI Nations Cup series.

There, the top eight teams in the series will vie to become the first in history to hoist the Longines League of Nations™ trophy.

Here’s a breakdown of the top-ranked 2024 squads along with their chefs d’equipe. (The full rankings can be viewed here).

1.   Ireland (IRL) – 13834 pts. Chef d’equipe: Michael Blake
2.   United States of America (USA) – 13532 pts. Chef d’equipe: Robert Ridland
3.   France (FRA) – 12890 pts. Chef d’equipe: Henk Nooren
4.   Germany (GER) – 12876 pts. Chef d’equipe: Otto Becker
5.   Switzerland (SUI) – 12514 pts. Chef d’equipe: Peter Van Der Waaij
6.   Great Britain (GBR) – 12045 pts. Chef d’equipe: Di Lampard
7.   Netherlands (NED) – 11957 pts. Chef d’equipe: Jos Lansink
8.   Belgium (BEL) – 11552 pts. Chef d’equipe: Peter Weinberg
9.   Sweden (SWE) – 10237 pts. Chef d’equipe: Henrik Ankarcrona
10. Brazil (BRA) – 9289 pts. Chef d’equipe: Pedro Paulo Lacerda

“We have always believed that Nations Cups form the bedrock of the sport of jumping, and from the beginning, we have been tremendously supportive of the FEI’s initiative to revitalize and strengthen the Longines series,” said no. 2-ranked U.S. chef d’equipe: Robert Ridland.

Ridland further noted that Team USA would be using the Longines League of Nations™ events both as valuable training experience for its younger riders, and well as part of the preparation process for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Swiss Chef d’equipe Peter de Waaij seconded Ridland’s optimism, adding that he expected the new series’ format changes to create increased excitement for teams as well as spectators.

“The new format, with four riders in the first round and three riders in the second round, adds an extra challenge, as well, and definitely does not make it easier for a chef d’equipe!” de Waaij explained.

“It could lead to some difficult decisions and it is hard to predict the outcome. We have seen, over the years, many times that the result in the first round is no guarantee for the second round. It is an interesting new aspect to the Nations Cup format, and fans will find it very exciting to see if their nation can climb the ranks.”

So mark your calendars! The upcoming 2024 Longines League of Nations™ 2024 Schedule looks like this: