posted May 14th, 2026 - The 8-way competition at the FAI Indoor World Cup 2026 attracted an impressive field of 13 teams, a significant increase compared to the FAI Indoor World Championship 2019 (6 teams) and last year's edition. There had never been an official FAI Indoor World Cup in 8-way formation skydiving before the event held last month at Weembi Lille, and participation was naturally higher at a World Cup, where up to four teams can represent each country in formation skydiving competition. The 8-way national teams at the Indoor World Cup 2026 represented seven different countries.

However, the reduction of the World Cup leaderboard for the rankings of the FAI European Championship left only four national teams in contention for the three sets of medals at Weembi Lille. Five national 8-way teams competed at the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025, matching the participation level of the FAI Outdoor World Championship 2024.

This first NSL News preview of the 8-way competition at the FAI Outdoor World Championship 2026 reviews the teams that competed at indoor and outdoor events in 2025 and 2026 to produce the first NSL News Power Rankings for the event.

FAI Indoor World Cup 2026			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		J,20,C,4		10,O,L,M		B,21,N,H		14,F,3		18,16,9		E,6,8		19,1,Q		G,5,12		P,D,17,22		15,11,2		Total	Avg
1	Aethers Nephtys	FR	37		32		37		37		33		29	-1	32		29		32	-1	32		330	33.0
2	Paraclete XP8	US	36	-2	33		29	-3	34	-2	27	-3	27	-1	30		30	-2	33	-2	31		310	31.0
3	D'Arc8	FR	36		28	-1	31		32	-2	30		28	-2	29		30		33		32		309	30.9
4	Nova	FR	28	-1	25	-1	27		28		25		23	-1	26		25		30		27		264	26.4
5	China	CN	23	-2	26		22		24		23	-1	22		23	-2	20		22		21		226	22.6
6	FLY X8	IT	25		23		22		22		22	-1	21		23	-1	17		20	-1	19		214	21.4
7	Netunos	BR	20	-3	19	-3	18	-2	20	-1	21	-1	21		18		20		22	-1	18		197	19.7
8	Airbus	DE	20	-1	21		19		21		20		17		19		19		21		18		195	19.5
9	Octobuzz by Banter	UK	21		17		19		19	-1	18	-1	16	-1	17		17		17		18		179	17.9
10	Infinite Octane XP	US	20	-1	19		16	-1	18	-2	17	-1	14	-3	18	-1	18		19		15	-1	174	17.4
11	Chicanovas	DE	20	-1	17		16	-2	20		16	-1	17		17	-1	17	-3	15		14	-2	169	16.9
12	Deton8	UK	13	-1	15		14	-1	15		14		14		13	-1	15		13	-1	13		139	13.9
13	Elev8	UK	10	-5	15	-2	15	-1	14	-1	13	-2	16		17		13	-1	12	-2	13	-1	138	13.8

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China (CN) - Netunos (BR) at the FAI Indoor World Cup 2026

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It is a very different leaderboard, one that more closely resembles the expected 8-way participation at Skydive Arizona in October. The French AerthersNephtys 8-way team at Weembi Lille has no plans to compete at the Outdoor World Championship, even though both 4-way teams will be in Arizona with almost identical lineups. Only the Nephtys team will return to its outdoor lineup, adding Alexandra Petitjean and Gaelle Giesen.

The French 8-way delegation at Weembi Lille also included two additional teams: D'Arc8, featuring former outdoor 4-way and 8-way world champion Martial Ferre, and Nova, led by former 8-way world champion Emmanuel Sarrazin, who served as player-coach for the last French 8-way team at a world championship in Eloy 2022 and at the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2023, Mojo Annecy. However, the chances appear slim that any of the other French 8-way teams will represent France in Eloy, as national coach Mathieu Bernier wants his 4-way teams to focus exclusively on winning medals in their primary events.

The winners of the 8-way competition at the FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025, Qatar Falcons, have not attended any competitions since the event at Skydive Teuge last year. At this point, there is no indication that the Qatari teams will return to formation skydiving competition anytime soon.

FAI Outdoor World Cup 2025			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		B,Q,19,F		G,13,K,A		12,7,8		16,E,6		1,J,9		10,15,21		5,18,L		M,20,11		C,17,2		22,O,P,3		Total	Avg
1	Qatar Falcons	QA	19		20		14	-1	22		19		14		16		18		17		22		181	18.1
2	Prison 9	US	18		16		9	-2	17	-2	19		12	-1	15		15		11	-2	15		147	14.7
3	Mandatory Fun!	US	15	-1	13	-1	11		12	-2	14		12		10	-1	14		12		15		128	12.8
4	Bra Nok XP	US	13		11	-1	10	-1	13		13		9	-2	11		11		8		11		110	11.0
5	Airbus 8-way	DE	13		14		5	-5	15		9		3	-2	9		10		7		6	-2	91	9.1
6	Shinobi XL	NL	6		4		4		6		4	-2	5		5		1	-2	4		4		43	4.3
7	Cark8	UK	3		3	-1	2	-1	4		3	-1	4		5		4		4		3		35	3.5
8	Just M8S	UK	1	-3	4		4		2	-2	3		4		5		3		3		2	-2	31	3.1

Russia also used to field strong 4-way and 8-way teams at FAI Outdoor World Championships. However, Russian teams have not attended any FAI/ISC events since the FAI Tanay Mondial in August 2021. As a result, three formation skydiving powerhouses — France, Russia, and Qatar — are currently absent from previews and NSL Power Rankings for the competition in Eloy this October.

U.S. team Paraclete XP8 will most likely not face the same level of opposition they encountered at Weembi Lille and are therefore in a strong position to defend their 8-way world championship title successfully. A victory would place four new names on the William H. Ottley Sword for 8-way world champions: Doug Barron, James Hall, Carl Kallgren IV, and Brandon Kashani.

Operation Adler will represent Germany, even though the Airbus 8-way team competed at Weembi Lille. In the absence of teams from France, Russia, and Qatar, Operation Adler could have an opportunity to improve Germany’s 8-way bronze medals from 2022 and 2024 to silver this year. Brazil’s Netunos may also have a chance to earn their first set of FAI World Championship medals, unless Canada’s 8-way team completes enough training jumps and travels to Eloy.

There is still no indication which British 8-way team may compete in Eloy, and it appears unlikely that Shinobi XL plans to represent the Netherlands.

FAI Outdoor World Championship 2026			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open Power Ranking		TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	Total	Avg
1	Paraclete XP8	US	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2	Operation Adler	DE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3	Netunos	BR	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	Canada8	CA	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5	Octobuzz by Banter	UK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5	Shinobi XL	NL	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-