Crufts 2026: From Claudia Winkleman to the Komondor — a closer look at what the show brings to life
At the NEC Birmingham, the scent of clean coats and the soft thud of paws on concrete signal that crufts 2026 is about to begin: hundreds of breeds, handlers and broadcasters converging for a four-day spectacle set for March 5–8.
Crufts 2026: What the numbers and newcomers say about the field
This year’s event will draw an immense global turnout: the entry roll includes some 18, 698 canine entries and more than 4, 299 overseas entries, with competitors arriving from as far afield as New Zealand, Peru and Argentina. Organisers list more than 200 breeds on the card. France is the leading overseas nation with 538 dogs, followed by Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. British and Irish native breeds are strongly represented too, with more than 2, 600 entries across those categories.
Newly recognised breeds join the line-up: the Hungarian mudi, the Icelandic sheepdog and the Pyrenean mastiff will all make their Crufts appearances. The Komondor, also known as the Hungarian sheepdog and resembling a large mop, remains a rare sight in the halls.
Who will be seen in the ring and behind the microphones
Television presence is notable: Claudia Winkleman will join Clare Balding, Ellie Simmonds and Radzi Chinyangany to present live coverage. Inside the rings, recent Best in Show winners and familiar names are part of the event’s living history. The most recent Best in Show champion is Miuccia the Whippet, pictured with owner Giovanni Liguori. Viking, an Australian Shepherd co-owned by Melanie Raymond with John Shaw and Kerry Kirtley, won Best in Show in 2024. Orca, a Lagotto Romagnolo handled by Javier Gonzalez Mendikote and owned by Sabina Zdunić Šinković and Ante Lučin, claimed the title in 2023. In 2022, Best in Show went to Baxer, a flat-coated retriever pictured with owner and handler Patrick Oware. The 2021 show was cancelled due to the global pandemic.
Historically, certain breeds have accumulated repeated success: the English Cocker Spaniel leads with seven Best in Show wins, while the Irish Setter, Standard Poodle, Whippet and Welsh Terrier have each taken the title four times. The Best in Show prize itself was introduced in 1928; the first winner was a greyhound called Primley Sceptre, owned by Herbert Whitley, who later founded Devon’s Paignton Zoo.
New formats and initiatives shaping the show floor
The event expands beyond competition. Hall 8 will host a new elite grooming competition, sponsored by Artero, where professional groomers will compete for the Best Dog Groomer in Show title during the Sunday finale. The Discover Dogs area returns to Hall 3, offering direct encounters with more than 200 pedigree breeds and staffed by expert breed specialists and knowledgeable owners ready to answer questions.
Institutional change is also on display: the Royal Kennel Club will unveil a new identity following its royal warrant and will launch the Crufts Club, an initiative described as designed to bring owners closer to trusted experts and a range of health and training resources to support modern dog ownership.
Visitors and competitors will notice familiar leaderboards: the Labrador Retriever tops the entry list with 547 dogs, followed by the Golden Retriever with 529. Other heavy entrants include the Whippet, Cocker Spaniel, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Border Collie, Flat-Coated Retriever, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Dalmatian and Shetland Sheepdog.
The scale — tens of thousands of entries, new breeds, a grooming final, returning public engagement zones and a relaunch from the Royal Kennel Club — frames crufts 2026 as both a competition and a moment of institutional renewal.
Back at the NEC, handlers make last-minute adjustments to leads and handlers’ routines blend with broadcasters’ rehearsals. As the rings open on March 5, the show will test not only breeding and grooming standards but also whether the new formats and initiatives reshape how owners, experts and a global public engage with the canine world. For many who have packed bags and crates from across continents, crufts 2026 is both a contest and a reunion under one expansive roof.
