The battle for a place in the 2026 FIM Speedway World Cup Final continues on Friday as the starting line-ups for Semi-Final 2 in Riga have been confirmed.
Hosts Latvia welcome former champions Denmark and Sweden to Bikernieki Stadium, while Norway complete the four-team line-up as they bid to reach the World Cup Final.
Each team manager has selected four starters at numbers one to four, with a substitute at No.5, who can be called into action at any time. Riders can take up to five rides – or six if their team falls six or more points behind the leading nation and their team manager deploys them as a tactical substitute.
Latvia’s challenge is led by double European champion Andzejs Lebedevs, and he is joined by four riders who have featured for this small but mighty speedway nation across their three FIM Speedway of Nations Final appearances in 2021, 2024 and 2025.
Daniils Kolodinskis, Jevgenijs Kostigovs, Olegs Mihailovs and former SGP2 star Francis Gusts line up for Latvia, with Kolodinskis set for double duty as he also races as wild card in the DEWALT FIM Latvian Speedway GP.
Swedish skipper Fredrik Lindgren makes a timely racing return to lead his side into action, having missed six straight Speedway GP rounds due to the injury that he suffered in a crash at a Polish PGE Ekstraliga meeting for Lublin away to Leszno on May 17.
Lindgren teams up with former Speedway GP riders Kim Nilsson and Oliver Berntzon, with double Swedish champion Jacob Thorssell and Timo Lahti completing the team.
Danish team manager Nicki Pedersen names a stellar side, captained by 2012 FIM SWC winner Michael Jepsen Jensen. He is joined by Speedway GP rival Leon Madsen, as well as BST FIM Speedway GP of Sweden – Malilla winner Anders Thomsen.
Record three-time European champion Mikkel Michelsen and SWC debutant Frederik Jakobsen complete the side.
Norway’s first-ever SWC Semi-Final team is led by former SGP2 bronze medallist Mathias Pollestad, who inspired his country to qualification at the 2025 FIM Speedway of Nations in Torun. He joins forces with Lasse Fredriksen, Glenn Moi, Magnus Klipper and captain Truls Kamhaug for the biggest meeting in Norway’s recent history.
The winning nation completes the line-up for the BOLL FIM Speedway World Cup Final – Warsaw – on August 29, which already features hosts Poland, 2025 SON world champions Australia and Semi-Final 1 winners Great Britain.
Tickets for Latvia’s biggest-ever FIM Speedway weekend are still available. Secure your spot at Bikernieki HERE now.
2026 11.lv FIM SPEEDWAY WORLD CUP SEMI-FINAL 2 – RIGA STARTING LINE-UPS:
DENMARK – RED
1. Michael Jepsen Jensen (captain)
2. Leon Madsen
3. Anders Thomsen
4. Mikkel Michelsen
5. Frederik Jakobsen
Team Manager: Nicki Pedersen
NORWAY – BLUE
1. Mathias Pollestad
2. Lasse Fredriksen
3. Glenn Moi
4. Truls Kamhaug (captain)
5. Magnus Klipper
Team Manager: Kenneth Klipper Smith
LATVIA – WHITE
1. Daniils Kolodinskis
2. Andzejs Lebedevs (captain)
3. Jevgenijs Kostigovs
4. Francis Gusts
5. Olegs Mihailovs
Team Manager: Vladimirs Vagels
SWEDEN – YELLOW
1. Oliver Berntzon
2. Timo Lahti
3. Jacob Thorssell
4. Fredrik Lindgren (captain)
5. Kim Nilsson
Team Manager: Linus Sundstrom
Words FIM Speedway – Feature Image courtesy of Taylor Lanning
