Puppy Bowl 2026 Crowns Its Winner — Was It Team Ruff or Team Fluff?
What To Know
- Team Fluff won the 2026 Puppy Bowl XXII, taking home the Walmart “Lombarky” Trophy after a three-hour event refereed by Dan Schachner.
- This year’s Puppy Bowl featured a record 150 puppies from 72 shelters across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the British Virgin Islands, highlighting dogs with special needs and diverse backgrounds.
- New segments, including a Pro-Dog Halftime Showdown for senior dogs, aimed to celebrate underdogs and promote adoption through entertaining and heartwarming stories.
Millions of Americans will be tuning into Super Bowl LX tonight to see the Seattle Seahawks take on the New England Patriots. But for many dog lovers, the real must-watch sporting event on Sunday was Puppy Bowl XXII, billed as the “cutest showdown in sports.”
Now in its 22nd year, the 2026 Puppy Bowl once again pitted Team Ruff against Team Fluff, with Dan Schachner refereeing the game for his 15th year. And at the end of the three-hour call-to-adoption event — simulcast across Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, HBO Max, and Discovery+ — one team came out as the top dogs and the winners of the Walmart “Lombarky” Trophy.
Who Won the 2026 Puppy Bowl?
Team Fluff won the 2026 Puppy Bowl!
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As Animal Planet boasted before the event, Puppy Bowl XXII boasted a record 150 dogs from 72 shelters across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the British Virgin Islands.
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Those canines included Benito, a Siberian Husky-Chihuahua from Puerto Rico, and Showgirl, a Chow Chow-Rottweiler, on Team Fluff; and Lobster Roll, a Bulldog-Border Collie, Brûlée, a Boston Terrier-French Bulldog, and Miso, an American Cattle Dog-Beagle, on Team Ruff.
Viewers also met Wynonna, a dog with three legs, and Eleanor, a deaf and vision-impaired pup. And during halftime, senior dogs competed in the all-new Pro-Dog Halftime Showdown, either on Team Oldies and Team Goldies.
“Puppy Bowl XXII celebrates the spirit of the underdog with a gameday celebration that combines the excitement of a sports matchup with uplifting adoption stories,” Joseph Boyle, head of content for Discovery Channel, said in a press release. “By introducing new segments like our senior spotlight and enhancing fan-favorite elements, we are creating a deeper connection to our audience and delivering the most entertaining sports spectacular on television.”
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