WORLD CLASS 2026

WORLD CLASS COMPETITION

OFFICIAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

Updated Effective Date:.16 March 2026

GENERAL RULES

The World Class competition (the "Competition") is promoted globally, and organised centrally, by Diageo Brands B.V. and organised in each participating market through a local affiliate of Diageo Brands B.V (Diageo Brands B.V and its local affiliates are together “DIAGEO” in these Rules and Regulations) in each participating market (the “Local Market”).
The Competition consists of no fewer than eight months of activity (comprising engagement with the bartending community in each participating country through participation in World Class programming), including (a) an announcement and registration period; (b) a recruitment period of bartender training; (c) a series of competition stages around themes designed for the bartending community; and (d) formally judged World Class bartender live competition challenges.
Entry in the Competition constitutes a participant's full and unconditional agreement to abide by and accept the terms and conditions of these Official Rules and Regulations and the rules of the Local Market the participant belongs.
The Competition is void wherever prohibited or restricted by law. No person may enter or participate in the Competition where doing so is prohibited or restricted by the laws of their country of residence or employment, or where they are otherwise legally prohibited from participating. All participants must also satisfy the eligibility criteria set out in the Entry Criteria section of these Official Rules and Regulations and the rules of the Local Market the participant belongs.
Competition entries must be original, not have been entered in any other drink recipe competition or violate the rights of other parties, including any Intellectual Property Rights of DIAGEO or any third parties. Competition entries may not be offensive, defamatory, discriminatory, obscene, libellous, reflect poorly on DIAGEO or its brands or be inappropriate for use in advertising or for promotional publicity purposes, as determined by DIAGEO and/or the Judge(s) in their sole discretion. Competition entries must be unpublished and must be the work solely of the participant. In these Official Rules and Regulations "Intellectual Property Rights" means all rights in and to intellectual property, whether registered or unregistered, including but not limited to copyrights, trademarks, service marks, trade names, design rights, database rights, rights in know-how and confidential information, trade secrets and all other proprietary rights, and any rights of a similar nature or having an equivalent effect anywhere in the world, together with all applications, renewals, extensions, and revivals of such rights.
By entering this Competition, and in consideration of the opportunity to participate, each participant hereby irrevocably and unconditionally assigns to Diageo Brands B.V. (and/or such other DIAGEO entity as DIAGEO may nominate), with full title guarantee, all of their right, title and interest (including all Intellectual Property Rights, whether now known or hereafter devised) in and to:
1. all cocktail recipes and drink names created, developed or submitted by the participant in connection with the Competition;
2. all materials created, developed or contributed by the participant in connection with the Competition;
3. any recordings, photographs, videos or other content created by or on behalf of DIAGEO or any third party that features, depicts or includes the participant's performance, appearance or Image during the Competition (including, without limitation, any written, audio, visual or audiovisual content, in any media or format, whether tangible or intangible), together with all performers' rights specified in Part II of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and any analogous rights anywhere in the world;
4. any modifications, adaptations or derivative works of the foregoing in a to c above; and ((a) to (d) are collectively referred to as "Materials" in these Official Rules and Regulations); and
5. all information and data submitted to DIAGEO in connection with the Competition, including all entry forms and related submissions,

((a) to (e) are collectively referred to as the "Competition Entry" or "Competition Entries" in these Official Rules and Regulations) in each case for the full term of such rights, including all renewals and extensions, throughout the world and free from any encumbrance. Such assignment shall take effect automatically upon submission and shall be effective in perpetuity. Materials and Competition Entries will not be returned to participants and cannot be acknowledged. For the purposes of these Official Rules and Regulations, "Image" means photograph, image, likeness, voice, name, biographical information, social media handle(s), performance, and any other personal attributes. DIAGEO and its affiliates, distributors, and agencies acting on behalf of DIAGEO or in connection with the Competition (together with DIAGEO, the "Permitted Parties") shall have the unrestricted right to use, publish, adapt, edit and/or modify any Competition Entry in any way, in any and all media now known or hereafter discovered, worldwide, including on DIAGEO websites, social media sites and any third-party platforms, websites, and social media channels, without any obligation to provide compensation to the participant and without any right of notice, review or approval.

Notwithstanding the assignment to DIAGEO in paragraph 6 above, DIAGEO hereby grants to each participant a non-exclusive licence to use their Competition Entry (including without limitation their cocktail recipes and drink names) outside of the Competition, provided that such use: (a) does not use or incorporate any DIAGEO trademarks, logos, or brand-identifying marks without DIAGEO's prior written consent; (b) does not suggest any endorsement by, or affiliation with, DIAGEO; (c) does not compete with or undermine DIAGEO's own use or exploitation of the Competition Entry; and (d) does not bring DIAGEO or any of its brands into disrepute.
By entering this Competition, each participant hereby grants to DIAGEO and the Permitted Parties an irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free right (with the right to sub-licence) to use, in perpetuity, their Image (as defined in paragraph 6 above) in any and all media (whether now known or hereafter devised) and on any third-party platforms, websites, and social media channels throughout the world, for any purpose, including but not limited to publicity, advertising, promotional materials, social and digital media, and any other commercial or non-commercial purposes, without further compensation and without any right of approval. Each Participant acknowledges that DIAGEO and the Permitted Parties shall have no obligation to remove any such content from any media or channel at any time.
In accordance with Articles L.121-1 et seq. of the French Intellectual Property Code, each participant’s moral rights are perpetual, inalienable and may not be waived. Each participant nevertheless expressly consents, to the extent permitted by law, to the reproduction, representation, adaptation, modification and exploitation the Materials for the purposes of the Competition and agrees not to object to such acts provided they are not prejudicial to the participant’s reputation. Each participant undertakes to exercise their moral rights in good faith and in a manner that does not unreasonably interfere with the legitimate exploitation of the Materials.
By entering the Competition, each participant represents and warrants that:
1. they have all necessary rights and authority to grant the assignments and rights set out in these Official Rules and Regulations;
2. their Competition Entry is their sole, original work and has not been copied from the work of any other person;
3. their Competition Entry does not infringe the Intellectual Property Rights or any other rights of any third party;
4. the use and exploitation of the Competition Entry and participant's Image by DIAGEO will not infringe the Intellectual Property Rights or other rights of any third party; and
5. any person referenced in their Competition Entry has given express written consent to such reference and use as contemplated by these Official Rules.
Any Competition Entry containing third party Intellectual Property Rights (meaning Intellectual Property Rights owned by any person or entity other than the participant or DIAGEO BRANDS BV, including but not limited to trademarks, trade names, logos, or brand identifying marks) will not constitute a valid Competition Entry unless the participant has obtained all necessary written permissions from such third parties for DIAGEO BRANDS BV's use and exploitation of such rights as contemplated by these Official Rules and Regulations. Each participant represents and warrants that they have obtained all such necessary permissions and shall provide evidence of such permissions to DIAGEO BRANDS BV promptly upon request. DIAGEO BRANDS BV reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any participant and remove them from the Competition.
Each participant hereby agrees to indemnify and hold DIAGEO and the Permitted Parties harmless from and against any third party claims, actions or proceedings of any kind and from any and all damages, liabilities, costs and expenses, including attorney fees and court costs, arising out of any breach or alleged breach of any of the warranties and representations set out in these Official Rules and Regulations.

PRIZE CONDITIONS

All prizes are subject to the following conditions: (a) prizes are non-transferable and may not be sold, assigned, or otherwise disposed of except at the sole discretion of DIAGEO; (b) no cash or other alternative will be offered in lieu of any prize, except that DIAGEO reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to substitute any prize with a prize of equal or greater value if the original prize becomes unavailable for any reason; (c) each prize winner is solely responsible for any taxes arising from the receipt or use of any prize; and (d) DIAGEO makes no representations or warranties regarding any prize and disclaims all implied warranties to the fullest extent permitted by law.
A prize may be forfeited in whole or in part if: (a) the winner fails to comply with these Official Rules or any applicable laws or regulations; (b) the winner fails to claim or accept the prize within the timeframe specified by DIAGEO; (c) the winner is unable to travel to or participate in any prize-related event for any reason, including but not limited to failure to obtain necessary travel documents, visas, or vaccinations; (d) the winner fails to satisfy any eligibility requirements or is subsequently found to have been ineligible at the time of entry; or (e) the winner engages in conduct that, in DIAGEO's sole discretion, brings or is likely to bring DIAGEO, any of the Permitted Parties, or any of DIAGEO's brands into disrepute. In the event of forfeiture, DIAGEO reserves the right, but is not obligated, to award the forfeited prize to an alternate winner selected in accordance with these Official Rules and Regulations or the applicable Local, Regional, National or Global Rules.
Each prize winner must, as a condition of receiving any prize: (a) provide valid identification and proof of eligibility upon request; (b) execute any additional documents reasonably required by DIAGEO, including but not limited to prize acceptance forms, liability releases, and tax documentation; and (c) cooperate with DIAGEO in connection with any publicity or promotional activities relating to the Competition. Failure to comply with any such condition within the timeframe specified by DIAGEO may result in disqualification and forfeiture of the prize.

LIABILITY LIMITATION AND RELEASE

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each participant agrees to release, discharge, and hold harmless DIAGEO, its parent companies and Permitted Parties and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, successors, and assigns (collectively, the "Released Parties") from any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in connection with: (a) participation in the Competition or any Competition-related activity; (b) acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize; (c) travel to or from any Competition event or prize-related activity; (d) any injury, death, loss, or damage to person or property; and (e) any claims based on publicity rights, defamation, invasion of privacy, or copyright infringement.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall the Released Parties be liable to any participant for any: (i) loss of profits, opportunity, goodwill, use, data, or any intangible losses; (ii) indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages; arising out of or in connection with the Competition, regardless of whether they were foreseeable or whether any Released Party was advised of the possibility of such damages.
The Released Parties' total aggregate liability to any participant in connection with the Competition shall not exceed the value of any prize won by such participant or, if no prize was won, one hundred pounds sterling (£100).
Nothing in these Official Rules shall exclude or limit liability for: (a) death or personal injury caused by negligence; (b) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or (c) any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.
Each participant acknowledges that participation in the Competition and any Competition-related activities may involve inherent risks, including but not limited to risks associated with travel, physical exertion, and the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Each participant assumes all such risks and agrees to participate at their own risk.

ENTRY CRITERIA

This Competition is available to bartenders employed by a current DIAGEO Customer (as defined in paragraph 2 below) or by an establishment that agrees to become a DIAGEO Customer prior to the participant's first Competition entry, provided that such establishment maintains its DIAGEO Customer status throughout the duration of the participant's involvement in the Competition.
A "DIAGEO Customer" means a customer that stocks and lists on its menu at least three (3) distinct DIAGEO Brand products (each from a different brand within the DIAGEO portfolio), including but not limited to: Ketel One®, Tanqueray® No. TEN, Don Julio®, Zacapa®, Johnnie Walker®, The Singleton®.
Participants also agree to publish at least one post on their personal social media accounts and/or on the social media accounts of their establishment (if applicable), highlighting their cocktail creation and their participation in World Class.
Bartenders who have already won the title of Global World Class Bartender of the Year in any previous year are not permitted to compete in the Competition but may act as mentors, trainers, or judges at the discretion of the Local Market or Global Brand Team, as applicable.
Bartenders are permitted to compete in the Global Final a maximum of two (2) times in total (including any current participation). For the avoidance of doubt, a bartender who has previously won the title of National World Class Bartender of the Year may, if they qualify, compete at the Global Final in the year immediately following their national win.
In addition to being employed by a DIAGEO Customer, each participant must:
1. be of legal drinking age in the relevant Local Market; and
2. comply with these Official Rules and Regulations and French mandatory rules (i.e. The Evin law)
3. Have completed registration through the DBA (Diageo Bar Academy) website in order to be eligible for the entry challenge.
By entering the Competition, participants acknowledge that they will be required to provide certain personal data as part of their entry. Participants further acknowledge and agree Diageo will collect and process such personal data as the data controller in accordance with the UK GDPR/EU GDPR and all applicable data protection laws. Diageo will process participants’ personal data for the purposes of administering the Competition, verifying eligibility, selecting and contacting winners, fulfilling prizes, and carrying out any related promotional activities connected to the Competition. Diageo will process participants’ personal data in accordance with its applicable privacy notice, will retain such data only for as long as necessary for the purposes stated above or as required by law, and will implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard the data. Participants may exercise their data subject rights (including access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection, and data portability) by contacting Diageo as set out in the applicable privacy notice.

WORLD CLASS ENTRY CHALLENGE

Each participant must submit their recipe for the entry challenge called “Hop Scotch” (“the registration”).
The recipe must feature at least one of the premium spirits from the DIAGEO Reserve portfolio, including Ketel One®, Tanqueray® No. TEN, Don Julio®, Zacapa®, Johnnie Walker®, The Singleton®, or
Where a recipe refers to bespoke ingredients (such as syrups, infusions, homemade bitters, or other bespoke components), a complete methodology for the preparation of such ingredients must be submitted together with the cocktail recipes.
Each recipe must comply with the applicable Challenge rules, which may, among other things, limit the number and amount of non-standard ingredients.
Each recipe shall be judged equally on a set of categories
Each participant must ensure that all cocktail recipes, drink names, serves and related Competition content submitted in connection with the Competition comply with the DIAGEO Marketing Code (available at: (the "DIAGEO Marketing Code")) and the Evin law. DIAGEO reserves the right to modify any cocktail name, ingredients, or related content in order to ensure such compliance. Each Local Market Competition lead shall use reasonable endeavours to make all participants in the relevant Local Market aware of the applicable sections of the DIAGEO Marketing Code and the Evin law ; provided, however, that each participant's obligation to comply with the DIAGEO Marketing Code and the Evin law is independent of, and not contingent upon, any such notification.
The prize for each World Class Local Market Winner includes:
1. a trip for one to the location of the World Class Regional or Global Final, comprising return transportation and accommodation as arranged by DIAGEO or the Local Market Competition lead, whichever is applicable to that participant based on the Competition structure for their Local Market (as determined and notified by DIAGEO or the Local Market Competition lead);
2. the right to compete at the World Class Regional or Global Final, whichever is applicable to that participant based on the Competition structure for their Local Market (as determined and notified by DIAGEO or the Local Market Competition lead); and
3. the right to attend any celebratory events following any such Final.

WORLD CLASS LOCAL MARKET WINNER

Following the World Class France Semi-Final, three (3) finalists will be selected. These three finalists will represent France at the World Class European Final. At the conclusion of the World Class European Final, one winner will be selected per participating country.

The French winner of the World Class European Final will be awarded:

a trip for one person to participate in the World Class Global Final;
and the right to compete at the World Class Global Final and to attend any celebratory event held in connection with such Final.

Each World Class Local Market Winner:
1. Be available to participate in all activities related to the Competition corresponding to their progress in the contest, including interviews, briefings, training sessions, and the Finals (National, European and/or World, as applicable)
2. must commit to a 30-minute telephone screening and debrief with a DIAGEO representative and PR agency (if applicable);
3. must hold a valid and current passport; and
4. must be eligible to obtain a visa for the country hosting the Global Final.
Each World Class Local Market Winner is permitted to compete in any other national cocktail competition (whether in their own Local Market or in other Local Markets), including cocktail competitions operated by third parties. If the World Class Local Market Winner wins the Regional or Global World Class Final they remain permitted to participate in any other cocktail competition.
In the event that a World Class Local Market Winner wins another third-party cocktail competition and will go on to compete at another third-party global final, the participant is still permitted to participate in the Competition.
If the participant wins both the Competition and any other cocktail competition operated by a third party, the relevant Local Market will be advised to establish communication with the organisers of such other competition in order to coordinate scheduling and address any potential conflicts arising from the participant's respective contractual commitments. In that case, there will be no additional dates or modification of dates for World Class

NATIONAL WORLD CLASS FINAL WINNER

Judges may include DIAGEO Brand Ambassadors, respected industry & mixologist professionals, and/or media.
Finalists will be asked to compete a pre-advised number of mixology challenges, as determined by the Judges appointed for the applicable World Class Final.
One (1) Grand Prize will be awarded to the winning Finalist (the "National Winner"), as announced at the event. The "Grand Prize" includes:
1. the right to represent the applicable country in the World Class Bartender of the Year Global Final; and
2. the option to work with the Local Market in the year following the win as a World Class Ambassador on a paid or unpaid basis. Such duties may include media appearances on behalf of DIAGEO World Class, mentoring and training of other World Class participants, and acting as a spokesperson for World Class, subject to the terms of a separate talent agreement to be agreed between the National Winner and DIAGEO or the applicable Local Market representative
The National Winner shall comply with the following general requirements:
1. Represent the Local Market and compete at the World Class Bartender of the Year Global Final;
2. Work with the Local Market DIAGEO representatives to create a schedule for the following year;
3. Participate in local, regional, and national press and media activities throughout the year as requested by DIAGEO;
4. Appear in digital content throughout the year as requested by DIAGEO;
5. Be available to travel to other participating countries, as requested by DIAGEO, to educate and train bartenders in those Local Markets
6. Participate in the World Class National Final each year and, where appropriate, act as a mentor to future participants in the Competition.
The National Winner acknowledges that, in addition to the rights assigned and granted under paragraphs 6 and 8 of the General Rules above, their Image and Materials may be used more extensively by the Permitted Parties in connection with the promotion of the Competition and DIAGEO brands.
The National Winner must agree to undergo further DIAGEO Marketing Code training if requested by DIAGEO.
The Grand Prize is non-transferable except at the sole discretion of DIAGEO. By accepting the Grand Prize, the National Winner waives any claim in respect of costs associated with the redemption of, or travel to redeem, the Grand Prize and releases DIAGEO from any and all liability arising out of or in connection with the redemption of the Grand Prize. DIAGEO reserves the right to conduct background checks on any prize winner and their travel companion(s). To the extent necessary and permitted by applicable law, each prize winner and their travel companion(s) shall authorise and provide such information as may reasonably be required to enable such background checks. DIAGEO reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any prize winner and/or their travel companion(s) from any element of the prize on the basis of such background checks. The National Winner accepts sole responsibility for any additional or incidental costs arising from the acceptance of the Grand Prize.

JUDGING CRITERIA

The challenges in each year of the Competition are designed to test every aspect of a bartender’s skill, technique, and ability to perform under pressure. Specific rules applying to each Challenge will be provided to each participant by the applicable Local Market Competition lead or World Class lead prior to the relevant Challenge. Challenges may require, among other things, a command of classic recipes and knowledge of their origins, spontaneous creativity and inventiveness, and the ability to interpret and incorporate new flavours. Most importantly each participant's ability to communicate with and charm their guests and, where necessary, explain their work will be a major skill we will look for, after all that has always been a crucial part of the bartender’s art. The judging panel for the Competition may include individuals from outside the bar industry; provided, however, that bar-industry professionals shall constitute a majority of the judges at all times.

SCORING, ELIMINATIONS AND KNOCKOUT PROCESS

Scoring System

All participants shall be scored by the judges in each Challenge in which they compete.
Points may be deducted for infringements of the rules [set out below in the DIAGEO WORLD CLASS 2026 Official Cocktail Competition Rules & Scorecard section] or for exceeding applicable time limits.
Following the completion of each Challenge, all participants shall be ranked in descending order from highest to lowest score, with such ranking determining their relative position for that Challenge.
Judging sheets will be made available by the applicable World Class lead in the Local Market.
Local Markets shall provide each participant with access to their individual scores and overall ranking upon the conclusion of the Competition, upon request by the participant.
Each participant's position in a Challenge shall determine their ranking points, which shall accumulate throughout the Competition.

In the event of a tie, a single-round cocktail tiebreaker shall be held to determine the winner. The format of such tiebreaker shall be at the sole discretion of the World Class lead for the applicable region.

DIAGEO RESERVE WORLD CLASS 2026 Official Cocktail Competition Rules & Scorecard

DRINKS & PREPARATION - RULES APPLICABLE TO ALL CHALLENGES

Drinks in any of the Challenges may not contain more than eight ingredients in total (including the base spirit, fruit juices, syrups, bespoke ingredients, drops, and dashes, but excluding ice and water). For the avoidance of doubt, a citrus fruit zest spray or an aromatic spray applied over the drink shall not count as an ingredient, provided that it is specified as a garnish in the recipe.
Recipes must contain a minimum of 30ml of a DIAGEO Brand product.
Where a Challenge specifies a lead DIAGEO Brand product, at least 30ml or 3cl of that specified product must be used, unless otherwise specified.
The total combined alcoholic ingredients must be equivalent to no more than 90ml or 9cl(3oz) at 40% alc./vol.
Ingredients may be measured using a jigger or similar measuring device.
Participants are permitted to use their own bar tools, cocktail shakers, or mixing glasses for the preparation of cocktails in all Challenges, unless otherwise specified.
The organisers shall provide fully stocked bartender kits at all venues for use by participants.
The organisers shall supply high-quality cubed ice (approximately 25ml/1-inch square) and an ice-crusher.
Participants should confirm the availability of block ice with the organisers in advance. In the event that block ice is not available, participants may produce and supply their own.

Bar equipment will be available on the day of the competition.

Drinks may be served straight up or over ice, using crushed, hand-cracked, or hand-carved ice, at the participant’s discretion.
Participants are required to make the correct number of servings of each cocktail as specified in the applicable Challenge-specific rules.
Participants shall be given time to familiarise themselves with the bar area and to prepare equipment and ingredients within the preparation time limits specified for each Challenge.
Participants must prepare all drinks within the time limits specified for each Challenge. Exceeding the applicable time limit shall result in points penalties at the discretion of the World Class lead and judges in the applicable Local Market.
Participants who serve drinks that appear unfit for consumption or who employ unhygienic methods during preparation or service may be disqualified from the applicable Challenge.

HOME-MADE PREPARATIONS OR PRE-MIXES

All of the main ingredients for each participant's cocktails must be assembled in front of the judges during the participant's presentation time slot.
Homemade or bespoke ingredients such as pre-mixes, infusions, foams, etc. can be prepared before the challenge but no more than three of the eight permitted ingredient slots may be used for such homemade or bespoke ingredients.
Participants are permitted to use barrel-aged ingredients provided that such ingredients shall not comprise more than 30ml (1oz) of the total ingredients in any cocktail.

PROPS AND GLASSWARE

Participants may use any type of glass, cup, or other receptacle, as well as props, in any Challenge.
No brand name or logo other than the discreet mark of the glassware manufacturer shall be visible.
Participants may use service-ware items to support any serves that accompany their cocktails, where permitted by the applicable Challenge.

CHALLENGE RECIPES

Recipes, where required, must be provided by the deadlines specified in the toolkit, that will be provided to the Participants,; failure to do so may result in a points penalty.
Recipes may be adjusted after the deadline provided that such adjustments are reasonable and do not constitute a complete substitution, and provided further that the organisers are notified immediately and consent to the adjustment.
Recipes entered must be the original creation of the participant. Any participant who is found to have plagiarised a known or existing cocktail recipe may be disqualified from the applicable Challenge.
All ingredients must be specified as precise measured quantities. For the avoidance of doubt, imprecise descriptions such as "squeeze of half a lime” are not acceptable.
All recipes and ingredients must include precise measurements expressed in millilitres. Only ingredients used in very small quantities (such as bitters, hot pepper sauce, and similar condiments) may be specified using approximate measurements such as "dashes’ and/or ‘drops’.

DRINK NAMES

[All drink names must comply with the DIAGEO Marketing Code. Without limitation, drink names that include rude, lurid, or sexual language, or words associated with narcotics, motor vehicles, or that could otherwise bring DIAGEO or its brands into disrepute, are prohibited and shall result in disqualification.
Drink names must not reference fictional or cartoon characters associated with persons under the legal drinking age, or otherwise fail to comply with the DIAGEO Marketing Code.

LANGUAGE ISSUES AND TRANSLATION

Participants who are not confident presenting in English are permitted to use an interpreter to translate during their presentation. No additional time allowance shall be granted for translation.
The applicable language for these rules and regulations is English. The French translation is provided for the convenience of the French participants.

SCORING PROCESS

ADJUDICATION AND SCORING

The judges and Competition organisers shall have the final decision on all matters relating to the judging of the Competition.
Participants shall be judged according to the criteria set out in these rules and scored out of the maximum points that can be awarded by each judge per Challenge.
Each group will be judged by the same two judges throughout each challenge. The bartender who achieves the highest score in the challenge will receive 15 points, second place will receive 14 points, and so on. All scores will be carried forward to the final challenge for the top 12 participants.

SCORING BREAKDOWN

Scores shall be made available to each participant upon request following the completion of the applicable Challenge, once all totals and scores have been tallied and verified.
Scoring points awarded to each participant shall be converted into ranking points by means of a percentage-based calculation, as further described in the Ranking Point System section below.
The ranking point system is designed to ensure that each judge's scores carry equal weight in the determination of overall results.
Each Challenge shall carry equal weight in the calculation of overall ranking points.
This scoring grid exhaustively defines the evaluation criteria applicable to participants, divided into four distinct categories (Experience, Story, Knowledge, and “Price of Regret”), each subject to predetermined weighting and scoring scales.
All scores are awarded on the basis of these objective and standardized criteria, including, where applicable, penalties in the event of exceeding the allotted time, in order to ensure fairness, transparency, and impartiality in the evaluation process.

RANKING POINT SYSTEM

Overview

At the Global Finals we have different challenges, changing categories, and of course the variances of each individual judge’s scoring styles. To get consistency with so many variables and to ensure fairness when a few points difference means victory or defeat it is essential we use a ranking points system.

Procedure

We add up the scoring points in a challenge and take the highest score from the bartender for each judge. That top score becomes the benchmark for all other participants for that individual judge.
Every single judge has a separate total of ranking points, although they can have the same winner.

In the above example you can see that each of the judges had a different high score, these were respectively 126 for bartender #11, 115 for bartender #3, and 120 for bartender #5.
All the other bartenders get ranking points as a % of the lead score from each judge.
In the total column all of the scores are added together and then divided by the number of judges.
Bartender #11 came highest with combined ranking points of 97.49 (this bartender came 1st for Judge 1, 2nd for Judge 2 and 3rd for Judge 3).

WORLD CLASS FRANCE 2026 - INSCRIPTION

Les inscriptions sont ouvertes du 16 mars 2026 au 17 avril 2026.