WSC Regional Rounds: Dates & Cities
The Regional Round is where every World Scholar's Cup journey starts: a weekend event in your city, all four events, and a generous path onward — most teams advance to a Global Round. Here is every announced 2026-27 round, with dates, and how the stage actually works.
How a Regional Round Works
A Regional Round packs the full World Scholar's Cup into one local weekend, usually hosted at a school. Your team of three competes in all four events: Team Debate, Collaborative Writing, the Scholar's Challenge (60 minutes and 120 questions at this stage), and the Scholar's Bowl — all drawn from the season's theme and Guiding Questions.
It is also the friendliest stage of the competition. Fees are small and local travel is minimal, awards are plentiful across subjects and events, and the advancement bar is deliberately generous — in recent seasons roughly 50-70% of teams have qualified for a Global Round. If your scholars are new to WSC, the Regional Round is the on-ramp.
Teams of three
Same division; mixed schools and countries welcome. Solo scholars get matched.
Most teams advance
Roughly 50-70% of teams have qualified for Globals in recent seasons.
One regional per season
Each team enters exactly one Regional Round — choose your city deliberately.
Announced Regional Rounds, 2026-27
Verified against the official calendar on August 31, 2026. New rounds are added throughout the season, and dates can shift — always confirm on scholarscup.org/calendar before booking anything.
Late 2026 Rounds
| City | Country | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg | South Africa | September 18–19, 2026 |
| Hyderabad | India | September 26–27, 2026 |
| Yerevan | Armenia | October 3–4, 2026 |
| Delhi | India | October 9–10, 2026 |
| Vientiane | Laos | October 23–24, 2026 |
| Hanoi (Winter Round) | Vietnam | October 24–25, 2026 |
| Porto Alegre | Brazil | October 30–31, 2026 |
| Al Ain | UAE | October 31 – November 1, 2026 |
| Kuwait City | Kuwait | November 6–7, 2026 |
| Noida | India | December 4–5, 2026 |
| Beijing (Intro Round) | China | December 5–6, 2026 |
2027 Rounds
| City | Country | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Rabat | Morocco | January 22–23, 2027 |
| Budapest | Hungary | January 26–27, 2027 |
| Prague | Czech Republic | January 29–30, 2027 |
| Montreal | Canada | February 6–7, 2027 |
| Accra | Ghana | February 13–14, 2027 |
| Canakkale | Turkey | February 20–21, 2027 |
| Jeju | South Korea | February 20–21, 2027 |
| Tbilisi | Georgia | February 20–21, 2027 |
| Gold Coast | Australia | March 4–5, 2027 |
| Lusaka | Zambia | March 6–8, 2027 |
| Krakow | Poland | March 10–11, 2027 |
| Paris-Chartres | France | March 13, 2027 |
| Houston | USA | March 20–21, 2027 |
| Hong Kong | Hong Kong | March 20–21, 2027 |
| Chisinau | Moldova | March 26–27, 2027 |
| Kampala | Uganda | April 1–4, 2027 |
| Vancouver | Canada | April 3–4, 2027 |
| Bucharest | Romania | April 6–7, 2027 |
| Semarang | Indonesia | April 15–16, 2027 |
| Cairo | Egypt | April 16–17, 2027 |
| San Francisco | USA | April 18–19, 2027 |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Vietnam | April 24–25, 2027 |
| Hanoi | Vietnam | April 30 – May 2, 2027 |
| Tokyo (May Round) | Japan | May 4–5, 2027 |
After the Regional: The Road to Globals and Yale
Score above the threshold at your Regional Round and your team qualifies for a Global Round — the international stage, where 2026 host cities included Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Prague, Seoul, Shanghai and more. From there, the strongest teams qualify for the Tournament of Champions at Yale University.
The jump in standard between stages is real: the Challenge grows to 75 minutes, the field becomes international, and debate benches get sharper. Most teams that stall at Globals prepared for the regional bar, not the global one. Our preparation guide and coaching programs are built around that gap — with an 85% Global Round qualification rate over the past two seasons.
Regional Round FAQ
What is a World Scholar's Cup Regional Round?
A Regional Round is the first of WSC's three competition stages, usually hosted over a weekend at a school in your city. Teams of three compete in all four events — Team Debate, Collaborative Writing, the Scholar's Challenge, and the Scholar's Bowl — and teams that meet the score threshold advance to a Global Round.
How many teams advance from a Regional Round?
Regional Rounds are deliberately generous: in recent seasons roughly 50-70% of teams have advanced to a Global Round. The regional stage is designed to welcome newcomers into the competition, not to eliminate them.
How much does a Regional Round cost?
Each round sets its own tournament fee — typically around $50-150 per student in recent seasons, with all study materials free. Because regionals are local, there are usually no travel or accommodation costs, which makes them the cheapest way to start WSC.
Can we compete at a Regional Round in another city?
Yes — you choose which round to enter when you register, and some teams travel to a nearby city's round when their own city doesn't host one. But a team can compete at only one Regional Round per season, so pick deliberately.
What's the difference between a Regional Round and a Global Round?
Format is the same four events, but Global Rounds run deeper: an international field drawn from many countries, a 75-minute Scholar's Challenge instead of 60 minutes, multi-day programs with cultural events, and accommodation packages. Regionals are a weekend in your city; Globals are an international trip.
What if my city doesn't have a Regional Round?
New rounds are added throughout the season, so check the official calendar regularly. Schools can also propose hosting a round in a new city through the organizers. Otherwise, register for the nearest listed round — mixed-city and mixed-country teams are allowed.