The World Barbecue Championship will bring the greatest competition barbecue teams, cooks and chefs together under one Las Vegas sky to settle the score and name the World Barbecue Champion. The World Barbecue Champion will advance to the Final Table and see if ‘America’s Cuisine’ will rule the world.

Choosing from all the major sanctioning bodies, The World Food Championships will accept the champions of the world’s premier barbecue competitions to compete in Las Vegas.

What will start as a host of the absolute best championship pitmasters from across all sanctioning bodies, will end up with just one winner… the World Barbecue Champion.

WORLD BARBECUE CHAMPIONSHIP
$50,000 CATEGORY COMPETITION
2013 COMPETITOR PACKET 

Competition Structure

In 2013, the World Food Championships is unveiling a “tournament-style” cook-off process for all of its category competitions.  The competition structure will be split into multiple rounds, including an opening “Challenger” round, a Category Finals round, after which each category champion will advance to the Final Table.

Competition Schedule

Thursday, November 7 – Bonus Cash Competitions – The World Barbecue Championship will feature exciting opportunities to win bonus prize money through additional contests and competitions.  Check back here for additional contest information.

Friday, November 8 – WFC Competition Round – Turn-ins and judging for the three World Barbecue Competition categories will be on Friday, Nov. 8.  The three category turn-ins for the 2013 World Barbecue Championship are: Pork Shoulder, Pork Ribs and Beef Brisket.

Saturday, November 9 – Category Finals – The top finishers in the Competition Round will advance to Saturday’s WFC Category Finals.  

Category competition information can be found in the Competitor Packet linked above. 

The World Barbecue Championship will be limited to the first 100 entrants who are fully qualified, registered and confirmed. Any qualified entrant who wants to compete after the field is full must seek a special exemption from the WFC competition committee.

The entry fee for the World Barbecue Championship is $300 per competitor/team.The registration period for the World Food Championships will begin on April 15 and end on October 22, 2013.
 

WFC Qualifying Events 

KANSAS CITY BARBEQUE SOCIETY

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Lakeland Pig Festival – Lakeland, FL
BBQ Championship & Hog Wild Festival – Mobile, AL
Great Southern Tailgate Cookoff - Amelia Island, FL
Bixby BBQ n Blues Festival - Bixby, OK
Pork in the Park – Salisbury, MD
Dana Point BBQ - Dana Point, CA
Tony Stone Low and Slow – Zanndam, Netherlands
Whistle Stop Festival & Rocket City BBQ – Huntsville, AL
Stagecoach Music Festival BBQ Championship – Indio, CA
Bakersfield’s Biggest Baddest BBQ Championship – Bakersfield, CA
Arizona Barbecue Festival - Scottsdale, AZ
Bloomin’ BBQ & Bluegrass – Sevierville, TN
Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que – Evans, GA
Blue Ridge BBQ Festival – Tryon, NC
Central MD Swinetastic - Frederick, MD
Colorado BBQ Challenge – Frisco, CO
Iowa State BBQ Championship – Marshalltown, IA
Great Lenexa BBQ Battle – Lenexa, KS
Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle – Washington DC
I Love Barbecue & Music Festival – Lake Placid, NY
Pork & Brew State BBQ Championship – Rio Rancho, NM
SC Festival of Discovery – Greenwood, SC
New Jersey State BBQ Championship – North Wildwood, NJ
Up in Smoke BBQ Bash – Mason City, IA
Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival – Dillard, GA
Santa Anita Park Winners' Circle BBQ Championship - Arcadia, CA
Madison Ribberfest Barbeque and Blues – Madison, IN
Winnipeg Barbecue & Blues Festival – Winnipeg, MB
Wyoming State BBQ Championship – Worland, WY
Smokin’ in Mesquite BBQ Challenge – Mesquite, NV
City of Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival – Bedford, TX
Colorado Pork & Hops Challenge - Grand Junction, CO
Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze Off – Blue Springs, MO
Decatur Jaycees Annual Riverfest – Decatur, AL
Cherokee Strip Cookoff – Ponca City, OK
Murphysboro Barbecue Cook Off – Murphysboro, IL
Roots n Blues n BBQ – Columbia, MO
Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship – Shawnee, KS
Bikes, Blues & BBQ – Fayetteville, AR
American Royal – Kansas City MO (invitational)
American Royal – Kansas City MO (open)
Sam’s Club National Championship – Bentonville, AR
Cherokee Pignic – Canton, GA
Hog Happnin’ – Shelby, NC
The National BBQ Cup – Cumming, GA 
Chubby Hubby BBQ Bash - Mesa, AZ
Show Low BBQ Throwdown - Show Low, AZ
Salute to Service BBQ Challenge - Mesa, AZ
Holbrook Ace in the Hole BBQ Cook-off - Holbrook, AZ
Best of the Basin BBQ Championship - Midland, TX
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Region 1 Finals - Hendersonville, TN
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Region 2 Finals - Midwest City, OK
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Region 3 Finals - Rockford, IL
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Region 4 Finals - Las Vegas, NV
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Region 5 Finals - Chesapeake, VA
Char-Broil Pig Bowl - Columbus, GA
UKBBQA Q on the Canal Snarestone – Leicestershire, UK 
Cattleman’s Caribbean BBQ Competition – Puerto Rico   
Southern Pride Invitational – Marion, IL  
Blue Mountain - Ontario 

INTERNATIONAL BARBEQUE COOKERS ASSOCIATION

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Smokin’ on the Rio – Mercedes, TX
LaGarto Community BBQ – LaGarto, TX
Traders Village BBQ – Grand Prairie, TX
Terrell Heritage Jubilee, Terrell, TX
Central Texas Roughneck BBQ Cook-off - Luling, TX
Ft Worth Cops 4 Kids – Ft Worth, TX
Montgomery County Fair – Conroe, TX
Central Market's Thrill of the Grill - Plano, TX
TBIPAC BBQ Throwdown – Marksville, LA
Lil Earl's Hometown Throwdown - Marshall, TX
Texas Independence Day Celebration and Cook Off
Party in the Pits – Ponchatoula, LA
West Vol. Fire Dept BBQ – West, TX

MEMPHIS BARBECUE NETWORK

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

MBN Invitational – Columbus, MS
Time Warner Cable BBQ and Blues – Charlotte, NC  
Murphysboro Barbecue Cook Off – Murphysboro, IL (MBN GC)
Pigs in Flight - Memphis, TN
Octoberfest - Cleveland, MS
Brenau BBQ Championship - Gainesville, GA (MBN GC)
Statesboro Music Festival/Battle of the BoroQue (MBN GC)

FLORIDA BAR B QUE ASSOCIATION

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Suncoast BBQ Bash - Venice, FL
Viking Fest BarBCookoff - Ft Myers, FL
Citrus Center Boys & Girls Clubs "Smoke on the Water" BBQ – Winter Haven, FL
Smoke on the Water BBQ and Bluegrass Festival – Thomaston, GA
Barnesville BBQ & Blues Festival – Barnesville, GA
Smokin' Pig Fest – Lake City, FL
Old Florida Outdoor Festival – Apopka, FL
Central Florida's BBQ Blowout – Oviedo, FL 

TEXAS GULF COAST BBQ COOKERS ASSOCIATION

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Hold’em Hit Em Club BBQ Cookoff– Houston, TX
San Antonio Rodeo BBQ Cookoff – San Antonio, TX
Humble Rodeo & BBQ Cookoff– Humble, TX
Texas Gulf Coast BBQ Cookers Association Invitational – Montgomery TX
Pasadena Labor Day Cookoff - Pasadena, TX

PACIFIC NORTHWEST BBQ ASSOCIATION

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Fire IT Up II - Florence, OR
The Bull's Eye Canadian National Championship – Whistler, BC
Tree Top Skewered Apple BBQ Championship – Selah, WA
Smokin in the Root - Stevensville, MT
Washington State Spring BBQ Championship - Monroe, WA
Cheney Jubilee - Cheney, WA
Cascade Country BBQ and Chili Cook Off - Chelalis, WA 

LONESTAR BARBECUE SOCIETY

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

BBQ & Goat Cook-Off State Championship – Goldthwaite, TX
Winstar World Casino Championship BBQ Cook-off – Winstar, OK
National Championship – Meridian, TX
Melody Oaks Ranch BBQ Cookoff & Music Festival – Pritty, TX
Hill Country BBQ & Chili Cookoff – San Marcos, TX

GEORGIA BARBECUE ASSOCIATION

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

ComSouth Hambone Jam – Ft. Valley, GA
Florida State Championship - Fernandina Beach, FL
Brenau BBQ Championship - Gainesville, GA (GBA GC)
Statesboro Music Festival/Battle of the BoroQue (GBA GC)

SOUTH CAROLINA BBQ ASSOCATION

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

SC Peach Festival – Gaffney, SC
Bands, Brews and BBQ – Port Royal, SC 
Piggin' in the Park - Saluda Shoals, SC

SOUTHERN BBQ NETWORK

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Smoking at the Farmer’s Market – Columbia, SC
Smoke at the Lodge - Summerville, SC
Uniquely Union Invitational - Union, SC

NEW ENGLAND BBQ SOCIETY

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Polish BBQ Battle - Gardner, MA

CANADIAN SOUTHERN BBQ ASSOCIATION

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Smoked to the Bone - Ottawa, ON
Q'ing for Life - Kitchener, ON
BBQ Fest Rickard's - Quebec City

MID ATLANTIC BARBECUE ASSOCIATION

Based on the Grand Champion of the following event:

Que and Cruz - Louisa, VA

UTAH BARBECUE ORGANIZATION

Based on the Grand Champion of the following event:

Wild West BBQ Shootout - Wendover, NV

ST LOUIS BBQ SOCIETY

Based on the Grand Champion of the following event:

St. Louis Home fires Wildwood BBQ Bash - Baldwin, MO
 

INTERNATIONAL BARBECUE NETWORK

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

Brandshatch Americana Q - Kent, UK 

 

WORLD BARBEQUE ASSOCIATION 

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

World Barbeque Association Championship - MAR 
Danish BBQ Championship - DNK

 

INDEPENDENT EVENTS

Based on the Grand Champions of the following events:

World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest – Houston, TX
Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest– Memphis, TN
Naperville’s Exchange Club’s Ribfest – Naperville, IL
Jazz & Rib Fest – Columbus, OH
Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off – Reno, NV 
Grillstock – Bristol, UK 
Grillstock – Manchester, UK
Bring & Braai – Johannesburg, RSA
Norwegian BBQ Championship – NOR
Salzburg Barbecue Opening – Salzburg, AUS

Estonian Barbecue Championship – EST
German BBQ Championship – DEU
Smoke at ICC  

WFC SPECIAL INVITATIONS

The Top Five Overall finishers in the 2012 World Barbecue Championship
 
 

Additional qualifying events and opportunities, including a possible Wild Card entry process, will be announced in the future and added to this list. Check back here for the latest information.

If a Grand Champion is not able to accept the invitation and participate in The World Food Championships, invitations will be extended to the Reserve Grand (or runner up) of the same competition, and subsequently to the Ribs Champion if necessary. In the event that more than one of these special invitation events are won by the same BBQ team, additional events will be added.

Rules, processes and tournament structure for the WFC are subject to change, but all decisions made by the WFC competition committee are final.

If you would like to receive updates about additional World Food Championships information, please subscribe to our contact list by filling out the form below.