World Food Championships Unveils Exciting Event Enhancements for 2025 Return to Indianapolis

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The Rice and Soup categories will be eliminated as official WFC divisions. However, 2024 medalists from these categories will still have their 2025 qualification honored and will have the opportunity to register for any open category of their choosing during the competitor sign-up period.

World Chili Championship Cook-off Moves to Indianapolis
A major new addition to the WFC weekend lineup is the relocation of the prestigious World Chili Championship Cook-off (WCCC) from Myrtle Beach, SC, to Indianapolis. This premier chili showdown will expand WFC’s competitive footprint, taking place in the adjacent Blue Ribbon Pavilion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

This move is a significant development for chili enthusiasts and Food Sport fans, as it brings some of the world’s top chili champions into the WFC ecosystem. Additional details about the WCCC will be communicated through International Chili Society (ICS) channels in the coming weeks.

New Event Format: A More Engaging Daily Schedule
To optimize the competitive experience and provide clearer scheduling for competitors and fans, WFC has implemented a new event structure for 2025:

• Thursday, October 16 – Opening Round for five categories
• Friday, October 17 – Opening Round for the remaining five categories
• Saturday, October 18 – Ancillary Events & NEW Redemption Round Challenge; including WFC Junior, the Battle of the Branches Military Challenge, and Biscuits & Jampionship
• Sunday, October 19 – Final Rounds for each category & Awards Show

At the conclusion of each Opening Round competition day, the “Top Seven” finishers and exempt finalists from that day’s categories will be announced, ensuring immediate recognition and excitement for competitors and fans.

A new addition for 2025 is the Redemption Round Challenge, which will provide non-finalists with a second chance to compete for culinary glory and additional prizes.

Introducing the Redemption Round Challenge
For the first time, WFC is launching a Redemption Round Challenge, an exciting series of high stakes battles that will provide more competitors with an opportunity to compete while offering an additional prize purse.

The format will include:

• Sixteen randomly drawn teams from non-finalists (eight teams chosen upon completion of Thursday categories and eight additional teams chosen on Friday)
• Bracket-style elimination tournament with 30-minute head-to-head battles
• Surprise ingredients spanning all competition categories
• Live judging to determine who advances to the next round
• One Redemption Round Champion who will take home additional cash and prizes

This new format will ensure more competitors stay engaged in the action while offering fans an exciting, fast-paced culinary competition that will increase the heat in Kitchen Arena.

"As we continue to evolve the World Food Championships, our focus remains on creating the most exciting and competitive experience for both our chefs and our fans,” stated WFC Founder Mike McCloud. “These adjustments—including a more streamlined category lineup, the introduction of the Redemption Round, and welcoming the World Chili Championship Cook-off to our big weekend—are all designed to elevate the action in Kitchen Arena while making the event even more engaging for spectators. We are incredibly excited about the momentum building for 2025 and look forward to delivering our best championship yet in Indianapolis."

These enhancements are just the beginning. WFC will be unveiling additional programming updates, culinary experiences, and fan-friendly activations in the coming months. For additional details and to stay up to date on all things related to the World Food Championships visit worldfoodchampionships.com or follow World Food Championships on Facebook and Instagram (@WorldFoodChampionships), Twitter (X) (@WorldFoodChamp), and LinkedIn (@WorldFoodChampionshipsHoldings).

About World Food Championships
The World Food Championships (WFC) is the premier food sport competition globally. This multi-day, live culinary event showcases some of the world's best cooks competing for food, fame, and fortune across multiple categories. Each year, thousands of teams vie for a coveted Golden Ticket at official qualifiers to earn their spot at WFC. Since its debut in 2012, the event has attracted participants from nearly 40 countries and every state in the U.S. The 2025 World Food Championships will take place October 16-19 at the Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion, located at the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center in Indianapolis. For more information, visit WorldFoodChampionships.com.