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World Food Championships

The World’s Largest Food Sport Competition • October 16 - 19 • Indiana State Fairgrounds

The World Food Championships returns to Indianapolis October 16–19 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds bringing together over 300 chefs and culinary teams from around the world to compete live for the title of World Food Champion and a share of $450,000 in prize money.

This isn’t your average food festival, it’s Food Sport! You’ll enjoy up-close cooking battles in Kitchen Arena, plus food tastings, celebrity chef demos, live music, interactive experiences, and fun for the whole family.

EVENT SCHEDULE & HOURS

October 16: 8AM–4PM (event closed to public)

October 17: 8AM-4PM (invitation only - limited programming & activation)

Kickoff Party & Final Rounds

October 17: 6PM - 9PM (see ticketing options below)

October 18 & 19: 8AM–7PM (see ticketing options below)

Ticket Options

GENERAL ADMISSION

TASTE OF WFC PASSPORTS

IGNITE! PARTY PASSES

SIZZLE PASS UPGRADE

Judging Classes

General Admission

$28 Single Day / $50 Weekend Pass

Includes:

Full access to all pavilions & Kitchen Arena
Tickets also include product samples from the "World of Chili", Live Fire & BBQ Experience with Famous Dave's, WFC Ag Zone, International Food Village and MORE!
Live music, demos, car show, kids' zone, mascots, and chef meet & greets
Kids 5 & under: Free

Taste of WFC Passports (Premium Experience)

$135 Single Day / $210 Weekend Pass

Upgrade to Taste of WFC: A Champion-inspired, premium experience hosted by Celebrity Chef Eric Greenspan

Includes:

10 champion-inspired tasting bites
Private lounge access with chef-led demos and Q&As
Come-and-go access + photo ops and autographs
Open Saturday & Sunday | Noon–5PM

Upgrade Taste of WFC with Sizzle Pass (optional add-on in checkout process)
$45 Add-On: Must be paired with Taste of WFC

Includes:

11AM early access to Taste of WFC
Exclusive Mimosas, Bloody Mary's and Grilled Cheeses with Chef Eric Greenspan
Curated bonus gift item
Limited tickets available

The IGNITE!! WFC Music and BBQ Kickoff Party

Friday, Oct 17, 6–9PM – $55

Includes:

Live Fire and Grilling demonstrations
BBQ tastings, Beer Tents, & Tailgate games
Live music from country artist Clayton Anderson and friends

NEW! CERTIFIED Chili Judging Class

Think you’ve got what it takes to pick the world’s best chili? Now’s your chance! At WFC 2025, you can take part in our Certified Chili Judge Training - the official pathway to judging at the 58th Annual World Chili Championship and all International Chili Society (ICS) sanctioned events nationwide. This hands-on session will teach you the tasting protocols and insider techniques needed to evaluate chili like a pro.

What you’ll learn/get in the class:

The official ICS judging process that crowns world-class chili champions.
How to taste, evaluate, and score across all four competition categories: Traditional Red, Homestyle, Verde, and Vegetarian.
What sets a great chili apart from the rest in terms of flavor, balance, and authenticity.
Hands-on judging practice with real chili samples during training.
Certification that qualifies you for consideration as a judge at future ICS and World Chili Championship events

ONLY 50 seats available.

NEW! E.A.T. Methodology Certification Class

Want to go from foodie to judge? Now’s your chance! At WFC 2025, you can take part in our E.A.T.™ Methodology Certification Training; the official pathway to becoming a sanctioned World Food Championships judge. This interactive session will teach you the insider knowledge, skills, and scoring techniques needed to evaluate championship-level dishes just like the pros.