Tournament Of Champions
Bring together the best of the World Scholar’s Cup with one of the leading universities in the world, and you’ll discover our annual Tournament of Champions, hosted by the Yale International Relations Association at Yale University.
When Will It Take Place?
The dates for the Tournament of Champions 2025 will be Nov 6-12, 2025 with event check-in on Nov 5 for both divisions. Senior division teams can also check-in on Nov 6.
Who Can Attend?
All three scholars on each Tournament of Champions team must have qualified at a 2025 Global Round (or the 2024 Dubai Holiday Special Global Round), and each team must have at least two scholars who qualified as teammates. The third scholar on a team may be a substitute who also qualified at a Global Round but whose teammates are not participating.
Rule Update for 2025:
In order to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all, all students attending the Tournament of Champions must be age 11 or older.
What to Expect?
The Tournament of Champions is more than just another Global Round. You’ll have the chance to interact with and learn directly from Yale students and faculty. You’ll attend a special panel on college life and on how to leverage your World Scholar’s Cup experience as part of your admissions portfolio. You’ll eat Yale dining hall food. You’ll meet our keynote speakers, including a Yale University professor. And you’ll come away knowing what it’s like to be a student at one of the world’s greatest universities.
Due to venue restrictions, access to theaters and other venues will be restricted to scholars and a limited number of registered adults per delegation. Only judges and participants will be allowed inside buildings used for debate.
More Highlights
You can also look forward to the Yale Ball, where you can dance (or not dance) with your fellow scholars from over fifty countries, a special Thanksgiving-ish meal (which may actually be Tex-Mex), and beautiful historic venues for the Scholar’s Bowl, Debate Showcase, and Scholar’s Show - the Shubert Theatre and Yale's own Woolsey Hall.
Pwaa in Real Life
During a scavenger hunt that will take you to every corner of Yale’s campus and the surrounding community, you’ll encounter real alpacas, too, including our very own Painted Warrior—the official alpaca of the Tournament of Champions. He's 15, so it's a good thing you're meeting him soon.
Capacity Information
Due to venue constraints, the Tournament of Champions can accommodate only a limited number of teams per division. Once we reach capacity, we will not be able to accept further registrations. Please be sure to register your teams and make travel plans simultaneously; delegations that book flights but plan to register later may find that there's no space left for them.
Theme Information
Participants at the Tournament of Champions will continue to explore "Reigniting the Future". Take note: questions and motions may also draw from more recent news events and other developments relevant to the guiding questions.
Recommended Hotels
Hotels Within Walking Distance
TBA
Hotels With Easy Public Transportation
TBA
Ground Transportation
TBA
Airports and Airport Transfers
We recommend flying into any New York area airport or directly into New Haven. For delegations looking for airport-to-Yale transfers, we recommend Go Airport Shuttle, Connecticut. Reservations can be made on their website 2theairport.com. Yale University also outlines other transportation options here.
Optional Tours
TBA
Visas
Please contact us if you need an invitation letter for visa purposes. The correct category of visa to travel to the United States for participating in the event is B1/B2 (tourist/business).
Climate
You might need gloves, especially at night: it’s New England in November. Then again, it's really only the third week of November, so maybe you don't need your snowshoes. We'll find out together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions about registration, invitation letters, shuttle buses, or tours? Visit our FAQ page!
We’re incredibly grateful to our hosts at the Yale International Relations Association (and to our long-time friend Denise at the Stone Bridge Alpaca Farm) for making possible this special culminating event of the World Scholar’s Cup season, now in its thirteenth year.
