World Coffee Championships releases new regulations – BeanScene

The World Coffee Championships (WCC) has released its 2026 World Latte Art Championship (WLAC) Rules and Regulations for its 20th year of the competition.

According to the WCC, the updated 2026 WLAC Rules and Regulations introduce “flexible round configurations” to enable more competitors to participate within the limits of the tradeshow within which the competition is hosted.

The updated regulations also include clarification around the penalty for not serving beverages in the correct order. What’s more, the Art Bar will now operate as a separate contest judged by the audience, with mandatory participation for all competitors.

Competitors may now also use cooling tools to adjust the temperature of the provided milk, however, altering its composition remains prohibited.

These rule adjustments aim to ensure the competition supports the specialty coffee community while reinforcing the competition’s role as a global stage for artistic excellence and technical precision.

The 2026 World Coffee Championships lineup is as follows:

• San Diego World Coffee Championships 10 to 12 April, 2026
• Bangkok World Coffee Championships 7 to 9 May, 2026
• Brussels World Coffee Championships 25 to 27 June, 2026
• Panama City World Coffee Championships 23 to 25 October, 2026

Since 2005, the WLAC has aimed to celebrate the artistry and technical mastery of baristas who transform milk and espresso into intricate designs.

According to the WCC, each performance is evaluated for visual quality, symmetry, contrast, and originality, highlighting the fusion of precision and creativity that defines specialty coffee’s most visually engaging competition.

For the full 2026 World Latte Art Championship Rules and Regulations, click here.