The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) has announced the World Coffee Championships 2026 will take place in Panama and California, United States.
On 9 April, the SCA confirmed the 2026 World Barista Championship will take place at World of Coffee Panama while the 2026 World Latte Art Championship will take place in World of Coffee San Diego, California. The locations for the 2026 World Roasting Championship, World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship, World Brewers Cup, World Cup Tasters, and Cezve/Ibrik Championship are yet to be announced.
“Panama is the ideal host for the World Barista Championship, as it sits at the heart of Latin America’s coffee-producing region, home to many of the world’s most award-winning coffees. We invite you to join us at this exceptional event, which will not only showcase the finest barista talent from around the globe but also celebrate the world’s best coffee producers,” said Ricardo Koyner McIntyre, President of the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama.
Due to take place from 23 to 25 October 2026 at the Panama Convention Centre, World of Coffee Panama will be the first World of Coffee event to take place in Central America. The SCA said the milestone event reflects the deep-rooted connection between coffee-producing regions and the global specialty coffee community.
Meanwhile, the announcement of the World Latte Art Championship to take place in California comes just one day after the SCA announced the Specialty Coffee Expo would be rebranded as part of the World of Coffee series from 2026. World of Coffee San Diego is due to take place at the San Diego Convention Centre from 10 to 12 April 2026.
The 2026 World Barista Championship will mark the 26th year of the competition, while the 2026 World Latte Championship will be the 20th edition of the competition.
