The championship consists of 2 stages — online and offline.
Participation is free — we don’t charge any fees, as we want everyone to have a chance to join the event and gain new experience.
Online Stage, Individual, 25-01 of July
Offline Stage, work in the team of 2, 10 of July from 10AM till 5PM

From June 25 to July 1st, participants must upload a video of their signature coffee drink on Instagram. Based on creativity, recipe, and the final drink, we will select 20 finalists.
We will publish the results on our Instagram Stories and on this website. We do not disclose the selection criteria for Stage 1.
If you pass, you will be notified via WhatsApp as well (make sure to leave the correct phone number).

On July 10 at the Victoria Arduino Lab, participants will compete in teams of 2. You will prepare a drink using the provided random ingredients and serve it to 2 sensory judges within a limited time. Judges will evaluate your drinks based on sensory and presentation scoring sheets.

We accept applications from 25/06 to 01/07 inclusive.
Participation is free — we don’t charge any fees, as we want everyone to have a chance to join the event and gain new experience.
The championship takes place in 2 stages: online from June 25 to July 1, and final event is on July 10.

The online stage will take place from June 25 to July 1, and the final event will be on July 10.
To take part in the championship, you need to complete 2 steps:

1. Fill in all fields in the application form below — this will help us identify you among other applicants.
2. Record a video and post it on your Instagram feed (you can make it a simple reel or a carousel with videos and pictures) with your signature coffee drink recipe and tag @drinkitcoffee. Without this, we won’t be able to see your creativity and mixology talent.

From all applicants, we will select 20 participants in the beginning of July. We do not disclose the selection criteria for Stage 1, but it is based on two key factors:

1. Completing the form and tagging @drinkitcoffee
2. Video evaluation — we focus only on creativity, originality of the drink, and presentation, not on video quality or editing.

If you would like to participate with your teammate, please tag their name in the designated field in the application form. They also must fill the application form and upload the video.

Start with a short self-introduction (who you are, which company you work for, and why you want to take part in the championship).
Then show your signature coffee drink and explain how to make it.
Then, prepare your signature drink, show its presentation, explain the coffee used in the drink (country of origin and processing method), list the ingredients, and describe the flavor profile.
Show the final result after preparation.

Coffee must be included in the drink in one of the following formats: espresso, batch brew, pour over, or coffee concentrate.
Each participant may submit only one completed application and one signature drink recipe.
When recording your video, please specify the coffee you used, including roast level, origin, processing method, and flavor notes (if available). At this stage, transparency is important for us. It doesn’t matter whether your coffee is exceptional or basic — we want you to make it a key element of your drink and talk about it.

If you plan to participate as a team, the recipes must be original and must not repeat each other. The same drink cannot be submitted by multiple participants.

If you don’t have a teammate, the organisers will randomly assign 20 participants into teams of two.

All finalists must attend a workshop at Victoria Arduino on July 8. There you will get familiar with the equipment and take a short mixology masterclass.

The final competition on July 10th will have only one round. Each team will get a time slot and a set of random ingredients to create a coffee-based signature drink.
You will have 10 minutes to create your signature recipe. After that, you will have 7 minutes to prepare 2 drinks for 2 sensory judges and present them, explaining the ingredients, preparation method, and taste experience.
The team that finishes on time and scores the highest will win.

Since the competition is team-based, the winning team of 2 will receive SCA coffee education worth AED 8,000.

The final rules, score sheets, and rules and regulations, along with the list of equipment, will be published on our website after July 1.
The score sheets will be based on SCA and World Barista Championship judging standards (but simplified) and will include key evaluation criteria such as flavor, taste balance, mouthfeel, overall taste experience, and presentation.

The judging panel will include coffee and bar industry professionals, as well as judges from national SCA championships. Their experience helps ensure fair and professional evaluation.
We believe this is a great opportunity for participants to become familiar with the championship scene and gain insight into the standards and structure of professional competitions.
The names of the judges will be announced after July 1.

Yes! Guests are welcome to attend the championship and support the participants. We would be happy to see you there.
At the moment, there is no limit on the number of guests. We expect around 60–70 visitors on the event day, while the venue can accommodate up to 100 people.