The countdown to the World Butchers’ Challenge (WBC) has officially begun, with the culinary capital of Paris, France, chosen to host the hotly anticipated event in March 2025.
Branded by many as the ‘Olympics of Meat’, the ninth WBC will be fittingly held at Paris Arena Sud 6, part of the impressive Paris Expo Exhibition Centre, currently gearing up to host the world’s best handballers and weightlifters at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Trading barbells for beef come 2025, the WBC - officially hosted by Confédération Française de la Boucherie (CFBCT) - will run from 30-31 March with winners of the revered Friedr. Dick Golden Knife Trophy was announced at a black-tie Gala dinner on 1 April.
It is anticipated that the 2025 competition will grow from 13 teams that competed in Sacramento last year to 18 teams. Each national team of six will be given three hours and thirty minutes to transform a side of beef, a side of pork, a whole lamb and five chickens into a themed display of value-added cuts.
The WBC expects to host around 3,000 spectators daily, with the World Champion Butcher Apprentice and Young Butcher competition on Sunday, 30 March, and the headline World Butchers’ Challenge event on Monday, 31 March.
Jean-François Guihard, President of Confédération Française de la Boucherie (CFBCT) and hosts of the 2025 WBC shared that no other event on earth was quite like the World Butchers’ Challenge.
“The WBC opens the doors of craft butchery to the world, giving thousands of people a taste of the sheer intricacy, skill, endurance and strength required of butchery.
Guihard shared that the CFBCT were incredibly proud to host and invite teams, spectators and partners worldwide to Paris to compete in and experience one of the most spectacular showcases on earth.
Captain of 2022 WBC Champions, Dirk Freyberger of the German team, The Butcher Wolfpack, shared that plans are already in motion for the team to defend their title in Paris.
“I speak for many of our team when I say that we’re still riding the high of winning our very first WBC last year in Sacramento, USA. We’re more motivated than ever to prepare to defend our title fiercely, and we can’t wait to do just that in Europe,” said Freyberger.
From 1 June 2023, competitor entries are open, and partner packages will be released via worldbutcherschallenge.com. New teams can register their interest there.
More information on competition details, competing teams and tickets will be released in 2024.
