Press release – For professional use
After an eight-year absence, World Class is finally returning to France. Not as a mere nostalgic comeback, but as a true relaunch. The prestigious bartending competition is putting the Hexagon back on the international map, with a clear ambition: to reconnect the community, inspire talent, and shine a spotlight on a new generation of bartenders.
Created in 2009, World Class has established itself over the editions as one of the sector's benchmarks. Each year, over 45 countries compete around the same founding idea: to highlight bartenders. But the mission goes much further. World Class champions a global vision of cocktail culture, contributes to the professionalization of the trade, and offers mixologists an international platform for expression.
A Return Conceived as a New Beginning
Why now? Because France is clearly reclaiming its place on the European cocktail map. New bars, new talents, new approaches: an entire generation is disrupting the codes and redrawing the contours of French mixology. The ecosystem is more mature, more structured, and ready to aim higher.
On the organizational side, the ambition is just as evident. World Class wants to put advocacy back at the heart of the project, (re)create a strong and lasting community, and support professionals with a program designed to grow the scene long-term: including training, knowledge transfer, and skill development.
Four cities, the same energy
The kick-off will be in March with the World Class Community Days & Nights, a tour conceived as a highlight for reuniting with the bartending community.
Four cities, four dates, four themes, limited to 40 places per session:
- Paris (March 9): Sustainability behind the bar (Register)
- Lyon (March 16): Mixonomy (mixology × gastronomy) (Register)
- Cannes (March 23): Botanicals & fragrances (Register)
- Bordeaux (March 30): From classics to new classics (Register)
The format is resolutely community-focused: talks, labs, mentoring, sharing experiences... before giving way to a World Class Night at a partner establishment, with an ephemeral 100% Diageo menu.
A format designed to inspire and train
Each Community Day follows a well-established program. The afternoon begins with a welcome for the bartenders by Diageo ambassadors, who lay the groundwork: what is World Class? Why do these Community Days exist? What are the competition rules and the key steps to remember?
Then comes the highlight: the sharing of experiences. For the first Parisian event, Jennifer Le Nechet will take the floor. The first woman to have won World Class in 2016, she perfectly embodies what the competition can bring to a career. Her testimony promises to be as inspiring as it is instructive.
Finally, it's time for the Skills Lab, the heart of each Community Day. The objective? To train and develop bartenders' skills around a specialized theme, by inviting a recognized expert on the French cocktail scene. In Paris, Barney O'Kane will be officiating. Founder of De Vie (No. 93 in the World's Top 500 Bars) and former bartender at the legendary Little Red Door, he is known for his radical approaches to local sourcing and "no ice". Suffice it to say, it promises to be interesting.
To tell the story of this adventure from the inside, ForGeorges will be the exclusive partner of the four roadshows. The goal is not limited to covering the event: it is about documenting it, making it visible, and encouraging French bartenders to take the plunge and enter the competition.
Act II - Registrations and Entry Challenge
Registration opens on March 16 and closes on April 17. To apply, bartenders will have to take on an entry challenge called "Hop Scotch".
The idea is to propose, through a long drink, a bold reinterpretation, demonstrating how scotch can transform a classic. The choice of ice, serving method, and glasses is entirely up to you.
The cocktail must contain at least three ingredients. The cocktail must represent a distinct style, associated with a unique flavor of Johnnie Walker Black Label. You can use as many homemade ingredients as you wish.
The access conditions are precise:
- Be of legal age
- Be a professional and work in the hotel, restaurant, or catering industry (CHR)
- Master English
- Have at least three Diageo World Class* references in your backbar, with Johnnie Walker Black Label being mandatory
- The Johnnie Walker cocktail created for the entry challenge should ideally be the cocktail of the month in the establishment for one month (menu insert available upon request)
- Post on Instagram with your cocktail creation, tagging the accounts @france.worldclass @olivmarti @tylertheambassador and adding the hashtags #WorldClassFrance #LightsON – all publications must comply with current French regulations regarding alcohol advertising (Loi Évin)
Act III - Pre-selection
Once the applications are submitted:
- April 24: announcement of the 24 pre-selected candidates
- April 27 – May 15: visits to establishments by Brand Ambassadors
- May 18: announcement of the 12 French finalists
A deliberately human and immersive phase, as close as possible to the realities on the ground.
Act IV - Paris, stage for the French semi-final
The twelve finalists will meet in Paris on June 8, 2026, for the national semi-final. An intense day, structured around three exclusive challenges, judged by French and international figures from the world of spirits.
The jury will include Rémy Savage, named the 8th most influential person in the bar world and founder of "a bar with shapes for a name," as well as Thibault Méquignon, bar manager at George V and a cocktail globetrotter (New York, Paris, Dubai). Two international judges (Monica Berg, a world-renowned mixologist, co-founder of Tayēr + Elementary bar in London, and Angela Maridaki, Brand Ambassador Europe Don Julio) and a surprise judge will complete this exceptional panel.
Act V - Europe Final then World Final
The three French finalists will not be left to their own devices: they will benefit from dedicated support from the World Class Brand Ambassadors to prepare for the European final, which will take place at Ketel One in Schiedam, Netherlands. At the end of this stage, one of them will secure their ticket to Dubai and the world final, with an excellence coaching program to try and bring back the title of World Class 2026 World Champion.
More than just a trophy
World Class is more than a competition. It is a strategic lever to support industry professionals through its brands and to promote cocktail culture, excellence, hospitality, and know-how.
For participants, it is an international showcase, a career accelerator, and a strong human experience, often decisive in their journey.
In 2026, France isn't just returning to the competition. It's returning with a vision, a new energy, and a collective desire to play at the top level again.
The shakers are ready. The stage is set. Lights on!
* Featured brands: Johnnie Walker Black Label, Don Julio, Zacapa, Ketel One, Tanqueray No. 10, and The Singleton.
