The countdown to the World Butchers’ Challenge (WBC) has officially begun, with the culinary capital of Paris, France chosen to host the 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 Paris Expo Exhibition Centre.
In 2025, the WBC - officially hosted by Confédération Française de la Boucherie (CFBCT) - will run from 30th-31st March with winners of the Friedr. Dick Golden Knife Trophy announced at a black-tie Gala dinner on 1st April 2025.
It is anticipated that the 2025 competition will grow from 13 teams which 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 each day with the World Champion Butcher Apprentice and Young Butcher competition taking place on Sunday 30th March and the headline World Butchers’ Challenge event running on Monday 31st March.
Jean-François Guihard, president of Confédération Française de la Boucherie (CFBCT) and hosts of the 2025 WBC said: “There is no event on earth 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.
"We are incredibly proud to host and invite teams, spectators and partners across the world to our city of Paris to compete in and experience one of the most spectacular showcases on earth.”
Captain of 2022 WBC Champions, Dirk Freyberger of German team, The Butcher Wolfpack says 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 begin our preparations to fiercely defend our title and we can’t wait to do just that in Europe.”
From 1st June 2023, competitor entries will open and partner packages will be released via worldbutcherschallenge.com. New teams can register their interest here.
More information on competition details, competing teams and tickets will be released in 2024. Stay updated with the latest news via the WBC website.
The 2025 World Butchers’ Challenge is sponsored by Friedr. Dick and Anago.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
