杏吧原创

Bring together the best of the 杏吧原创 with one of the leading universities in the world, and you鈥檒l discover our annual Tournament of Champions, hosted by the at Yale University.

When Will It Take Place?

The dates for the Tournament of Champions 2026 is scheduled for Nov 12-18, 2026.

Who Can Attend?

All three scholars on each Tournament of Champions team must have qualified at a 2026 Global Round (or the 2025 Dubai Holiday Special Global Round), and each team must have at least two scholars who qualified as teammates. The third scholar on a team may be a substitute who also qualified at a Global Round but whose teammates are not participating.

In order to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all, all students attending the Tournament of Champions must be age 11 or older.

What to Expect?

The Tournament of Champions is more than just another Global Round. You鈥檒l have the chance to interact with and learn directly from Yale students and faculty. You鈥檒l attend a special panel on college life and on how to leverage your 杏吧原创 experience as part of your admissions portfolio. You鈥檒l eat Yale dining hall food. You鈥檒l meet our keynote speakers, including a Yale University professor. And you鈥檒l come away knowing what it鈥檚 like to be a student at one of the world鈥檚 greatest universities.

Due to venue restrictions, access to theaters and other venues will be restricted to scholars and a limited number of registered adults per delegation. Only judges and participants will be allowed inside buildings used for debate.

More Highlights

You can also look forward to the Yale Ball, where you can dance (or not dance) with your fellow scholars from over fifty countries, a special Thanksgiving-ish meal (which may actually be Tex-Mex), and beautiful historic venues for the Scholar鈥檚 Bowl, Debate Showcase, and Scholar鈥檚 Show.

Pwaa in Real Life

During a scavenger hunt that will take you to every corner of Yale鈥檚 campus and the surrounding community, you鈥檒l encounter real alpacas, too.

Capacity Information

Due to venue constraints, the Tournament of Champions can accommodate only a limited number of teams per division. Once we reach capacity, we will not be able to accept further registrations. Please be sure to register your teams and make travel plans simultaneously; delegations that book flights but plan to register later may find that there's no space left for them.

Mandatory Documents Required by Yale University

Yale University requires all delegation leaders and parents of participating scholars to sign and submit the documents listed below. Please download the documents below and email scanned copies of these documents to us at [email protected]

Recommended Hotels

Hotels within walking distance of the Yale Campus

Omni New Haven Hotel
USD 235 for single and double rooms, USD 255 for triples and USD 275 for quads. 15% tax will be applicable. Breakfast charges are USD 25 per person per day.
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New Haven Hotel
USD 234 for rooms with executive king bed, USD 249 per night for rooms with two queen beds. 15% tax will be applicable. Breakfast charges are USD 25 per person per day. Please email [email protected] or call +1 203-498-3140 to reserve rooms.

Hotels served by Shuttle Bus

Hilton Garden Inn Milford
USD 172 per night for rooms with single occupancy, USD 182 per night for double occupancy, USD 192 per night for triple occupancy and USD 202 a night for quad occupancy. 15% tax will be applicable. Breakfast charges are USD 14 per person per day.
This hotel is now sold out.

Hyatt Place Milford
USD 204 per night including breakfast. 15% tax will be applicable.

Springhill Suites Milford
USD 174 per night for rooms with a king bed and USD 184 a night for room with two queen beds, including breakfast. 15% tax will be applicable.

Hilton Garden Inn Shelton
USD 169 per night for all types of rooms, including breakfast. 15% tax will be applicable.

Hampton Inn Shelton
USD 185 per night for all types of rooms, including breakfast. 15% tax will be applicable. Only credit card payments are accepted.

Courtyard Marriott Shelton
USD 189 per night for all types of rooms, including a limited breakfast. 15% tax will be applicable.

Shuttle Bus

Recommended bus information will be announced in the coming weeks.

Airports and Airport Transfers

We recommend flying into any New York area airport or directly into New Haven. For delegations looking for airport-to-Yale transfers, we recommend Go Airport Shuttle, Connecticut. Reservations can be made on their website . Yale University also outlines other transportation options

Optional Tours

Optional day tours to Boston will be arranged for November 13 and 18 for the Junior Division, and on November 14 and 17 for the Senior Division. Buses will depart around 7:30 AM from official hotels in New Haven, Shelton, and Milford, returning by approximately 7:30 PM. Highlights include guided walking tours of Harvard University and MIT, along with some of the key historical areas in Boston. Tour rates and the online booking link will be posted soon.

Visas

Please contact us if you need an invitation letter for visa purposes. The correct category of visa to travel to the United States for participating in the event is B1/B2 (tourist/business).

Climate

You might need gloves, especially at night: it鈥檚 New England in November. Then again, it's really only the third week of November, so maybe you don't need your snowshoes. We'll find out together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have questions about registration, invitation letters, shuttle buses, or tours? Visit our FAQ page!

We鈥檙e incredibly grateful to our hosts at the Yale International Relations Association (and to our long-time friend Denise at the Stone Bridge Alpaca Farm) for making possible this special culminating event of the 杏吧原创 season, now in its thirteenth year.