DCI World Class will be gaining a new member in 2026!

In conjunction with the 2025 DCI January Annual Meetings, the Spartans announced its intention to transition into DCI World Class from DCI Open Class. Here's what DCI had to say about the massive announcement:

DCI’s voting membership approved the petition, marking a significant step forward for the defending Open Class champions. The Spartans outlined their intention to become a full-time World Class corps in 2026 and will utilize the 2025 DCI Tour as a stepping stone to that goal. 

As part of this transition year in 2025, the corps will follow a “hybrid” classification structure and remain as an Open Class corps, but will compete in eight events, including the DCI Eastern Classic, where they will be judged alongside their World Class peers. An official vote at DCI’s postseason membership meeting in the fall will ultimately determine their World Class status for 2026 and beyond.

In a first-of-its-kind agreement, DCI and Spartans came together to hammer out a tour schedule composed of both Open Class and World Class judged shows to help ease the transition into a fully World Class ensemble. The Spartans tour schedule will be as follows: 

World Class Judged Events

• Drums Across the Smokies | July 7, Sevierville, TN
• Drums Across America | July 8, Newnan, GA
• DCI Tupelo | July 10, Tupelo, MS
• DCI Little Rock | July 12, Little Rock, AR
• Brass Impact | July 15, Olathe, KS
• DCI Delaware | July 29, Newark, DE
• DCI East Coast Showcase | July 31, Lawrence, MA
• DCI Eastern Classic | August 1, Allentown, PA

Open Class Judged Events

• March On! | July 19, Champlain, MN
• Beats In the Brook | July 22, Bellbrook, OH
• DCI Northern Ohio | July 23, Brunswick, OH
• White Rose Classic | July 25, Dover, PA
• Music on the Mountain | July 26, Sheffield, PA
• DCI Open Class World Championship | August 4-5, Marion, OH
• DCI World Championship | August 7-9, Indianapolis, IN

For more information about the Spartans and their move into the World Class, check out the full DCI article here!