When Are The WGI World Championships In 2026?
When Are The WGI World Championships In 2026?
The WGI World Championships wrap up the Guard, Percussion, and Winds seasons, bringing hundreds of groups to Dayton, OH. Here’s when it all happens in 2026.
Each year, the WGI World Championships are the pinnacle of Winter Guard, Indoor Percussion, and Indoor Winds competition culminating at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, OH.
The event draws hundreds of groups, thousands of performers and even more fans from all corners of the United States and around the world to participate in and cheer on the final push towards perfection to earn the highest score possible and make history for their programs.
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This competition marks the finale of more than six months of hard work and dedication through hundreds of hours and countless rehearsals as performers and staff refined their productions.
Whether you're a seasoned WGI fan or a newcomer to the world of indoor, the WGI World Championships promises to put you on the edge of your seat as you experience the intense passion and performance excellence of thousands of musicians and performers.
Here’s when they are happening in 2026:
When Are The WGI World Championships In 2026?
The WGI World Championships are split into three categories: Guard, Percussion, and Winds and will take place between Thursday, April 9 through Sunday, April 19.
- Guard World Championships preliminary competition begins on Thursday, April 8 and end with Independent World finals on Saturday, April 11.
- Percussion World Championships preliminary competition begins on Thursday, April 16 and end with Percussion Independent World finals on Saturday, April 18.
- Winds World Championships preliminary competition begins on Saturday, April 18 and end with Winds Independent World finals on Sunday, April 19.
WGI World Championships Schedule 2026
WGI Guard World Championship Schedule
- Thursday, April 9
- A, Open, World Class preliminary rounds
- Friday, April 10
- A Class semifinals, finals
- Open Class semifinals
- World Class semifinals
- Saturday, April 11
- Open Class finals
- World Class finals
WGI Percussion World Championship Schedule
- Thursday, April 16
- Concert, A, Open, World Class preliminary rounds
- Friday, April 17
- A Class semifinals, finals
- Open Class semifinals
- World Class semifinals
- Concert Class finals
- Saturday, April 18
- Open Class finals
- World Class finals
WGI Winds World Championship Schedule
- Saturday, April 18
- A, Open, World Class preliminary rounds
- A Class Finals
- Sunday, April 19
- Open, World Class finals
Who Competes In The WGI World Championships
WGI's three divisions (guard, percussion, winds) are split into a few different categories—first, they are divided by Scholastic and Independent.
Independent classes consist of groups that are not directly associated with a single school or approved combined school and their age range varies depending on the rules, typically including performers that are older than high school-aged and up to 22 years old. Independent World class in the guard division is the only classification that does not have an age limit.
Groups that compete in Scholastic classifications are made up entirely of students that attend a single school or a WGI-approved combined schools ensemble and includes middle school and high school aged performers.
Independent and Scholastic categories are broken down further into A, Open, and World classifications. These classes help add clarity to the level of skill, performance times, and size of ensembles competing in WGI.
In broad terms, A Class scoring rewards the display of fundamental skills while World Class scoring is oriented around pushing the boundaries of skill and creativity in the activity while maintaining perfect execution.
More detailed information on how each class is judged can be found on WGI's website:
