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2026 WGI Guard World Championships

First Time Watchers Guide | 2026 WGI Guard World Championships, April 9-11

First Time Watchers Guide | 2026 WGI Guard World Championships, April 9-11

Your one-stop-shop for all the info you NEED to know heading into the 2026 WGI Color Guard World Championships as a first-time viewer! Watch LIVE April 9-11

Apr 6, 2026 by Natalie Shelton
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Highlights: Watch First Flight 2026 At WGI Buford1:05

Your one-stop-shop for all the info you NEED to know heading into the 2026 WGI Color Guard World Championships as a first-time viewer! Watch LIVE and exclusively on FloMarching from April 9-11 OR catch the Rebroadcasts on April 10-12.

Everything You Need To Know About WGI 2026

Guard World Championships Full Prelims Schedule 🔥   |   90s Club: Color Guards Leading the Charge 🏎️   |   Color Guard Rankings - Week 7 (March 24) 📈   |   Five Things To Know For the 2026 WGI Color Guard World Championships 👀   |   Complete 2026 WGI Streaming Schedule 🗓️   |   When Are the WGI World Championships in 2026 🏆

What to Expect

Get ready for an experience like no other! The 2026 WGI Guard World Championships is a 3-day display of pageantry and skill featuring Winter Guard programs from around the world. Sit back and enjoy as more than 300 ensembles take the floor in competition across five venues around Ohio and Kentucky from Thursday, April 9th through Saturday, April 11th.

The competing classes are as follows:

  • Scholastic A
  • Scholastic Open
  • Scholastic World
  • Independent A
  • Independent Open
  • Independent World

Typically, Scholastic groups are programs that compete on behalf of their school, whereas Independent groups are self-organized and funded, and sometimes are an extension of a college program. Having various classes allows for ensembles to compete and be compared with other groups at a similar skill level. Ensembles in A Class use a beginner skill set, Open Class has an intermediate skill set, and World Class has an advanced skill set. The Independent World Class has no age limit.

Who Won In 2025?

  • In Independent World, with a score of 94.900, Pride of Cincinnati
  • In Scholastic World, with a score of 98.000, The Woodlands HS
  • In Independent Open, with a score of 96.900, Third Legend
  • In Scholastic Open, with a score of 98.400, Little Elm HS
  • In Independent A, with a score of 95.985, Homage Independent
  • In Scholastic A, with a score of 96.555, Pope HS

Current Frontrunners (Based on Rankings & Most Recent Scores)

Throughout the 2026 WGI season, Team FloMarching has been keeping up with weekly rankings (you can check out the full season rankings here). Based on most recent scores achieved at a WGI sanctioned regional, here are the top 5 ensembles in each class heading into the 2026 WGI Guard World Championships: 

Independent World:

  • Paramount, Fusion Winter Guard, Fantasia, Blessed Sacrament, Etude

Scholastic World:

  • Arcadia HS, Avon HS, The Woodlands HS, Center Grove HS, Carmel HS

Independent Open:

  • First Flight, ORIGINS Open, Revival, Homage Independent, NOVA Independent Winterguard

Scholastic Open:

  • Oviedo HS, Brownsburg HS, Franklin Central HS, Timber Creek HS (FL), Dobyns-Bennett HS

Independent A:

  • Relentless, Caledonia Independent, Sonnor, Orlando Visual, Maharlika

Scholastic A:

  • John C Birdlebough HS, Carroll HS (IN), Campbell County HS, Elizabeth HS, Madison Central HS (KY)

How to Live Stream the 2026 WGI Color Guard World Championships:

Here's how to watch the 2026 WGI Color Guard World Championships broadcast on FloMarching. The 2026 WGI Guard World Championships starts on Apr 9, 2026 and runs until Apr 11, 2026. Stream or cast from your desktop, mobile or TV. Now available on Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast and Apple TV.

Don’t forget to download the FloSports app on iOS or Android! If you can’t watch live, catch up with the replays! Video footage from the event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloMarching subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscription.

WGI World Championship Rebroadcasts Are Here

Missed the action the first time around? You're in luck - a full Rebroadcast WITH SOUND will be available to watch the 2026 WGI Guard World Championships from April 4-6. STREAM HERE!

When to Watch

The 2026 WGI Guard World Championships are available to stream LIVE on FloMarching from April 9-11, with our 24-hour delayed Rebroadcast available to stream from April 10-12. For the full in-depth performance schedule on Thursday, April 9th, click here. Here is a breakdown of the weekend's schedule of performances:

Thursday, April 9th - Prelims (All Classes)

*note that all times are ET and subject to change

  • University of Dayton Arena
    • IO Prelims: 9:00am - 12:10pm
    • SW Prelims: 12:25pm - 5:05pm
    • IW Prelims: 5:20pm - 11:10pm
  • Wright State University's Nutter Center
    • SO Prelims: 9:00am - 6:32pm
    • IO Prelims: 7:00pm - 10:06pm
  • Cintas Center at Xavier University
    • SA Prelims: 9:00am - 8:29pm
  • Truist Arena at Northern Kentucky University
    • SA Prelims: 9:00am - 8:42pm
  • Dayton Convention Center
    • IA Prelims: 9:00am - 9:05pm

Friday, April 10th - Semifinals (All Classes) & A Class Finals

  • University of Dayton Arena
    • SW Semifinals: 9:00am - 12:25pm
    • IW Semifinals: 12:50 - 4:55pm
    • IA Finals: 6:00pm - 7:52pm
    • SA Finals: 8:20pm - 11:07pm
  • Wright State University's Nutter Center
    • SA Semifinals: 8:30am - 5:29pm
    • IO Semifinals: 5:50pm - 9:34pm
  • Truist Arena at University of Northern Kentucky
    • IA Semi Finals: 9:00am - 2:38pm
    • SO Semi Finals: 3:00pm - 9:19pm
  • Rebroadcast of Thursday Prelims performances

Saturday, April 5th - Open & World Class Finals

  • University of Dayton Arena
    • SO Finals: 9:00am - 11:06am
    • IO Finals: 11:30am - 1:36pm
    • SW Finals: 5:30pm - 7:50pm
    • IW Finals: 8:30pm - 10:50pm
  • Rebroadcast of Friday Semifinals/A Class Finals performances

Rebroadcasts for the 2026 WGI Guard World Championships will begin on Friday, April 10th, and run through Sunday, April 12th. Click here to watch the Rebroadcast WITH SOUND!

Competition Venues

University of Dayton Arena

  • Competition on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
  • Address: 1801 S Edwin C Moses Blvd, Dayton, OH 45417

Wright State University's Nutter Center

  • Competition on Thursday and Friday
  • Address: 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Fairborn, OH 45324 | Distance from UD Arena: 16 minutes

Truist Arena at Northern Kentucky University

  • Competition on Thursday and Friday
  • Address: 500 Louie B Nunn Dr, Highland Heights, KY 41099 | Distance from UD Arena: 1 hour and 2 minutes

Cintas Center at Xavier University

  • Competition on Thursday only
  • Address: 1624 Musketeer Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45207 | Distance from UD Arena: 50 minutes

Dayton Convention Center

  • Competition on Thursday only
  • Address: 22 E 5th St, Dayton, OH 45402 | Distance from UD Arena: 6 minutes