Think you know tiramisu well enough to judge it? Italy is giving dessert lovers around the world a chance to prove it , but there is a catch.
The Tiramisù World Cup 2026 is recruiting members of its public jury to taste and score competing versions of the iconic Italian dessert during the competition in Treviso.
The 10th edition of the competition will run from October 9 to 11, 2026, with the public jury handling the preliminary rounds on October 9 and 10 before professional judges take over for the semi-finals and final on October 11.
Unlike an ordinary food-tasting event, aspiring judges must first prove their knowledge of tiramisu and the competition rules. Applicants will be selected through an online test, with the 2026 recruitment reportedly seeking 130 amateur tasters. The test is scheduled for September 12 at 10 a.m. CEST and consists of 15 questions covering the dessert, competition rules and the culture of Treviso.
Successful applicants will then join the volunteer jury and sample tiramisu prepared by contestants in two categories — Original Recipe and Creative Recipe.
The Original category follows the traditional combination of ladyfingers, mascarpone, eggs, sugar, coffee and cocoa, while the Creative category allows competitors to experiment with additional ingredients and variations.
Being a judge, however, is not a paid holiday. Selected volunteers must attend an orientation and judge the desserts fairly and impartially. The official regulations state that the role is voluntary and unpaid.
And there is another catch for international applicants: travel and accommodation costs are not covered, meaning participants must fund their own trip to Treviso.
The competition expects hundreds of contestants for its 2026 edition, turning the northern Italian city into a global gathering for tiramisu enthusiasts. The final winners will be determined by professional judges, journalists and food experts.
For dessert lovers willing to pay their own way, however, the opportunity is hard to resist: taste some of the world’s best tiramisu and help decide which one deserves the crown.
