Brisbane has beaten major global cities to host the 2028 World Butchers’ Challenge (WBC) - the largest butchery competition in the world - bringing 200 elite butchers from 20 nations to compete in Queensland.
Reinforcing Brisbane’s reputation as a global events hub ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the 10th anniversary of the competition is expected to attract more than 10,000 visitors and will be held from 9–12 March 2028 at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC).
In a second major announcement, The National Australian Butcher Team has today been revealed, comprising six of the country’s best butchers from four states. Claiming gold on home soil is the target for a team that has finished on the podium at both the 2022 Sacramento and 2025 Paris competitions.
South Australian butcher and Captain of the national team, Luke Leyson says, “This competition is the World Cup of butchery so captaining our national team on home soil is an incredible honour. We want to show the world - and Australians - just how much skill, creativity and power goes into this craft. Brisbane 2028 is our moment and we intend to deliver.”
The National Australian Butchery team includes: Captain Luke Leyson (SA), Nick Dagg (QLD), Tom Bouchier (VIC), Craig Munro (NSW), Troy Wheeler (VIC) and Justin Wade (VIC).
A highlight of the 2028 program will be the introduction of the World’s Best Sausage Awards, a standalone competition recognising excellence across beef, pork and gourmet sausage categories, and celebrating one of the industry’s most iconic products.
Officially hosted in Australia by the Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC), registrations are now open to competing nations for the 2028 World Butchers’ Challenge, World Champion Butcher Apprentice and Young Butcher competitions and the World Sausage Awards via worldbutcherschallenge.com.
The 2028 World Butchers’ Challenge welcomes Victorinox and Flavour Makers as official partners.
The ‘World Cup of Butchery’ comes to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (pictured) in 2028 as 20 nations compete for the Victorinox Champions Trophy.
About the World Butchers’ Challenge:
The World Butchers Challenge - officially hosted by The Australian Meat Industry Council - will run from 9–12 March 2028 with winners of the Victorinox Champions Trophy announced at a black-tie Gala dinner on 12 March 2028.
The 10th WBC is set to be the largest of its kind yet, with the competition expected to grow from 14 teams who competed in Paris in 2025, to 20 teams. Each national team of six will be given three hours and fifteen minutes to transform a side of beef, a side of pork, a whole lamb and five chickens into a themed display of value-added cuts.
The competition kicks off with the World Sausage Awards on Thursday 9 March. The World Champion Butcher Apprentice and Young Butcher competitions take place on Friday 10 March and the headline World Butchers’ Challenge event runs on Saturday 11 March.
The World Champion Butcher Apprentice and Young Butcher competitions are two separate categories modelled on the same concept as the WBC. They are individual events which recognise and reward upcoming talent in the industry.
To learn more visit www.worldbutcherschallenge.com.
About the National Australian Butcher Team:
Following back-to-back podium finishes - silver in Sacramento (2022) and bronze in Paris (2025) - Australia will enter the 2028 competition with its sights firmly set on claiming its first-ever official World Butchers’ Challenge title, in front of a home crowd.