Introducing the World Finals at the KCBS World Invitational Championship
New: World Chicken Finals and World Rib Finals at the 2026 KCBS World Invitational
What started as Friday night One Meat contests has grown into something far bigger than anyone ever imagined. Beginning in 2026, we’re raising the stakes and giving these categories the spotlight they deserve. The Chicken and Rib One Meat contests are becoming the World Chicken Finals and the World Rib Finals, invitation-only title fights built for the cooks who have earned their place on this stage. These aren’t side shows anymore. They’re main events.
Teams must qualify to compete. The following are the only paths into these World Finals events:
- Chicken or Rib Champion of a One Meat Contest sanctioned by KCBS
- Chicken or Rib Category Champion of a KCBS-sanctioned contest
- Chicken or Rib Category KCBS Team of the Year Champion, any year
- Chicken or Rib Category Champion at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational and Open
- Chicken or Rib Category Champion at the Jack Daniel’s World Invitational Barbecue Contest
- Rib Category Champion of Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest
- Chicken or Ribs Category Champion of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo World Championship Bar-B-Que Contest
- Rib Category Champion of SmokeSlam
In addition to the qualifiers listed above, Chicken and Rib category Team of the Year winners from the following sanctioning bodies, regardless of established division, are invited to compete:
Barbecue Competitors Alliance (BCA)
Champions Barbecue Alliance (CBA)
Florida BBQ Association (FBA)
Georgia Barbecue Association (GBA)
International Barbeque Cookers Association (IBCA)
Lone Star Barbecue Society
Memphis Barbecue Network (MBN)
Northeast Barbecue Society (NEBS)
Outlaw BBQ Association
Pacific Northwest BBQ Association (PNWBA)
Rib Cookoff Association
Rocky Mountain BBQ Association
Steak Cookoff Association (SCA)
St. Louis BBQ Society
Qualifying Period:
The World Finals qualifying period runs from March 1 through the last day of February, always covering the two-year period leading up to that February deadline, and includes all winners of the KCBS Team of the Year Chicken or Rib category races, and the previous two year's of chicken and rib category winners of the American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational and Open, the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue Contest , Memphis in May, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo World Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, and chicken and rib category Team of the Year races for the over a dozen sanctioning bodies listed.
All competitors must be KCBS members in good standing. Registration is available through the KCBS website.
This is where bragging rights get settled, not claimed. It’s a head-to-head clash of pitmasters who have already proven themselves on the biggest and loudest stages in competitive barbeque, and endured the long haul of year-long points chases. Only one team will stand tall with the World Chicken Finals title, and only one will leave with the World Rib Finals crown.
Who’s stepping into this spotlight? Will it be you? There is only one way to find out. Register now*.
*Invitations for the 2026 event have been sent. If you believe you qualify to compete and have not received your invite, please email kcbsinvitational@kcbs.us. Include your name, team name, email address, telephone number, your qualifying path with the event title and date, and the category, Chicken or Ribs. Space is limited, and KCBS reserves the right to close registration for these events at any time.