A statement from WCC to our Taiwanese community and the global coffee community:

To the coffee community in Taiwan, to our friends, competitors, judges, trainers, and coffee professionals: 

The specialty coffee community you have built is an extraordinary force in the global coffee movement. Your champions, your craftsmanship, and your dedication have helped shape what specialty coffee is today. We see you, we celebrate you, and we want to be clear about the recent changes. 

The change described below has been initiated at the WCC level, as part of how we operate as a world-level organizing body. 

What has changed:

Effective April 28, the World Coffee Championships (WCC) will designate competitors as representing the Competition Body of Chinese Taipei, in alignment with the naming conventions used by international sporting bodies including the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and FIFA. 

This is an update to how competitors are recorded, administratively. It does not change who can compete, how they qualify, or the experience they have on the WCC stage. 

What stays the same: 

• Competition Body level events - they will continue to be managed by Competition Bodies. 

• Competitor eligibility will remain the same. 

• Our dedication to highlighting or showcasing the champions that come to our stages as celebrated individuals that inspire our global coffee community. 

We know that administrative decisions, however technical, can feel personal, especially when they touch on identity and belonging. We don't take that lightly. We want your coffee community to remain at the heart of the WCC, and that will not change. 

Your coffee community is, and will remain, an invaluable part of our global family.  

To every barista, roaster, brewer, cupper, and coffee lover: thank you. We're grateful to walk alongside you, and we look forward to seeing you on the WCC stage. 

With sincere appreciation and respect, 

The World Coffee Championships