AUSTRALIA is set to host the next World Butchers’ Challenge, with the Queensland capital of Brisbane chosen as the venue for the event being staged from 9-12 March, 2028.

Up to 20 international teams are expected to take part, comprising as many as 200 elite butchers and apprentices practising their craft in front of an event audience of up to 10,000 people.

The showcase event will be the tenth in the series since it started from humble beginnings 17 years ago as a low-key Trans-Tasman competition between New Zealand and Australia.

The Australian Meat Industry Council won a competitive bidding process to become the official host of the 2028 event,  celebrating industry craftsmanship, technique, innovation and camaraderie.

Australia finished third in last year’s World Butcher’s Challenge held in Paris, and were runners-up at the previous event held in California in 2022.

Last year’s 2025 World Butchers’ Challenge broke new ground, with a record 14 nations competing and attracting more than 6000 spectators over the two-day event, making it the largest event in WBC history.

Australia last hosted the event on the Gold Coast in 2016.

The WBC has grown from humble beginnings into the world’s premier butchery competition, drawing teams from four continents. In 2025, the Paris event brought together 14 nations, including the US, France, the UK, New Zealand and Australia, as well as first-time competitors Indonesia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Romania and Spain.

Each event showcases not only the technical skill of butchers, but also the artistry, innovation, and cultural traditions that make the profession so unique.

With the spotlight returning to Australia, the 2028 edition will build on this legacy, giving teams and supporters the chance to compete and connect in a country known for its dynamic red meat sector and world-class produce.

The event is expected to attract significant international attention and will provide a platform for new collaborations, ideas, and opportunities.

Hosting the World Butchers’ Challenge was a tremendous honour for Australia’s meat industry, said Global WBC chairman, Robert Constable – a retail butcher from Singleton in country NSW.

“It showcases the skill, innovation and passion of butchers on the global stage, and highlights the vital role they play in connecting consumers with high-quality, sustainably produced Australian meat,” Mr Constable said.

“The WBC is more than a competition – it is about celebrating skill, sharing knowledge, and strengthening global connections. Hosting the tenth competition is an incredible opportunity to promote Australian butchery and the wider industry,” he said.

Next year’s three-day event will include a national teams competition featuring teams of six butchers, plus individual skills competitions for apprentices and young butchers.

All are assessed on knife and butchery skills based on sides of beef, lamb and pork, preparation and presentation, with a heavy emphasis on value-adding in the finished retail displays.

For the first time at the next event, an additional day will be added to the event program, focussed on the World’s Best Sausage competition. Competing countries can nominate butchers from within their existing teams, or bring a sausage-making ‘specialist’ for the final competition, Mr Constable said.

The 2028 event will deliver wide-reaching benefits for the Australian meat industry, providing international exposure and showcasing exciting careers to the next generation. Up to 1000 Australian butchers and their families are also likely to attend.

“If Beef 2027 in Rockhampton is big, then the WBC will be the equivalent for the red meat retail industry,” Mr Constable said. “For the trade, this will be bigger than anything we’ve ever seen,” he said.

Early platinum sponsorship has been secured from knife manufacturer Victorinox, sponsors of the Champions Trophy, and ingredients manufacturer Flavourmakers. Sponsorship inquiries are welcomed.

For further details about participation or sponsorship, click here.