Participants & Format

• 16 contestants, defined in order of registration and drawn by lot on challonge.com
• Head-to-head (1v1) with single elimination

Awards

• Semifinals – Official Cup of Porto Coffee Week 2026
• 3rd place – Leiteira trophy, Merch La Marzocco, Totebag PCW, Vela PCW, Cupping spoon PCW
• 2nd place – Leiteira trophy, Merch La Marzocco, Totebag PCW, Vela PCW, Cupping spoon PCW, Coffee 250g
• 1st place – Leiteira trophy, La Marzocco x Victorinox, Totebag PCW, Vela PCW, Cupping spoon Porto Coffee Week, Café 250g

Rounds

• Round 1 - Round of 16
• Round 2 - Quarter-finals
• Round 3 - Semi-finals + Wild Card
• Final

Materials

• Coffee provided by the organisation, extracted by a designated barista
• Each competitor uses ½ shot (one side of the double filter holder), except in the final
• Compulsory vegetable drink (without additives)
• Cups and milk jugs will be provided, but you may use your own milk jugs.
• No additives, pens or drawing utensils allowed

Execution

• Each round begins with the drawing of a card from the Coffee Week deck
• The pattern drawn must be replicated by both contestants
• Only one vapourisation is allowed per round. If the consistency or quantity fails, the competitor must continue
• After preparation, the contestant must take the drink to the judges' table:
  • If the drink spills because of an error on the part of the organisers, they both repeat.
  • If the drink spills due to a mistake on the part of the competitor or an excess of liquid, it cannot be cleaned or made again.
• If there is a catch in the cup, the symmetry with respect to the same will be evaluated.
• 5-minute practice round per competitor before the start of the event.

Judgement

• The judges can't see the contestants serving
• Jury: 3 judges + 1 head-judge (in the event of a tie)
• The judges have 30 seconds to decide after silent observation
• The decision is made by pointing to the chosen cup after counting down from 3...2...1
• Judges' decisions are final

Semi-final

• In the semi-final, the finalists will be presenting the cups of Porto Coffee Week 2026 – which they will take home with them!
• This glass cup has a handle and the symmetry of the handle will be evaluated.

Wild Card

Blindly and against the clock

• The two competitors eliminated in the semifinals compete in an extra duel. The winner joins the two winning semifinalists in the final.
• The card is drawn before the start and both see the pattern.
• At the signal of start, each competitor has 60 seconds to vaporize and serve.
• The vaporizing is done with eyes open. Before serving, the competitor places the sale and makes the whole pour with blindfolded eyes.
• The time stops when the competitor lowers the milk container and raises his hand. Only then does he remove the sale and bring the drink to the judges' table.
• Drinks that are finished outside of time are not evaluated. If no competitor finishes within the time limit, the duel repeats.
• Judgement is the same as in the other rounds: the judges point to the cup that most closely resembles the drawn pattern.

Final

• In partnership with Eco Bites, the baristas face a new challenge. To produce 3 identical designs in 3 cookie cups – one for each of the judges.
• The design will be the same for all the top 3 and will be drawn randomly from the deck – it could be as simple as a heart, or as complicated as a dragon.
• The baristas have 5 minutes each to steam, make the latte art and serve the judges, who rate from 1 (terrible) to 10 (excellent)
• The awarding of 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will be based on this score.

Evaluation includes consistency, adaptation and execution.