WORLD COSPLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
What is the World Cosplay Championship?
It’s a competition where cosplayers showcase their performances to determine the world’s No.1 cosplayer. Teams that win the official qualifiers held by organizers in various countries and regions partnered with WCS advance to the finals in Nagoya. The representative cosplayers from each country and region often participate as guests in various pop culture events and are featured in the media, making the WCS finals a gateway for cosplayers. These representatives are called “WCS Alumni” and often continue to engage with WCS-related events even after their participation.
Event Overview
Tournament Schedule
August 3 (Saturday) Time TBD
Championship Venue
Aichi Arts Center Great Hall
Broadcast
niconico / YouTube / Facebook / Twitch / X
Participating Countries & Regions
Australia / Austria / Belgium / Brazil / Bulgaria / Canada / Finland / France / Germany / India / Indonesia / Italy / Japan / Korea / Mexico / Netherlands / Saudi Arabia / South Africa / Spain / Sweden / Switzerland / Taiwan / Thailand / United Kingdom / United States / Vietnam / China / Latvia / Philippines / Portugal / UAE / Malaysia / Egypt
New Participants
Czech Republic / Costa Rica / Mongolia
※36 countries and regions as of February 1, 2024
Basic Rules
- Costumes must be handmade
- The subject is characters from Japanese manga, anime, games, and tokusatsu
- Stage performance time is 2 minutes and 30 seconds
- Use of a background screen for performance is allowed
- Ranking is determined by the sum of character and stage performance evaluations
How to participate in the “World Cosplay Championship” as a competitor?
To visit Nagoya, Japan, as a representative player, you must win the qualifiers held by organizers in various countries and regions that have partnered with WCS.
If you wish to participate, please enter and compete in the “Representative Selection” held in your country or region.
Please check the “Representative Selection Schedule” on this page for the schedule of selection events held in each country and region.
Participation Requirements
① Representative cosplayers from each country and region form pairs of 2
② In principle, participants must have the nationality of the country or region they represent
③ Must be 18 years of age or older
④ Must be able to stay in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan (in principle) during the WCS period
⑤ Must handle Japanese manga, anime, game, or tokusatsu works, and both team members must portray characters from the same work
⑥ The cosplay costume worn during the main competition must be handmade by the players themselves
※ Participation requirements and rules may vary by the representative selection event in each country and region.
Representative Selection Event Schedule
Australia
Event Name:
SMASH!
Date: 2023/07/02
Austria
Event Name:
AniNite
Date: 2023/08/12
Belgium
Event Name:
MADE IN ASIA
Date: 2023/09/24
Brazil
Event Name:
World Cosplay Summit Brasil
Date: To be announced
Bulgaria
Event Name:
Animes World Stars
Date: 2023/06/11
Canada
Event Name:
Otakuthon
Date: 2023/08/13
China
Event Name:
福建福州【潮柚次元嘉年华】
Date: 2024/05/01
Colombia
Event Name: –
–
Date: –
Costa Rica
Event Name:
Festival Matsuri
Date: 2024/03/24
Czech
Event Name:
Animefest
Date: 2024/05/25
Egypt
Event Name:
Insomnia Egypt
Date: 2024/4/27
Finland
Event Name:
TRACON
Date: 2023/09/02
France
Event Name:
Japan Expo Sud
Date: 2024/03/09
Germany
Event Name:
Connichi
Date: 2023/09/03
India
Event Name:
King Fisher India Premiership
Date: 2024/5/26
Indonesia
Event Name:
CLAS:H
Date: 2024/6/16
Italy
Event Name:
ROMICS – INTERNATIONAL COMICS, CINEMA, ANIMATION AND GAMES FESTIVAL
Date: 2023/10/08
Japan
Event Name:
World Cosplay Summit Japan Representative Selection
Date: 2024/3/23
South Korea
Event Name:
WCF EVERLAND COSPLAY PARTY
Date: 2023/11/05
Latvia
Event Name:
WinterCon VIII
Date: 2024/01/14
Malaysia
Event Name:
Noizucon2023
Date: 2023/09/29
Mexico
Event Name:
EXPO TNT GT
Date: To be announced
Mongolia
Event Name:
Mongolia & Japanese Pop Culture Festival – 2024
Date: 2024/04/14
Philippines
Event Name:WCS PH Qualifiers 2023 -2024 at OzineFest
Date: 2023/04/30
Portugal
Event Name:
IberAnime Porto 2023
Date: 2023/10/14
Russia
Event Name:
Hinode Power Japan
Date: 2024/05/01
*Not participate in the Championship in 2024.
Saudi Arabia
Event Name:
Anime Key
Date: To be announced
South Africa
Event Name:
Comic Con Cape Town
Date: 2024/4/28
Spain
Event Name:
MANGA BARCELONA
Date: 2023/12/09
Sweden
Event Name:
Heroes Comic Con Stockholm 2023
Date: 2023/11/05
Switzerland
Event Name:
POLYMANGA
Date: 2024/03/29
Taiwan
Event Name:
2024桃園變裝城市嘉年華 X 2024世界Cosplay高峰會台灣代表選拔賽
Date: 2024/06/02
Thailand
Event Name:
World Cosplay Summit Thailand 2024
Date: 2024/04/28
Netherlands
Event Name:
AnimeCon 2023
Date: 2023/06/10
United Arab Emirates
Event Name:
Middle East Film & Comic Con 2024 (MEFCC)
Date: 2024/02/10
United Kingdom
Event Name:
MCM London Comic Con
Date: 2023/10/28
United States of America
Event Name:
Anime Expo
Date: 2023/07/02
Vietnam
Event Name:
Cosplay Vietnam Cup/ Fes TOUCH
Date: To be announced
※ The availability of qualifiers in other countries will be announced as soon as they are determined.
※ These schedules are subject to change.
アルムナイについて
Each year, WCS produces inspiring cosplayers from each country and region. The cosplayers who successfully become representatives are known as the “WCS Alumni” from their competition year onwards. They can now participate as special guests at WCS-related events and are introduced to cosplay media, making the WCS main competition a gateway to becoming a world-class cosplayer.
Examples of WCS Alumni opportunities include…
- Guest appearances on stages at other events
- Participation as judges in cosplay events and projects
- Feature interviews in media and magazines
- Becoming part of the cosplay community with a history of achievements
List of Past Champions by Country/Region
2005
Work Title: Solo Division – Devilman
Giorgia Vecchini
Work Title: Group Division – Soul Calibur 2
Francesca Dani
Emilia Fata Livia
Elena Fata Livia
2006
Work Title: Angel’s Sanctuary
Cosplayers:
Maurício Somenzari L Olivas
Mônica Somenzari L Olivas
2007
Work Title: Alichino
Cosplayers:
Damien Ratte
Isabelle Jeudy
2008
Work Title: Burst Angel
Cosplayers:
Jéssica Moreira Rocha Campos
Gabriel Niemietz Braz
2009
Work Title: Sengoku Basara
Cosplayers:
YuRi
RiE
2010
Work Title: The Legend of Zelda
Cosplayers:
Luca Buzzi
Giancarlo Di Pierro
2011
Title: Final Fantasy XII
Cosplayers:
Maurício Somenzari L Olivas
Mônica Somenzari L Olivas
2012
Title: Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom
Cosplayers:
Shimo Tsuki
Kaito
2013
Title: Mazinger Z
Cosplayers:
Andrea Vesnaver
Massimo Barbera
2014
Title: The Legend of Zelda
Cosplayers:
Nek (Neko-tin)
Nichi
2015
Title: The Legend of Zelda
Cosplayers:
Juan Carlos
Shema Arroyo
2016
Title: Trinity Blood
Cosplayers:
Rian CYD
Frea Mai
2017
Title: Blood: The Last Vampire
Cosplayers:
Xu Xue
Ten Ten
2018
Title: Street Fighter
Cosplayers:
Banana Luis
Banana Ed
2019
Title: Monster Hunter: World
Cosplayers:
K
A.K.WIRRU
2020
2021
Title: Final Fantasy VII Remake
Cosplayers:
Calssara
Elffi
2022 / Stage Division
Title: Sailor Moon
Cosplayers:
Beryl
Hazariel
2022 / Video Division
Title: Final Fantasy 15
Cosplayers:
Yumidun
Birthbysleep/Birthbysleeping
2023
Title: Magi
Cosplayers:
Clood
supo