Naples returns to the center of the international pizza scene. From Tuesday, September 15th to Thursday, September 17th, the Ristorante della Piscina della Mostra d'Oltremare in Naples will host the Vera Pizza Napoletana Champion 2026, the international championship organized by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN), which will bring over 355 pizza chefs from 30 countries to the Campania capital.
Competing for the titles will be pizza chefs from Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Libya, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The 2026 Vera Pizza Napoletana Champion will feature seven categories, designed to showcase the diverse facets of pizza culture, from the great traditional classics to the most contemporary interpretations: Margherita, one of the absolute icons of Neapolitan pizza; Marinara, essential and deeply rooted in tradition; Pizza Fritta, a historic expression of Neapolitan gastronomic culture; Calzone Napoletano, dedicated to another of the iconic preparations of the Neapolitan school; Per Gourmet, giving space to the most creative interpretations; Mastunicola, a nod to the most ancient roots of Neapolitan pizza; and Amatori, the category dedicated to those who live pizza with passion even outside the professional circuit.
The preparations will be judged by different juries for each competition, who will be asked to judge in blind tasting mode, meaning they won't see the contestants at work. This system is designed to ensure maximum impartiality and focus the evaluation exclusively on the final result.
Among the elements taken into consideration will be the quality and execution technique, from rolling out the dough to baking it, along with the competitors' ability to interpret the different expressions of Neapolitan pizza.
The event will officially open on Tuesday 15 September from 11:00 to 12:00, at the Mostra d'Oltremare Swimming Pool Restaurant, with the conference:
"The Vera Pizza Napoletana Champion is not just a competition, but a true world tour that continues to transform Neapolitan pizza into a universal language," says Antonio Pace, President of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. "It all began in Barcelona, at Alimentaria, and since then the championship has crossed borders and continents. Naples represents the heart of this journey: bringing back home the excellence encountered at the various stages means once again celebrating the extraordinary strength of the Vera Pizza Napoletana and its international community."
"Let's Pizza Again: Art Becomes a Craft. True Pizza, Ambassador of the Mediterranean Diet," the opening event will offer a platform for discussion on the future of the pizza-making profession, exploring the professional, cultural, and nutritional value of True Neapolitan Pizza as a spokesperson for the Mediterranean Diet. Moderated by Gioacchino Bonsignore, a journalist for TG5, the event will feature representatives from institutions, the restaurant industry, universities, and agri-food protection and promotion.
