Europe Pizza League 2026 Official Rules
0.1 Participation in the "Europe Pizza League" championship must be completed via the official website or an authorized competition representative.
0.2 Participants may choose to compete in one category or multiple categories.
0.3 The participation fee must be paid within 48 hours of receiving the confirmation email. Participants who have not paid the registration fee will not be registered for the competition.0.4 Registration Fees:
• 1 Category: €130
• 2 Categories: €220
• 3 Categories: €290
• 4 Categories: €3501. The Europe Pizza League 2026 competition will be held at Expo Gent, Maaltekouter 1, 9051 Gent, Belgium.
1.1 During the competition, the best pizzaioli for each competition of the year will be selected.
1.2 The Europe Pizza League consists of 4 events.2.1 Anyone aged 16 or older may participate in the competition, regardless of being a professional or amateur.
2.2 The participant may not display any sponsor or brand references during the competition, with the exception of their own brand or the name/logo of their establishment; this applies for the entire duration of the competition.
2.3 Registration for the competition is individual; it is not permitted for more than one person to participate in a single contest.
2.4 The participant must behave in an appropriate and respectful manner towards all attendees and other participants, as well as the space and work equipment for the entire duration of the competition.
2.5 The participant must wear appropriate attire for the work to be performed (such as an apron or chef's jacket and a head covering).
2.6 Wearing rings or watches is not allowed during the competition.
2.7 Each participant is responsible for cleaning the oven and workstation before the next participant's turn.
2.8 The workstation must be set up by the participant themselves; external assistance during preparation is not allowed during the competition.
2.9 A penalty point will be imposed for any violation of the rules.3.0 The categories of the Europe Pizza League competition are: "Neapolitan Pizza", "Classic Round Pizza", "Pizza on Plate", and "Mystery Box".
3.1 The aforementioned categories are defined exclusively by the competition's internal rules and will be judged according to the same regulations.
3.2 The category must be chosen by the candidate during the registration procedure.
3.3 Each candidate may register for multiple categories within a single competition.
3.4 The categories are individual; team participation is not allowed.
DEFINITION OF CATEGORIES
4.0 NEAPOLITAN PIZZA
4.0 A "Neapolitan Pizza" is a round pizza baked exclusively in a wood-fired oven, directly on the stone floor. This category reflects the traditional Neapolitan pizza and must meet the classic characteristics as defined by the organization.
The pizza dough must be rolled out and topped in front of the jury. For this category, the rules of the AVPN association fully apply.
Please read the regulations carefully on the website: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6660498a0c8f88e868d335d9/PIZZA_NAPOLETANA.pdf
4.1 The time available for preparing the pizza is 10 minutes.
5.0 CLASSIC ROUND PIZZA
5.0 A "Classic Round Pizza" is a round pizza that must be baked in a rotating gas oven, directly on the oven's stone baking plate. There are no specific restrictions, and this category offers participants complete freedom for creative expression. The pizza dough must be rolled out and topped in front of the jury.
5.1 The baking time is unlimited, and the oven temperature may be chosen by the participant based on the available time and oven conditions.
5.2 The pizza toppings are entirely at the participant's discretion, without any limitations.
5.3 The dough and its composition are entirely at the participant's discretion. There are no restrictions on the use of ingredients, flour types, or dough management techniques.
5.4 The time available for preparing the pizza is 13 minutes.
6.0 PIZZA ON PLATE
6.0 A "Pizza on Plate" is a rectangular pizza baked in an electric oven. Both high and low baking chamber ovens may be used. The pizza must be baked strictly on a baking tray, with dimensions at the participant's discretion. The pizza dough must be rolled out and topped in front of the jury.
6.1 Baking time is unlimited, and pre-baking the pizza during the competition is allowed. However, the use of pre-baked bases brought from home is not permitted.
6.2 The baking temperature must be maintained between 270°C and 330°C.
6.3 The toppings and fillings of the pizza are entirely at the participant's discretion.
6.4 There is complete freedom in the use of different flour types, dough management, and final presentation, provided the dimensions of the provided baking tray are respected.
6.5 The time available for preparation is 30 minutes.
7.0 MYSTERY BOX
7.0 The "Mystery Box" category challenges participants to create a pizza using a selection of surprise ingredients revealed at the start of the competition. The pizza must be baked in an electric or gas oven, with complete freedom in execution.
7.1 There are no restrictions on baking times or temperatures.
7.2 The choice of how to utilize the provided mystery ingredients, along with flour types and techniques, is entirely at the participant's discretion.
7.3 The time available for preparation is 13 minutes.4.1 The jury consists of competition judges responsible for evaluating the final product through tasting, visual, and tactile analysis of the served products. They also analyze the preparation and baking process. Judges are free to ask the participant questions about the preparation, which may influence the final evaluation.
4.2 The Chairman is responsible for coordinating and managing the jury members and ensuring the competition runs entirely according to the rules. The Chairman has the authority to add or revoke penalties during and after the competition.
4.3 Under no circumstances is it permitted to judge the participant as a person, based on previous competitions or personal preference. The only evaluation criterion is the product presented at that moment. The Chairman and the competition organization reserve the right to correct scoring errors resulting from such subjective judgments. Measures will be taken against jury members who fail to comply.
4.4 Scores must be assigned immediately after tasting and any conversation with the participant. Judges are not allowed to share their scores with each other beforehand to prevent bias or fraud.
4.5 Judges may confer prior to giving their scores to get a general idea of the participant's level, but without explicitly discussing numerical scores.
4.6 Depending on the category, the jury evaluates the visual aspect, taste of the dough, texture, combination of ingredients, baking method, originality, and how well the product meets the characteristics of the competition.
4.7 Judges have a maximum of 5 minutes per participant to complete their evaluation. This time may be adjusted in exceptional cases after consultation with the Chairman or organization.5.1 Candidates are required to use fresh, quality ingredients that have been handled to minimize the risk of bacterial contamination and the degradation of organoleptic and qualitative properties of the product.
5.2 Ingredients and dough must be brought by the candidate and may not be prepared on-site. Minor preparations are, however, allowed during the competition within the available time.
5.3 The candidate may bring and use suitable equipment during the competition. This may include knives and other tools.
5.4 Basic equipment such as oven peels, spatulas, baking sheets, oven gloves, thermometers, and flour dusters for rolling out dough will be provided by the organization.
5.5 The organization will provide refrigerators upon request for the storage of ingredients and dough.6.1 Candidates must be present at the venue at least one hour before the start of their competition. The estimated start time will be communicated to each participant in advance.
6.2 Upon arrival, each participant must register and will receive a unique identification number valid for the entire competition within the specific category.
6.3 The competition time begins as soon as the jury or Chairman gives the participant the start signal. If a participant is late or does not appear, the clock continues to run without exceptions.
6.4 The participant may not interact with the oven in any way before their turn.
6.5 The participant may not place anything on the workbench before the start of their turn. This applies to both dough and ingredients to be used.
6.6 The participant may do whatever they deem necessary to complete the product within the available time (e.g., make multiple pizzas, bake two pizzas simultaneously, pre-bake, etc.), as long as it remains within the set limits.
6.7 A participant who exceeds the available time will receive a penalty depending on the extra time needed.
6.8 A participant who is more than 5 minutes late will be automatically disqualified, without exceptions.
6.9 Exceptions may be made in specific cases of delay, provided they are reported and justified by the participant in advance.7.0 Penalty points are awarded in case of rule violations and are imposed by the competition jury, the Chairman, or the organization.
7.1 The following penalty points may be imposed and their value:
Incorrect attire: -15 points
Dirty attire: -10 points
Not cleaning the workspace: -10 points
Not cleaning the oven: -10 points
Finishing after competition time: -10 points (per extra minute, up to a maximum of 5 minutes)
Inappropriate behavior or attitude: -30 points