Qualifiers from October 22 to November 11, Grand Finale in Naples on December 10–11.
Sixth edition of the format that brings together participants from every continent each year.
The most international contest of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana is back: the Vera Pizza Contest returns for its sixth edition, launching a truly global challenge in the name of homemade pizza. It’s an online tournament, open to everyone, with only one requirement: owning a home oven or fryer. That’s the only rule of this format, which every year gives thousands of enthusiasts the chance to showcase their talent and passion for pizza. Last year’s edition saw over 1,300 participants from 53 countries across all continents, reaching nearly 100,000 likes—proof of the event’s strong international appeal.
“This is an initiative that embraces the whole world in the spirit of inclusivity,” says Antonio Pace, President of AVPN. “To participate, you don’t need to be an expert or own professional equipment; all you need is passion, care in choosing ingredients, and respect for the techniques outlined in our guidelines. It’s a way to celebrate Neapolitan pizza as an Italian excellence and, at the same time, as a universal language that expresses diverse cultures while honoring tradition.”
The contest kicks off on Wednesday, October 22, marking the start of the online selection phase, which runs until Tuesday, November 11. During this period, participants can submit a photo of their pizza via Messenger at m.me/verapizzanapoletana
The official rules can be downloaded from the official website: https://www.pizzanapoletana.org/en/verapizzacontest
A panel of AVPN master pizzaioli will select five creations each week to move forward. This leads to the second phase, ending on November 21, when the three finalists who will compete in Naples will be announced. The final stage of the Vera Pizza Contest will take place at AVPN’s headquarters in Naples on December 10 and 11. There, the finalists will present two pizzas—a signature creation and a Margherita—in front of a live audience and a panel of expert judges.
Prizes for the winners include a traditional dough chest, a supply of Caputo flour, a Probaker mixer from KYS Norway, a selection of Sorì dairy products, a “A casa Mia” kit with Amica line baking steel from Gi.Metal, and a selection of cured meats from Mec Palmieri | Favola.
The first-place winner will receive a 9-day basic professional course and a KYS Vero 500 PRO oven from KYS Norway. The second-place winner will receive a 2- or 3-day advanced professional course, and the third-place winner will receive a 4-hour amateur course. All finalists, as well as the top 15 contestants, will also qualify for the “Amateurs” finals of the Vera Pizza Napoletana Champion 2026—the ultimate showdown of true Neapolitan pizzaioli from around the world, held in the heart of Naples.
The event is supported by Molino Caputo, Sorì, GI.metal, KYS Norway, and Mec Palmieri, and features collaboration from master pizzaioli across the globe, including: Salvatore Santucci (Italy), Peterson Secco (Brazil), Jedrzej Lewandowski (Poland), Peppe Miele (USA), Jose Navarro Ledezma (Venezuela), Andrea Bornacelli (Colombia), Gonzalo Garay Varo (Chile), Guglielmo Vuolo (Italy), Pasquale Illiano (USA), Mirko D'Agata (Canada), Alessandro Signore (Spain), Manabu Odawara (Japan), Andrè Guidon (Brazil), and Lorenzo Floris (UK).
