Team applications open at the beginning of each season and close 40-60 days before each event. Click here to apply to compete in La Rumba.

Once the application period is over, we will randomly select 12 teams to compete. We will upload the selection videos on our Youtube channel and notify all applicants.

More Info on Team Applications:

• Each team is comprised of two baristas. You must have a team mate to compete with you. Come up with a fun team name! We love a good coffee pun.

• You may apply for more than one event, but you may only compete once per season.

• If any member of a team self-identifies as part of a systematically-marginalized community, that team will receive an extra entry into the random draw. We believe this is a more equitable way to select competitors in a traditionally cis-white-male dominated competition world. And we hope that this practice will result in more baristas belonging to systemically marginalized communities having the opportunity to participate, and the events reflecting the local demographics of working baristas.

Local baristas will apply to compete as per the application process for The Barista League, as per outlined above.

Each selected local team will then be paired up with two of our champion baristas to compete together as a team of four. There are some rules though:

Round 1 - This round will be completed by the two local baristas.

Round 2- This round will be completed by 1 local barista and 1 visiting champion.

Round 3 - This round will be completed by 1 local barista and 1 visiting champion.

The teams will be allowed to select together which baristas will compete in rounds 2 and 3.

We will provide everything teams need to play, teams should NOT bring their own equipment. This rule is to make the competition accessible, fair for all teams and insures against any breakages after a few bubbly drinks.

We recommend you bring a water bottle and maybe a pen and paper if you want to take any notes.

On event day, selected teams will be required to attend mandatory briefing and training through to the end of the event, usually from around 1:30PM until 10:30PM.

During the briefing, we’ll explain everything teams need to know to participate in the event, answer any questions and explain how to get the most out of the experience. Each team will then have one and a half hours to get familiar with the equipment and dial their drinks for Rounds 1 + 3.

During this time, all of the teams will also have access to the expertise and experience of our event partners, who are there to help the competitors learn about the products and equipment and help them make the most out of the competition.

It can be a long day and we would like you to enjoy the event, thus we recommend teams to not work open shift on that day. There will be breaks for teams to rest, grab some food, mingle, and, of course, have a great time!

We will be monitoring all of our impacts on the environment during the event. To help us out, we ask that teams and everyone are conscious of how they’re using the resources around them.

We work hard to reduce the need for any single-use items and ask that all participants in the event be conscious of waste and ensure they are recycling at every opportunity.

Points will be awarded after the end of each round with the winning team being the team with the most points at the end of the night.

In case of a tie, the team with the higher score from Round 1 will be ranked higher.