7,000 Students Descend on Richmond for the World's Largest Academic Competition

2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament Opened June 14 in Richmond, Virginia

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa, June 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament, hosted by the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA), kicked off this week in Richmond, Virginia. More than 7,000 students from across the globe will compete in dozens of events in the world's largest academic competition.

Tournament Highlights:

• Congressional Debate Opening Ceremony: U.S. Senator and speech and debate alumnus Tim Kaine opened the Congressional Debate Tournament on Monday, addressing hundreds of competitors.
• Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award: Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx and a prominent businesswoman and philanthropist, will be honored for her commitment to supporting and inspiring the next generation.
• Communicator of the Year Award: Utah Governor Spencer Cox, whose "Disagree Better" initiative champions the principles of healthy disagreement and civil problem-solving, will receive the 2026 Communicator of the Year award.
• Awards Ceremony: CBS journalist and NSDA alumnus David Begnaud will emcee Thursday and Friday's award ceremonies, which will include the High School National Award Ceremony, the Leadership and Impact Honors, and Legacy and Service Honors.
• Competition Events: Students will compete across 23 events spanning debate, public speaking, interpretation, and acting. The full list of NSDA events can be found here.

The NSDA is the nation's leading organization for fostering civil discourse in schools. For more than 100 years, the NSDA has equipped young people from every background with the critical thinking, communication, and leadership skills that engaged citizenship requires. As AI use grows in K-12 classrooms and civil conversations seem further out of reach than ever, these are students who think on their feet, advocate with empathy and evidence, and thoughtfully engage with both sides of an issue.

"Civil discourse is the cornerstone of American democracy, and it has never been more important to teach young people the power of words and the impact they can have in bringing us together," said J. Scott Wunn, Executive Director of the NSDA. "As our country celebrates its 250th anniversary, we are proud to help students develop the skills our nation was founded on: listening with respect, thinking critically, and engaging thoughtfully with different perspectives. We believe every student deserves access to this experience, which is why we are working to double our reach to 200,000 students over the next five years."

"Our city has long been an example of inspiring change through public discourse and debate," said Richmond Mayor, Dr. Danny Avula. "We are thrilled to introduce thousands of the nation's brightest young leaders to the rich history and culture of Richmond. We know Richmond will continue to inspire our visitors to ignite change through the power of their voices."

"We are grateful to our local partner, the Richmond Forum, for their incredible support and commitment to growing speech and debate in Virginia," said Wunn.

The tournament is expected to draw more than 10,000 coaches, teachers, students, and supporters to Richmond, generating an estimated $20 million in economic impact for the greater Richmond area.

The 2026 National Tournament runs June 14–19. For more information, visit speechanddebate.org/nationals. Final rounds will be streamed live at speechanddebate.org/live.

About the National Speech & Debate Association
The National Speech & Debate Association is the authority on public speaking and debate in the United States. The Association builds the infrastructure for speech and debate competitions around the world by providing topics, educational resources, and training for students and coaches. For 101 years, the National Speech & Debate Association has built a platform for youth voices that culminates in the National Tournament, the largest academic competition in the world. For more information, visit www.speechanddebate.org.

SOURCE National Speech & Debate Association