The organizers of the World Championship of Russian Language for Foreigners 2025 have announced the stages of the competition and would like to remind the participants that the registration has been extended until October 15. This decision has been made to allow more participants from different countries to complete preparations and submit their applications, the Championship’s press service reported.

World Championship of Russian Language for Foreigners 2025 is a major event dedicated to promoting the Russian Language and culture abroad. The project aims to enhance interest in Russian among foreign citizens and foster intercultural dialogue. The Championship is organized by the FSBI “Interobrazovanie” with the support of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.

Foreign citizens (16 to 22 y.o.) with the Russian Language proficiency of A2 Level or above are eligible. Each team must consist of five members and be accompanied by a mentor – a citizen of any country (including Russia) over the age of 21. The mentors will be offered online workshops to introduce them into the structure of the competition stages, as well as into methodologies for teaching Russian.

The updated Championship calendar includes the following stages:
● Registration remains open until October 15, 2025;
● September 26 – October 10, 2025 — online workshops for team mentors, providing a comprehensive overview of the Championship’s arrangement and the rules;
● October 20–23, 2025 — qualifying round: individual online assignments in Listening and Writing;
● October 30, 2025 — drawing of lots to assign teams into debate groups;
● October 31 – November 28, 2025 — online stages from 1/16 to the semifinals. The participants will compete in debates, logic challenges, language quests and discussions, which is to put to a test their skills in verbal expression, reasoning and teamwork;
● December 15–16, 2025 — offline Final in Moscow, bringing together the best ten teams for a series of discussion-based games;
● December 17, 2025 — the Super Final, to be held in Moscow.

“The decision to extend registration and modify respectively the competition schedule reflects the strong interest in the Championship among young people across many countries. In some cases, extra time is required to make up teams and coordinate actions with mentors, and this extension will allow the process to be completed properly. For us, it is essential that everyone seeking to join the event should be offered a chance to do so,” Dmitry Semenov (CEO, “Interobrazovanie”) was quoted as saying.

Last year, more than 2,000 participants from 57 countries took part in the Championship, which served proof to the stable global interest in the Russian Language. The project has proven a successful international educational and cultural initiative. In 2025, organizers expect further geographic expansion and increased participation.

The top ten teams will be invited to Russia to compete in the final stage, with all the respective expenses covered by the organizers. This trip will serve not only as a reward for their effort yet also as a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the Russian culture and discover the country’s historical heritage.

Applications are accepted until October 15 on the official Championship website