November 4, 2026

Pole competitions outside the US: world championships and international events

The international pole competitions we track fall into two groups. The first is the world championships run by the two international pole sport federations, the IPSF (International Pole and Aerial Sports Federation) and POSA (Pole Sports & Arts World Federation). The second is a set of long-running independent events, such as Pole Theatre, which started in Sydney in 2013 and runs editions in many countries, IPAAT in the UK, and Pole Art Italy. Our competitions directory lists 22 competition series as of 29 October 2026, and nine of them are based outside the US or hold editions outside it. Here are the international ones whose dates we could confirm on the organiser's own site.

This post lists events, not rankings: which competitions exist, who runs them, and when the next editions are. It is not a judgement of which is best. Every date below was read on the organiser's site on 29 October 2026; dates change, so check the event page before you plan travel.

What are the world pole championships?

There are two sets, because there are two international federations, and they are separate organisations with separate rulebooks. Our post on how pole competitions are judged explains how each one scores.

IPSF World Pole & Aerial Championships (WPAC). The IPSF's 2026 championships were in Prague, Czech Republic. Its event page gives the dates as 27 October to 1 November 2026, and says "The event brings together over 650 elite athletes from across the globe to compete at the modern Sportovní hala Kbely sports complex." By the time you read this, the 2026 championships will have finished; the IPSF's event page links to the results.

POSA world championships. POSA runs separate world championships for each discipline, in different cities. Its official competitions page lists, for 2026 (dates as listed on 29 October 2026):

Aerial Art World Championship 2026: Cesenatico, Italy, 28 October to 1 November 2026.
Pole Art World Championship 2026: Seoul, Republic of Korea, 11 to 14 November 2026.
Pole Sport World Championship 2026: Vantaa, Finland, 26 to 29 November 2026.
Aerial Sport World Championship 2026: Loutraki, Greece, 9 to 13 December 2026.

POSA also ran European championships earlier in the year: the European Pole Sport Championship 2026 in Cieszyn, Poland, from 18 to 22 June 2026.

What is Pole Theatre?

A performance competition with editions in many countries. Its world site says: "It started in Sydney in 2013, and has run in over 25 countries around the world and counting!" It was "created by sisters Michelle Shimmy and Maddie Sparkle". The categories are performance-led: Pole Art, Pole Drama, Pole Comedy and Pole Classique, and the site describes it as "a performance-based competition."

Each country's edition has its own organiser and its own dates. Two we confirmed on the national sites:

Pole Theatre UK 2027: its site says "Our 2027 show is held on the 10th April 2027 @The Cresset Peterborough". It has "3 Levels" (Amateur, Semi Pro and Professional) and the same four categories. Pole Theatre UK says it was first held in 2014.
Pole Theatre Canada 2027: Friday 4 and Saturday 5 June 2027. Its event page says "Pole Theatre Canada is hosted in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan at Persephone Theatre."

There is a US edition too, Pole Theatre USA, and our competitions directory carries its dates.

Which other international events are in our directory?

IPAAT (International Pole and Aerial Tournament), UK. Its site says "International Pole and Aerial Tournament has been running since 2011!" The 2027 Grand Final is on "Saturday 30th & Sunday 31st January 2027", and "ONLINE ENTRIES FOR IPAAT 2027 OPEN 1st MAY 2026!" It is a multi-apparatus event: "We now have 7 Pole categories we have 8 Aerial Hoop and 4 Aerial Silks". The site says "we have over 250 competitors in the quarter finals and 150 competitors in the live finals".

Pole Art Italy. A single-venue international competition at the Teatro Alfieri in Asti. Its site gives the 2027 dates as 23 to 25 April 2027 and, in Italian, says the theatre "ospita Pole Art Italy dal 2018", meaning it has hosted the event since 2018.

Can a US dancer enter an international competition?

Often, yes, but each event sets its own rules. Two things we can say from the pages we read:

Performance competitions can be open to international entrants. Pole Theatre's world site says "Pole Theatre is open to all competitors, national and international, male and female, and single, doubles or group entries."
Many start with a video. Pole Theatre UK's application asks for a video link. Our post on filming your pole practice covers recording yourself.

Both federations are organised around national federations: the IPSF's site lists "Endorsed National Federations", POSA's lists "Affiliated National Federations", and the IPSF site's menu lists 2026 national championship results, including "United States of America 2026". For a world championship, read the federation's own entry rules, or ask your national federation, before you plan. Our posts on your first pole competition and competition levels and divisions cover how entering and levels work.

Why isn't every international competition here?

Because this post only gives dates we could confirm on the organiser's own site on the day we checked. Our directory tracks a few more international series, including national championships in Australia, and some series in our data are marked dormant. The directory has the full list.

If you know an international competition we are missing, or a date that has changed, please tell us through our contact page.

Quick answers

What is the world championship of pole dancing? There are two: the IPSF World Pole & Aerial Championships and POSA's world championships, run by separate federations with separate rules.

Where were the 2026 pole world championships? The IPSF's were in Prague, 27 October to 1 November 2026. POSA's 2026 world championships were spread across four cities: Cesenatico (aerial art, 28 October to 1 November), Seoul (pole art, 11 to 14 November), Vantaa, Finland (pole sport, 26 to 29 November) and Loutraki, Greece (aerial sport, 9 to 13 December).

What is Pole Theatre? A performance-based pole competition that started in Sydney in 2013 and has run in over 25 countries, with categories Art, Drama, Comedy and Classique.

When is Pole Theatre UK 2027? 10 April 2027, at The Cresset in Peterborough, according to its site.

Can Americans compete in international pole competitions? Many performance competitions take international entries. For federation championships, start with the federation's own entry rules or your national federation.