Skip to content
SpeechMazePowered by TalkMaze
2027 waitlist

The Global Youth Speaking Championship

A free online speaking competition for students ages 5-14. Record a speech at home, get a report from three judges, and the top speakers are invited to a live final.

Join the 2027 waitlist2026 results

How it works

  1. A student recording her speech at home1

    Record a speech at home

    2-5 minutes on your age group’s topic, filmed on a phone or laptop. Entry is free.

  2. A SpeechMaze judges’ report2

    Three judges score it

    Every speech is scored on ten criteria, and every family gets a written judges’ report.

  3. Finalists and judges celebrating at a SpeechMaze final3

    Speak at the live final

    The top speakers are invited to an online final, where the champions are named live.

Topics, rules and judging

Students from 33 countries

Where the 106 students who entered in 2026 were speaking from.

AfghanistanAlgeriaAustraliaBangladeshCanadaChinaCyprusEgyptGermanyIndiaIndonesiaJapanMalaysiaMexicoMoroccoMyanmarNepalNew ZealandNigeriaPakistanPhilippinesSaudi ArabiaSingaporeSouth AfricaSri LankaTaiwanThailandTrinidad and TobagoUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesVietnamZimbabwe

2026 champions

Named live at the final on November 7, 2026.

All 2026 results
Ages 5 to 9MaxonCanadaAges 10 to 14ShravyaUnited States

The judges

TalkMaze coaches, university students and alumni. A few words from them to every speaker.

Never be afraid to voice your opinion—your voice matters, so have the courage to use it.
Michele L.TalkMaze coach
Practice is key, there is no way around it. You can't be a great speaker by watching YouTube videos or reading books alone.
Clint B.TalkMaze coach
Having confidence comes from knowing your message, so speak about what matters to you.
Viktoria O.High school student and TalkMaze alumna
A great speech tells a great story!
Michael S.Master of Architecture student, University of Waterloo
Practice, practice, practice until what you want to communicate flows naturally.
Rucha A.Tech product manager, Toronto
BE YOU! Let your personality shine through.
Deem A.TalkMaze coach

Volunteer as a judge

Our judges are coaches, teachers, and speech and debate alumni. Leave your details and we will email you when judge sign-ups for SpeechMaze 2027 open.

Questions families ask

Who can take part?
Students ages 5-14 from any country. The age group goes by the student’s age on the day of the live final, and no experience is needed.
Does it cost anything?
No. Entering is free, and finalists take part in the live final at no cost.
How does it work?
Round 1 is a recorded speech. The judges then invite the top speakers to a live online final, where the champions are named.
How long is a speech?
2-5 minutes in both age groups. Speakers are cut off at 5 minutes.
What are the topics?
One topic per age group, announced each season. A creative angle is welcome if the speech still answers the prompt.
Can I use props, slides or notes?
No props, slides, costumes or on-screen graphics, and the speaker must be on camera for the whole speech. Notes are allowed, but eye contact is scored.
What are the content rules?
Speeches must be original and age-appropriate. Plagiarized or AI-generated speeches are disqualified.
Can students use AI tools?
Only for brainstorming, research and spell check. AI-written scripts, AI voiceovers, voice cloning and edited video are not allowed.
What if the judges cannot open my video?
It is the family’s responsibility to make sure the Round 1 video link works. Set it so anyone with the link can view it, for example unlisted on YouTube. Videos the judges cannot open are disqualified.
How are speeches judged?
Three judges score each Round 1 speech on ten criteria, from relevance to overall effectiveness, and every family receives a written judges’ report.

More detail on the competition page, or email hello@talkmaze.com.

SpeechMaze 2027

Free for students ages 5-14. The 2027 topics and dates go to the waitlist first.