On 10 and 11 October 2026, Geneva hosted the biggest Jack and Jill-style competition in bachata: the Bachata Social World Cup Finals 2026. They were part of the Bachata Geneva Festival – The Festival of Nations, which filled Palexpo from 8 to 12 October with workshops and 50 hours of social dancing.
Here is who won, how the competition worked, and what to know if you’re thinking about competing next year.
The 2026 champions
The two Bachata Social World Champions 2026 are Victor (Japan) for the leaders and Melany Mejia (Colombia) for the followers.
Leaders:
- Victor (Japan), World Champion
- Owen Van Eer (Netherlands)
- Victor Martos (Spain)
Followers: Melany Mejia (Colombia) took the title, with Giovana Brandi (Brazil) and Emilia Narel (Lithuania) completing the podium.
Six podium places went to six different countries: Japan, Colombia, Brazil, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Spain. In a competition that started with dancers from more than 50 countries, that says a lot about how global social bachata has become. Congratulations to the champions and to every dancer who reached the final.
The Bachata Social World Cup is an international competition for social bachata dancers, not choreographies. Nobody brings a partner. As in a classic Jack and Jill, partners are random in the early rounds, leaders and followers are ranked separately, and you have to dance well with whoever is in front of you, to music you haven’t heard in advance.
The 2026 Finals brought together 180 dancers (90 leaders and 90 followers) from more than 50 countries, competing for the title and a €3,000 prize pool.
How dancers qualified
- European and Intercontinental Qualifiers, held at festivals around the world during the season.
- Elite Qualifier, selected by experience and video submission.
- Geneva Prequalifier Cup, held on the Friday of the festival, where the top 22 leaders and 22 followers earned the last spots.
How the 2026 Finals worked, round by round
- Preliminaries (Saturday): 90 leaders and 90 followers in 3 random heats. 7 songs per dancer, with 2 partner switches per song, so up to 21 different partners. 45 per role went through.
- Quarterfinals (Saturday): 45 per role in 2 heats, 6 songs each, up to 18 partners. 16 per role went through.
- Semifinal (Sunday): 16 leaders and 16 followers in a single heat of 8 songs, each dancer rotating with every partner of the other role. 6 per role went through.
- Final (Sunday): 6 leaders and 6 followers across 3 phases of 3 songs. Finalists first danced with each other, then with the judges of the other role. 12 judges (6 per role) scored the final, and one champion was crowned per role.
Judging criteria
Each judge gave one overall score from 0 to 10, guided by five equally weighted pillars:
- Foundations: timing, weight transfer, bachata as the base.
- Technique: balance, turns, footwork, a clear lead or follow.
- Connection: adapting to your partner and building the dance together.
- Musicality: phrasing, accents, responding to the song.
- Expression: presence, styling and creativity.
Results used relative placement, the system used at the biggest Jack and Jill competitions. Each judge’s scores become their own ranking, and your place is the one a majority of judges ranked you at or better. Points are never simply added up.
The music was a mix too: 35% new wave (2020–2026), 35% classics (2005–2019), 15% crossover and 15% roots. A dancer who only knows the latest hits wouldn’t have gone far.
Want to compete next year?
The organisers have already announced the next edition: Bachata Geneva Festival 2027, 7 to 11 October 2027, at Palexpo Geneva. If you want to try the World Cup route, watch for the qualifiers at festivals during the 2027 season, or aim for the Prequalifier Cup on the Friday in Geneva. The latest rules and qualifiers are published on the official website, bachatasocialworldcup.com.
Not sure where to start? Read our guide on how to get prepared for a bachata Jack and Jill competition, see what last year’s edition looked like in our Bachata Geneva Festival 2025 post, or discover the best bachata festivals where you can dance with these social dancers.
FAQ
Victor (Japan) won among the leaders and Melany Mejia (Colombia) among the followers.
It uses the Jack and Jill approach. Partners are random in the early rounds, leaders and followers are judged separately, and results use relative placement. In the final, finalists dance with each other and with the judges.
Where and when were the 2026 Finals?
In Geneva, Switzerland, on 10 and 11 October 2026, during the Bachata Geneva Festival at Palexpo.
How many dancers competed?
180 dancers, 90 leaders and 90 followers, from more than 50 countries.
When is the next Bachata Geneva Festival?
7 to 11 October 2027 at Palexpo Geneva.