Gelato World Cup – Italian National Selection at Gelato D’oro –  Sigep World   
National Selection – Qualifying for the Continental Asia Selection

Rimini, January 2026 — SIGEP Gelato d’Oro 2026, held in Rimini, officially opened the path toward the 12th edition of the Gelato World Cup, scheduled in Rimini in January 2028. The event represented the first National Selection qualifying stage of the Europe Continental Selection route, identifying the participants who will have the opportunity to advance to the next phases of the prestigious international championship.

During the competition, gelato master Mario Feliciani was selected as a member of the Italian team for the upcoming Gelato World Cup, confirming Italian excellence on the international artisanal gelato scene.

The competition brought together some of the finest Italian gelato makers and pastry chefs in a high-level technical and creative challenge, testing innovation, skill, and execution. The winners of this selection will join the group of professionals ready to compete with the best talents from across Europe in the subsequent qualifying rounds.

The event consisted of several technical gelato and pastry challenges, each evaluated by a panel of experts, with the goal of selecting the professionals who will represent Italy in the international qualification stages.

The Gelato World Cup, a project by Gelato & Cultura in collaboration with SIGEP WORLD, is the only global team competition dedicated to artisanal gelato. The championship celebrates technique, creativity, culture, and collaboration, and will bring together the 12 finalist teams in 2028 to compete for the world champion title in Rimini in January 2028.

The next stages of the European qualification path will continue with the National Selection of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland at the 6th GELATISSIMO Cup in Stuttgart (7–10 February 2026).

The road to Gelato World Cup 2028 will continue with the upcoming continental selections:

• Gelato World Cup Asia Selection – SIGEP Asia, Singapore (15–17 July 2026)
  
• Gelato World Cup Europe Selection – SIGEP WORLD, Rimini, Italy (January 2027)
  
• Gelato World Cup America Selection – Buenos Aires, Argentina (June 2027)