Prague barista heads to 2026 coffee World Cup finals in Italy

A Prague restaurant barista is heading to Turin to compete for an international coffee title, inside the stadium of Italian football club Juventus.

Filip Šuba of Marina Ristorante won the Czech national round of the Vergnano World Cup 2026, earning a place in the global final scheduled for late October.

Five finalists competed at the Sky Lounge in Prague’s NH Hotel Prague City, where judges tested their espresso-making, milk work and ability to create an original coffee drink under time pressure.

The competition began with a task that happens before a cup reaches the customer: correctly adjusting the grinder. The setting affects extraction and, ultimately, how the coffee tastes.

Contestants then prepared espresso, assessed for appearance, aroma and flavor, followed by two cappuccinos incorporating latte art. That discipline tested both technical control of the milk and presentation.

The final challenge gave competitors more freedom: a signature coffee drink made to their own recipe.

A four-member professional jury, chaired by coffee expert McCrey Guillory, assessed technical skills, drink quality, creativity and overall presentation. Šuba secured the overall win and will face national champions from other countries in Italy.

“Winning the Czech final is a dream come true for me,” Šuba said. “But I’m going to the final with a clear goal. I don’t just want to take part; I want to fight for victory.”

The contest is organized by Italian coffee company Caffè Vergnano. Its national title recognizes performance within this competition rather than determining an overall ranking of Czech baristas.

A separate media jury tasted the finalists’ signature drinks and awarded its prize to Jiří Švarc of Ristorante Italiano Buschetto.

His recipe combined Bacardi Carta Negra rum, Vergnano espresso, fresh raspberries and sugar syrup.

“I like experimenting and looking for unusual combinations, so I’m all the happier that this particular one appealed to the jury,” Švarc said.

The two awards recognized different achievements: Šuba won across the competition’s disciplines, while Švarc received the journalists’ choice for an individual drink.

For Šuba, the next stage takes the competition from a Prague hotel lounge to a football stadium in the home city of Juventus. There, the Czech representative will compete against the other national winners for the Vergnano World Cup title.

Caffè Vergnano, based in Santena near Turin, traces its origins to 1882. Its international competition brings together baristas working with the brand to demonstrate their technical skills and individual approaches to coffee.