Here are the latest known developments on the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee:
The 2026 Bee is scheduled for late May in Washington, D.C., with 247 spellers earning a spot to compete. This marks a return to Washington, D.C. after more than a decade away from the national capital region. [Source: press releases announcing the 2026 field and venue][3][4]
All onstage rounds—preliminaries, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals—will be held at DAR Constitution Hall, near the National Mall and close to the White House. This represents a venue change from previous years.[4][3]
The field includes representatives from all 50 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Department of Defense Schools in Europe; spellers also come from five other countries, including Canada and the Bahamas.[5]
Several 2025 finalists are returning for 2026, including Sarv Dharavane, Esha Marupudi, and Oliver Halkett, signaling continuity among top competitors.[1][2][3]
You can follow competition updates and contestant lists on spellingbee.com, which provides the official competition page and participant details.[9][5]
If you’d like, I can pull concrete schedule details (dates/times), live-stream information, prize categories, or profiles for notable 2025 finalists who returned in 2026. I can also summarize the key changes for 2026 and provide a quick comparison to prior years.
CINCINNATI, May 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Scripps National Spelling Bee will return to Washington, D.C. for the first time in 15 years, with 247 spellers earning their place in the 2026 competition, set for May 26-28 at historic...
www.barchart.comThe Scripps National Spelling Bee will return to Washington, D.C. for the first time in 15 years, with 247 spellers earning their place in the 2026 competition, set for May 26-28 at historic Constitution Hall.
scripps.comThe 2026 competition will be held in the historic Constitution Hall CINCINNATI, May 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Scripps National Spelling Bee will return to Washington, D.C. for the first time in 15 years, with 247 spellers earning their place in the 2026 competition, set for May 26-28 at
ir.scripps.comthe 2026 national competition This year, 247 spellers have earned their spots as national competitors by advancing through regional spelling bees, competing against students representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Department of Defense Schools in Europe. Spellers also will represent five countries outside the U.S.: the Bahamas, Canada, Ghana, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.
spellingbee.comThe three-day competition begins Tuesday and concludes Thursday night
www.independent.co.ukThe annual Scripps Spelling Bee begins with preliminary rounds on Tuesday and concludes on Thursday. Meet the VA contestants.
patch.comThe Scripps National Spelling Bee will return to Washington, D.C. with 247 spellers earning their place in the 2026 competition....
www.globenewswire.com