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The inaugural World Cup Spelling Bee in Shanghai, China, marked a defining moment for spelling on the African continent. Competing against some of the world’s most established spelling nations, Africa’s young spellers demonstrated that they belong among the very best.
Representing the continent were teams from South Africa, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. Together, they showcased the tremendous progress that African spelling bee programmes have made over the past decade through dedication, collaboration and a shared commitment to literacy and educational excellence.
The most remarkable achievement was that every African team reached the Gold Medal standard—an outstanding accomplishment that speaks not only to the ability of individual spellers but also to the quality of spelling bee programmes being developed across Africa. It was a powerful statement that African nations are no longer simply participating at international competitions—they are competing at the highest level.
Among the many outstanding performances was Kal Tesfaye of Ethiopia, who emerged as one of Africa’s brightest stars in the Junior Division. His confident performance demonstrated the exciting future of African spelling and highlighted the exceptional work being done by the Ethiopian Spelling Bee programme.
In the Senior Division, Mbulelo Tolom and Ashton Singh of South Africa delivered two of the continent’s strongest individual performances, finishing joint sixth and eighth respectively in a world-class field featuring many of the world’s leading spellers.
However, the story of Shanghai extends far beyond individual results.
It is the story of African countries standing together, learning from one another and proving that the continent can compete with the world’s traditional spelling powerhouses. Every African delegation contributed to this success through determination, resilience and sportsmanship, earning the respect of fellow competitors from around the globe.
The World Cup also saw the launch of the World Spelling Bee Association, creating new opportunities for collaboration between spelling bee organisations across continents. This historic development promises to provide African spellers with more international competition, stronger partnerships and greater opportunities to develop their talents.
The African Spelling Bee Federation congratulates every speller, coach, parent, volunteer and national organisation that made this achievement possible. Your passion and commitment continue to inspire a generation of young Africans to dream bigger and aim higher.
As preparations begin for the 2027 African Spelling Bee Championships in Zambia and the next World Cup in Beijing, Africa can do so with renewed confidence.
Shanghai showed the world what we have always believed: Africa is producing world-class spellers. The future of international spelling will be shaped not only by the world’s traditional powers, but also by the rising nations of Africa.
