WIPO IP Moot Court Competition 2026-27

About the organiser

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the United Nations agency for intellectual property (IP), based in Geneva. Its IP Moot Court Competition is part of WIPO's IP and Youth Empowerment Strategy (IP-YES!), which aims to bring IP closer to young people by raising awareness, building practical skills and creating chances to use IP knowledge in real legal and innovation settings.

About the competition

The competition is a simulated court in which teams argue IP law issues from a fictional case, through written submissions and oral arguments before a panel of judges. WIPO says it builds written and oral advocacy, critical analysis, legal reasoning and professionalism, and lets students connect with peers worldwide.

The 2027 moot problem explores live streaming, where innovation, IP rights and online enforcement meet.

Who is eligible

The competition is open to university teams of law students aged 35 and under. WIPO's Application Guidelines set out the full eligibility rules, supporting documents and video specifications, so read them before applying.

Documents and materials

Before applying, WIPO asks you to review:

You also need the application video described in the Application Guidelines.

• The Application Guidelines.
• The Competition Rules.
• The Frequently Asked Questions.
• The Declaration Form, which must be signed before you complete the application form.

How to apply, step by step

1. Read the Application Guidelines, Rules and FAQ on WIPO's page.
2. Form your university team of law students aged 35 or under.
3. Get the Declaration Form properly signed.
4. Complete the online application form via the Apply button.
5. Record and submit the video the guidelines ask for, using the Submit your video link. Your application is not final until the video is in.
6. Do all of this by 6 November 2026 (Geneva time).

Timeline (tentative, Geneva time, GMT+1)

• 12 October – 6 November 2026: applications open.
• 30 November 2026: selected teams announced.
• 10 December 2026: moot problem released.
• 17 December 2026: deadline for requests for clarification.
• 15 January 2027: answers to clarification requests.
• 1 February 2027: written submissions due.
• 1–12 March 2027: online rounds.
• 8 June 2027: quarter-finals in Geneva.
• 9 June 2027: semi-finals in Geneva.
• 10 June 2027: grand final and awards in Geneva.

Selection process

Teams are chosen through a competitive video application. Selected teams then take part in written submissions and online oral rounds, and the top eight advance to the finals in Geneva.

How competitive it is

WIPO's figures for the 2026 edition:

The University of Lagos, Nigeria, won the 2026 competition. Earlier problems dealt with drone technology and patents, trade secrets and trademarks (2026), and with artificial intelligence, NFTs and indigenous heritage (2025).

• 215 team applications from 50 countries.
• 48 teams from 30 countries in the written and online oral rounds.
• 8 teams from 7 countries in the Geneva finals.

Benefits

The page we checked does not say whether WIPO covers finalists' travel costs; check the Rules and FAQ.

• Hands-on IP advocacy experience on an international stage.
• Arguing before international IP experts and judges.
• Networking with judges, organisers and students from around the world.
• For the top eight, the finals at WIPO in Geneva.

Tips from the source

• Sign the Declaration Form before you start the online form.
• Treat the video as the heart of the application; it is how WIPO selects teams.
• Study past problems and materials on WIPO's page to see the expected level of detail.
• Keep in mind that times are Geneva time (GMT+1), one hour ahead of Freetown.

Official link

The official page is on wipo.int under the WIPO IP Moot Court Competition, with the Application Guidelines, Rules, FAQ, Declaration Form, application form and video submission link. If anything here differs from WIPO's page, WIPO's version is right.