Visit Scotland | Alba

Looking for advice and support to start, improve, grow, or promote your business? View our new Business Support Hub.

Go to our Business Support Hub
Article published 08/08/2025

Glasgow is getting ready to once again welcome The World Pipe Band Championships, a spectacular Scottish cultural highlight that’s greatly anticipated by audiences from near and far.

Now just a week away, this year’s World Pipe Band Championships will be held on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 August at Glasgow Green. It is the 77th time the renowned and historic international contest has been staged in the city.

The event is regarded as the global pinnacle of the piping competitive circuit. The championships bring together the world’s finest pipers and drummers to compete for glory in the ultimate, fiercely-fought battle of the bands.

Find out more about the World Pipe Band Championships on glasgowlive.org.uk

In this article:

A look back on the 2024 event

Last year's event saw more than 7,000 competitors, demonstrating their dedication, passion, skills, and talent.

The event attracted over 35,000 attendees and was also watched by huge virtual audiences worldwide, thanks to BBC broadcasts and streaming.

The two-day contest culminated in Scotland’s Inveraray and District Pipe Band taking the title of 2024 World Champions.

Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band of Lisburn, Northern Ireland, were runners-up and Simon Fraser University of Canada took third place.

What to expect in 2025

The competition promises to be intense and exciting this year, with even more bands taking part. There's a total of 207 bands. There will be 15 countries represented from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, Oman, and Zimbabwe.

The organisers, the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, are introducing a new format for the 2025 World Pipe Band Championships.

On the first day, following the initial performances by grade 1 bands, the focus will be on young talent. The juvenile, and novice juvenile A and B bands will compete in a dedicated youth competition.

This will give more than 1,540 under-18s an unprecedented opportunity to shine on the World Pipe Band Championships' stage. 

 

Friday’s finale will be a massed performance by all the young bands, followed by their prize-giving celebration. This ensures a memorable, inspiring experience for competitors and spectators alike.

 On Saturday, the spotlight is on the senior bands as their competition hots up.

The two-day World Pipe Band Championships will culminate in the final awards ceremony, where the top six senior grade bands and three drum major grades will receive their awards before the announcement of the 2025 World Pipe Band Champions.

On both days, spectators can look forward to a great day out, with family-friendly entertainment and activities, inspirational performances, and sensational sounds and sights.

  • Where do the bands come from?

    207 bands, with 53 from overseas, amass on Glasgow Green to perform, showcase their skills and talent, and compete. The bands represent 15 countries, including:

    • Scotland (122 bands)
    • Northern Ireland (25 bands)
    • United States (14 bands)
    • Éire (10 bands)

  • Who are the competitors?

    Competitors’ ages range from novice juveniles in their early teens to experienced seniors, the oldest of whom are in their 70s.

    More than 1,500 musicians will compete in Friday’s youth competition.

    Over 6,000 band members will compete across the grade 1, grade 2, grades 3A and 3B, and grades 4A and 4B categories on the Saturday.

  • What will the bands wear?

    The World Pipe Band Championships is one of the world’s most colourful, with most bands wearing different tartans.

    Traditionally, pipers and drummers wear kilts in their band’s chosen tartan (usually related to clan affiliation, their founder’s heritage, or regimental links).

    Roughly 52 kilometres or 32 miles of tartan is worn by competitors, as the average length of fabric in a traditional kilt is between 5 and 7.5 metres of tartan.

    Their resplendent uniforms are topped off with distinctive Glengarry bonnets.

  • What music can be heard?

    A wealth of traditional Scottish music. The pieces bands are required to play to demonstrate their skills differs according to their grade.

    This includes march time signatures at lower levels to MSRs (a set of tunes consisting of a march, a strathspey, and a reel).

    It will also feature musical medleys at higher levels. The top grade 1 bands play both an MSR and a medley.

  • What else is there to enjoy?

    There's also a wide variety of the following:

    • market stalls
    • food and drink stalls
    • an Innis  Gunn bar
    • a mini traditional funfair

Support and funding

The World Pipe Band Championships are staged on behalf of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association by Glasgow Life. This charity delivers culture and active living events and experiences to support mental, physical, and economic wellbeing in Glasgow.

The event is supported by funding from EventScotland, part of VisitScotland.

Other piping events

The championships take place during the world's biggest week of piping, alongside Glasgow International Piping Festival Piping Live!, which, this year, celebrates its 22nd edition.

There will be piping and traditional music events taking place from Monday 11 to Sunday 17 August.

Find out more about Piping Live! on pipinglive.co.uk.

Gallery item 0 Gallery item 1 Gallery item 2 Gallery item 3

Our decision to stage a dedicated youth competition as part of the 2025 World Pipe Band Championships is underpinned by our mission to nurture young talent in piping and drumming.

Showcasing the incredible talent and skills of the next generation, the youth competition also reinforces our ongoing commitment to the future of pipe band music.

We hope as many people as possible will come to support these brilliant young performers as they take their well-earned place at the heart of the world’s premier pipe band event.

As ever, tickets are in great demand for the event, so anyone who doesn’t want to miss out on the experience should book now for Friday 15 and Saturday 16 August.

Colin Mulhern, Chief Executive, The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association

Glasgow is privileged to be home to the world’s biggest celebration of Scotland’s national instrument.

Every summer our great UNESCO City of Music is filled with sensational sounds and sights as the traditional and contemporary music of the bagpipes is showcased during our prestigious World Pipe Band Championships and vibrant Piping Live! festival.

The continued success of both events demonstrates the thriving interest there is worldwide in Scottish culture and music.

The Worlds and Piping Live! are extremely important to, and valued by, Glasgow; they enhance the city’s international profile, boost tourism, and contribute significantly to our economy.

We are therefore delighted once again to welcome performers, competitors and visitors to these wonderful events.

Bailie Annette Christie, Chair, Glasgow Life

There is definitely no better place in the world than Scotland to experience the magic of piping.

Both the World Pipe Band Championships, the pinnacle of the competitive piping calendar, and the vibrant Piping Live!, as part of our diverse portfolio of events and festivals, are taking place this summer.

Events like these not only bring people together to share unforgettable experiences, they also play a vital role in helping drive Scotland’s visitor economy.

They attract audiences and participants from across the globe, boosting local businesses, supporting jobs, and showcasing our rich cultural heritage to the world.

Glasgow will once again provide the perfect stage as competitors from across the globe come together to showcase their talents at the Worlds, while Piping Live! brings the city to life with a vibrant celebration of both traditional and contemporary bagpipe music.

Rob Dickson, Director of Industry and Events, VisitScotland

Other things you might like