OXON HILL,MD — The Scripps National Spelling Bee begins May 26, with 247 spellers representing 50 states, the District of Columbia, three U.S. territories and five other countries. They will compete in preliminary rounds on May 26, quarterfinals and semifinals on May 27, and finals on May 28, with the winner taking the unofficial crown of top speller in the English language. The champion's haul includes a trophy and more than $52,000 in cash and prizes.

Spellers can compete through the eighth grade, and this year's competitors range in age from 9 to 15. Faizan Zaki won last year's bee and will return in a ceremonial role; past champions are not allowed to compete again. Last year's runner-up aged out of the competition, but the third-place finisher from 2025, Sarv Dharavane of Dunwoody, Georgia, is back and considered one of the favorites. The bee moves this year to a new venue, Constitution Hall in downtown Washington, after more than a decade at a convention center just outside the city in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Mina Kimes, an NFL analyst for ESPN and the recent “Celebrity Jeopardy!” champion, will serve as the television host, the bee's first celebrity host since LeVar Burton in 2022.