World Cup of Cheese 2026: The Quarter Finals Are Here

Thirty-two exceptional cheeses entered the competition. After weeks of dramatic knock-out fixtures, passionate in-store voting and more than a few surprise results, just eight remain.

The Paxton & Whitfield World Cup of Cheese now reaches the quarter-final stage, where every vote counts and every tasting could decide who progresses to the final four.

If the opening rounds have taught us anything, it's to expect the unexpected. Crowd favourites have fallen, underdogs have produced memorable upsets and the competition has become a fascinating contest between Europe's great cheesemaking nations.

The remaining line-up reflects the quality still in contention. Switzerland has two representatives left in the tournament, France also fields two contenders, Belgium retains one hopeful, while Britain has three cheeses still standing. Remarkably, every remaining British cheese is blue, proving that the nation's blue cheesemakers have been among the tournament's standout performers.

Quarter Final Fixtures

Thursday 9th July

Jermyn Street
Barkham Blue vs Mothais sur Feuille

One of Britain's most elegant blue cheeses faces a delicate French goat's cheese in perhaps the most intriguing stylistic contrast of the competition. Will voters favour the rich, buttery complexity of Barkham Blue, or will the fresh, lactic character of Mothais sur Feuille spring another upset?

Friday 10th July

Chelsea Green
Old Groendal vs Paxton's Finest English Stilton

Belgium arrived with just one representative, but Old Groendal has quietly progressed through the tournament with its rich, savoury character. Now it meets a formidable opponent in Paxton's Finest English Stilton, a cheese with generations of heritage and legions of devoted supporters.

Saturday 11th July

Canterbury
Truffle Brie vs Gruyère Premier Cru

Luxury meets alpine excellence. Truffle Brie has charmed voters throughout the tournament with its indulgent richness, but Gruyère Premier Cru arrives with an international reputation and remarkable depth of flavour. This promises to be one of the closest contests of the quarter finals.

Sunday 12th July

Bath
Schnebelhorn vs Baby Yorkshire Blue

The second Swiss contender enters the spotlight against Britain's final Yorkshire representative. Schnebelhorn's complex alpine character faces the creamy, approachable style of Baby Yorkshire Blue in a fixture that perfectly captures the diversity of artisan cheesemaking.

Every Vote Matters

Unlike the footballing World Cup, there are no referees, no penalty shoot-outs and no VAR. The outcome is decided entirely by our customers.

Visit the hosting shop on match day, taste both cheeses and cast your vote. Every ballot helps decide which four cheeses progress to the semi-finals and move one step closer to being crowned the 2026 Paxton & Whitfield World Cup of Cheese Champion.

With national pride, artisan craftsmanship and a place in the semi-finals all at stake, the competition has never been closer. May the best cheese win.