Greater Des Moines is getting the National Speech & Debate Tournament back — twice. The National Speech & Debate Association has selected the metro to host its national competition in both 2028 and 2031, bringing thousands of middle and high school students, coaches, and families back to central Iowa for another weeklong run of competition.
According to a report from travelprnews.com describing a Catch Des Moines announcement, the tournament uses more than a dozen venues spread across the metropolitan area during its weeklong run. The announcement did not include specific competition dates for either the 2028 or 2031 tournaments, the outlet reported. The National Speech & Debate Association itself is headquartered in West Des Moines, according to the same report.
Catch Des Moines CEO Trina Flack said the tournament could benefit the community by introducing young people who could become future employees, residents, and students, according to KCCI. The tournament last visited the Des Moines area in 2025.
A Track Record of Economic Impact
This isn't the first rodeo for Greater Des Moines. The NSDA selected the region to host its 2024 and 2025 national tournaments as well, a decision Catch Des Moines announced back in January 2024. At the time, the organization projected an annual direct economic impact of $22 million for the event.
Looking back at those two years combined, Catch Des Moines now puts the total economic impact of the 2024 and 2025 tournaments at nearly $40 million, per the same travelprnews.com report. The 2024 National Tournament ran June 16 through 21, with the 2025 edition following June 15 through 20, according to Catch Des Moines's original announcement.
Thousands of Students Descend on the Metro
Coverage from last year's event offers a sense of scale, even if the exact head count varies by account. The Business Record reported ahead of the 2025 tournament that it was expected to attract more than 10,000 visitors, with Catch Des Moines estimating an economic impact of more than $22 million. That outlet also quoted organizers saying they were hosting nearly 7,200 students, while a Yahoo report put the number at 6,700 students from 1,300 schools competing for 42 championship titles. Radio Iowa, meanwhile, described the 2025 tournament as drawing 11,000 middle and high school students, coaches, teachers, and judges, with an economic impact of $22 million, and said competitors spread across 11 venues in the Des Moines metro.
The National Speech & Debate Association's own materials describe more than 7,000 middle and high school students traveling to its tournament each summer, according to the National Speech & Debate Association. The organization is also preparing an initiative to extend participation in speech and debate to 4,000 new schools over the next five years, per travelprnews.com's reporting.
What Comes Next
For now, families and coaches eyeing 2028 and 2031 will have to wait for firmer details — no specific competition dates have been released for either future tournament. But if the pattern from 2024 and 2025 holds, Greater Des Moines can expect another multi-day wave of young orators, debaters, and their support crews filling hotels, restaurants, and convention spaces across the metropolitan area.
