[4] The competition involves nine preliminary rounds, which become "power-paired" as the tournament progresses, matching the strongest-performing teams against each other.

Two teams form the "government" ("proposition" in the UK and North America) and two the "opposition" in each debate room.

Separate breaks are announced for the English-as-a-second language (ESL) and English-as-a-foreign language (EFL) team competitions, for the individual public speaking competition, and the "World Masters" tournament which is participated in by judges (most of whom are no longer students) representing the countries where they studied or of which they are citizens.

This Committee consists of a mix of elected officers and regional representatives from Africa, the Americas, Australia and New Zealand, Continental Europe and the Middle East, and the British Isles (referred to in debating as Islands of the North Atlantic thought more politically acceptable than British Isles).

A two-thirds majority of these countries was required for changes to the championship's constitution, irrespective of how the general vote was tallied.

To allow for fluctuations in participation due to the financial difference in attending championships nearer or further in succeeding years, nations lose or gain their voting strength gradually.

The organizing committee claims this was done to respect participants' privacy and denies pressure from any national body or representative.

On the last day of the competition and just before the Open Grand Final was to begin, an organised protest took place and disrupted the event.

Rather than delay the Open Grand Final, speakers and judges were relocated to an undisclosed room and the debate took place in private.

[10] Discontent among judges who had been offered payment in return for participation resulted in strike threats, jeopardizing the 7th round of the tournament.