The rules

CASI and ICS.

Two organizations sanction most competitive chili in the United States, and each writes its own rulebook. The Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI) qualifies cooks for its championship in Terlingua, Texas. The International Chili Society (ICS) qualifies cooks for its World Championship Chili Cook-off. The two books agree on some points and differ on many others: what may go in the pot, what may be done before the cooking starts, how the chili is judged, and how a cook earns a place at the championship.

This page sets the two side by side, taken from the rule documents each organization posts on its own website. Where a document says nothing on a point, the table says so. Each organization’s own words are given for its championship and qualifying path. The table does not rank one set of rules above the other.

How there came to be two →Technique →

CASI

Chili Appreciation Society International, Inc. (CASI)

CASI describes itself as the original host of the first Terlingua chili championship in 1967 and says it has continued the event every year since. Its championship, the Terlingua International Chili Championship, is held on the first Saturday of November at Rancho CASI de los Chisos, a ranch near Terlingua, Texas. The week begins on the Tuesday before with contests open to the public; Saturday’s chili competition is by invitation only. CASI calls the championship a fundraiser for Terlingua charities and for its scholarship program.

CASI says it sanctions nearly 400 cookoffs a year as qualifiers. Cooks earn points for placing in the top ten at sanctioned cookoffs, and reach the championship by collecting the number of points set for their state of residence, or by placing at a state, regional, national or international championship or another automatic qualifier. Points run on a chili year from October 1 to September 30. Cooks must be paid CASI members to cook at the championship.

ICS

International Chili Society (ICS)

The ICS describes itself as the founding and operating organization of the World Championship Chili Cook-off, which it traces to a 1967 competition in Terlingua, Texas. The 58th was held in October 2025 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, and the current rules set the 59th for January 2027. Winners in each category are named World Champion. The ICS says the event is a multi-day public festival as well as a competition. The World Food Championships acquired the ICS in 2020.

The ICS says that to qualify, a cook must be an active ICS member and win one or more ICS-sanctioned cook-offs. Winning a category with at least seven cooks earns a place in that category at the World Championship. Youth cooks who have cooked at any sanctioned cook-off are invited. A Last Chance contest at the championship gives unqualified members another route in, and a cook who wins all four categories in a season qualifies for a Grand Slam contest.

RuleCASIICS

Ingredients

Meat: CASIThe kind of meat is not specified. Chili must start from raw meat. CASI’s cooking guidelines list hand-cut or chili-grind meat. A cookoff may set its own limits, such as ground meat only, if it publishes them.; ICSRed and Verde allow any meat or mix of meats. Homestyle allows meat, vegetables or both. Vegetarian bans meat and meat by-products. Cut, ground, shredded and cubed meat are treated equally.; The ICS category page says seafood is allowed in Homestyle. The rules document does not mention seafood.
Beans: CASIBanned. Beans are listed as a filler.; ICSBanned in Traditional Red and Chili Verde. Required in Homestyle, where the rules name Bush’s Beans and say they should be clearly visible in the cup. Allowed in Vegetarian. Required in People’s Choice.; The ICS category page says only that beans are required in Homestyle, and its Chili Verde entry does not repeat the bean ban that appears in the rules document.
Pasta, rice and other fillers: CASIBanned: macaroni, rice, hominy and other similar ingredients.; ICSRed and Verde ban non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta. No such ban is stated for Homestyle or Vegetarian.; Hominy is not mentioned in the ICS rules.
Vegetables: CASIOnions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic and similar are allowed if they are of consistent size and spread evenly through the cup.; ICSAllowed as "other ingredients". Anything visible on top must also be mixed through the whole bowl.
Chili color: CASIRed. Red color is one of the five judging criteria.; ICSRed chili peppers for Traditional Red, green chili peppers for Chili Verde. Homestyle and Vegetarian may be any color.
Commercial products: CASICommercial chili powder is allowed. Complete "just add meat" chili mixes are not.; ICSCanned vegetables, sauces, pepper sauces, liquids, seasoning pastes and meat substitutes may be used as bought. All ingredients must come from a licensed manufacturer, wholesaler or retail store, and receipts may be required. ICS does not support canned chili for People’s Choice.

Preparation

Pre-cooking: CASINot allowed. Chili is cooked from scratch on site the day of the cookoff, and scratch means starting with raw meat.; ICSNot allowed. Meat may not be pre-cooked, and no ingredient may be cooked before the official cooking time except the canned and bottled items the rules list.
Cutting and grinding before the event: CASINot specified. The rules require only that chili be cooked from scratch on site the day of the cookoff.; ICSAllowed for some items. Meat may be pre-cut or ground. Dry spices may be ground and mixed, and vegetables cut, before the event. Everything else must be prepared on site during the preparation period.
Marinating: CASINot allowed.; ICSNot addressed in the rules document. An ICS announcement of March 2025 says cooks may again pre-treat, season or marinate meats and other ingredients before arriving at the World Championship.; The ICS rules document also says ingredients other than meat, dry spices and vegetables must be prepared on site. The two ICS texts do not say how they fit together.

Cooking

Where the chili is cooked: CASIOn site, the day of the cookoff, in the open. Cooking in motorhomes or closed tents is not allowed.; ICSOn site, in a space the host provides, usually 10 by 10 feet. Only preparation is allowed before the cooking period starts.
Stoves and fire: CASICASI’s guidelines suggest a Coleman-type stove burning propane or white gas. Local limits such as no propane or no open fires are enforced by the promoter, not by CASI referees.; ICSEach organizer works with the local fire marshal and sets what fuel may be used. ICS strongly encourages a fire extinguisher and a washing station. Its supply list suggests a propane camp stove.
Cooking time: CASINot specified. Turn-in time is set at the cooks' meeting. A sample schedule in the guidelines shows the meeting at 10 a.m. and turn-in at 2 p.m.; ICSThree to four hours, or 2.5 to 3.5 hours for Vegetarian. Each cook-off sets the exact start and end. ICS calls three hours its suggested cooking time.
Pots: CASIOne pot per cook, and only one judging sample may be taken from any one pot.; ICSChili must be braised in one pot for each category, and any additional pot must contain beans. A cook may not hand out competition chili before turning in the cup.
Who cooks: CASIEach head cook prepares one pot and turns in one cup. The rules refer to cooking team members but do not say what help they may give.; ICSContestants must cook and turn in their own entries. For youth cooks, an adult may help with knife work and preparation only, and must stop when the cooking period starts.
Sanitation and inspection: CASIChili must be made in as sanitary a manner as possible. The head judge or CASI referee may inspect cooking conditions, and may require a cook to taste their own chili before turn-in. Refusal means disqualification.; ICSFood must be kept at food-safe temperatures at all times. ICS or local and state officials may inspect ingredients and check temperatures. All handling must follow local and state rules.

Turn-in

Turn-in cup: CASIJudging cups must all be identical in color, size and shape. Size is not specified. Cups are filled to 3/4 inch from the top or to the level set at the cooks' meeting.; ICSThe official ICS 32-ounce cup, one per category, filled to the bottom of the rim.
Garnish and marks: CASINo garnish rule as such. Cooks may not mark or tamper with the cup. The model script for the cooks' meeting warns against identifying objects in the cup, such as floating jalapeños or bay leaves.; ICSGarnishes are not allowed in any category, and a garnished bowl is disqualified. Anything on top of the bowl that is not mixed throughout counts as garnish.
Keeping entries anonymous: CASIEach cup carries a secret ticket that the cook signs in ink. Officials mix the cups at random and mark them with a table letter and number, which changes at each level. The secret ticket is not removed until winners are announced.; ICSEach cook’s contestant number is written on the bottom of the cup. After turn-in the scorekeeper places the cups on the table at random and numbers their sides.
Late entries: CASINo chili is accepted once judging begins.; ICSNot specified beyond delivering the cup at the end of the cooking period.

Judging

Judging criteria: CASIFive criteria rolled into one score: aroma, red color, consistency, taste and aftertaste.; ICSJudges pick the chili they individually like best. Guidance covers appearance, aroma and taste, tender meat, a balanced sauce with distinct chili flavor, and heat that is neither bland nor too hot.
Scoring: CASIEach chili gets a whole number from 1 to 10. Every chili must be scored, though a judge need not taste it. No re-tasting once a cup moves on.; ICSEach judge ranks a first, second and third choice. These count 3, 2 and 1 points. Re-tasting is allowed until the judge has chosen.
Number of judges: CASIFive or six per table below the final. The final table should have ten or more, with a minimum of five. Judges must be 18 or older.; ICSAt least one judge for every two bowls, or at least five per table. Judges must be 18 or older.
Rounds: CASIPreliminary, intermediate if needed, and final tables. At least half the chilies at each table advance. The final table starts with at least 14 chilies and is limited to about 20.; ICSA single table for 20 cups or fewer. Above 20, the chief judge may set up preliminary tables of about 20 cups each, and the top five from each go to the final table.
Judge eligibility: CASIHead cooks or team members may judge below the final table. Final judges must not be connected to any cook that day and must not taste chili beforehand.; ICSNo one may judge, keep score or break ties in a category where a relative or partner is cooking. Judges may not enter the cooking area or taste competition chili before judging.
Ties: CASITies are broken only at the final table, by drawing judging sheets at random. A panel of three fresh final-level judges may be used instead, and must be used for a first-place tie at the championship.; ICSTies are broken only for prize places. Three judges who did not judge the category taste the tied bowls, or five for a three-way tie.
Places awarded: CASIThe top ten chilies and top three show teams are announced in reverse order. Sanctioned cookoffs may not give cash prizes.; ICSICS requires at least first, second and third place prizes. Organizers set the rest.; The ICS category page says World Championship winners share combined prize money of $100,000.

Qualifying

Membership: CASINot needed to cook at local cookoffs. Required to cook at the championship.; ICSAdult cooks must be active ICS members to compete at any sanctioned cook-off.
How a cook qualifies: CASIBy points or by placing at certain events. Placings earn 4 points for first, 3 for second, 2 for third and 1 each for fourth to tenth. The points needed depend on the state of residence: 6, 9 or 12, by how many cookoffs that state held the year before. State, regional, national and international champions and runners-up qualify outright, as do pod cookoff winners and winners of very large cookoffs.; ICSBy winning. The winner of any sanctioned category with at least seven cooks qualifies in that category. If the winner has already qualified, second place qualifies, then third. A Last Chance contest is held at the championship.; The ICS lowered its qualifying minimum from ten cooks to seven in March 2025.
Other routes in: CASIPast champions qualify for life. Second through tenth place at the championship qualify for the next year. Active military and their spouses need only six points.; ICSWorld champions in a category have a three-year exemption in that category. Cooks who serve as scorekeeper or chief judge at two or more ICS events in a season qualify in one category of their choice.
Qualifying season: CASIThe chili year runs from October 1 to September 30.; ICSFor the 59th World Championship, qualifying wins count from July 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026. The previous season ran July 1 to June 30.
The championship: CASIThe Terlingua International Chili Championship, held on the first Saturday of November at Rancho CASI de los Chisos in Terlingua, Texas. The 2026 championship, the 59th, is set for 7 November.; ICSThe World Championship Chili Cook-off. The 58th was held 16 to 19 October 2025 in Indianapolis. The current rules place the 59th on 15 to 17 January 2027 and do not name a site.; The ICS web pages still describe the World Championship as held each fall.
Changing the rules: CASIThe rules are open to amendment every third year at the Great Peppers' meeting, where pod representatives vote. The board may make emergency exceptions.; ICSICS reserves the right to change any rule at any time without notice.