2026 John Molson MBA Case Writing Competition Is Open Now.

Submit Your Business Case. Make a Global Impact.

The organizing team of the 2026 John Molson MBA International Case Competition invites you to submit your original business cases for consideration. We are proud to host one of the world’s most prestigious MBA case competitions and to celebrate its continued success.

The competition will take place January 4–9, 2026 in Montreal, welcoming MBA students from around the world who will present live to panels of judges. A total of 30 teams from top business schools will compete for the Concordia Cup. Up to seven selected cases will form the core of the competition.

I. Submission Details

Submit your case and accompanying documents (see section IV. Case Submission Checklist) electronically to:

📧 cases@mbacasecomp.com  

🗓️ Deadline: September 15, 2025

II. Who Can Submit a Case?

Anyone may submit a case—except students participating in the 2026 competition, or individuals involved in preparing or coaching those students.

III. Case Requirements

Please ensure your submission meets the following requirements:

1.Confidentiality:

Cases submitted must be unpublished, untested, and never have been presented in any public or class setting. Confidentiality is essential and must be strictly upheld.

Note: Cases not selected for the ICC will be returned to authors in November–December 2025.

Note: The winning cases and all other selected cases will be released after the competition, no earlier than January 15, 2026.

2.Case Length:

A maximum of 20 pages of narrative (See section V. Case Editing Guidelines) and no more than 30 pages in total, including financial documentation and other appendices (case text is not permitted in appendices). Teaching notes are not required.

3.Case Subject: 

Cases may address issues in business disciplines, encompassing strategy, marketing, finance, sustainability, entrepreneurship, e-commerce, international trade, organizational behavior, governance, emerging technologies such as AI and blockchain, cybersecurity challenges and risks, as well as considerations related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Note: COVID-19 can be a background factor but should not be the central theme.

4.Case Preparation: 

Cases can be written based on either field research or secondary research describing a recent business situation in a real organization.

5.Languages: 

Cases must be written in English or French. Cases submitted in French and selected for the competition will be translated into English and shared with writers after the competition.

IV. Case Submission Checklist 

Please follow this checklist before sending the case:

1.A completed entry form, should be submitted with the case,

2.If based on field research, a  statement of authorization  (i.e. release form) from the company is required,

3.For the narrative body: only submit in Word format (.docx),

4.For financial and quantitative tables, documents or appendices: only submit in Excel (.xlsx), 

5.For non-financial, non-quantitative appendices: only submit in Excel (.xlsx) or Word (.docx), 

6.For figures: only submit in Word or PowerPoint format (.docx, .pptx as appropriate), 

7.If financial information is included, please ensure the balance sheet and income statement or budget are added in the appendices,

8.Send all documents listed above to cases@mbacasecomp.com

• Note: Submissions made outside of this process may violate confidentiality and disqualify the case from further evaluation.

V. Case Editing Guidelines

Please follow these guidelines for editing the case format:

1.Use 12-point sans-serif fonts, such as Arial or equivalent,

2.Use 1.5 or double line spacing in the case, single line in tables,

3.Avoid splitting lists, tables or figures over 2 pages when possible,

4.Make sure that Header Rows repeat if any table is split over 2 pages or more,

5.Strive for 1 appendix or exhibit per page, unless 2 closely related appendices or exhibits can easily fit on one page,

6.Use forced page-breaks (CTRL + Enter) where needed to skip to the next page (in the case text or appendices),

7.Set your document language to English (Canada) or French (Canada) to ensure proper formatting and hyphenation,

8.Run a print check in black and white (B&W) to verify the readability of any color-coded visuals,

9.All quantitative/financial tables, balance sheets, income statements, budgets, and related exhibits must show right-aligned numbers and be provided in editable formats (.xlsx).

VI. Publishing

Writers may opt to have their case considered for subsequent publication under the JMSB banner.

VII. Prizes

Cases will be evaluated by a selection committee composed of executives from the ICC Board of Directors. Selection criteria include the relevance and interest of the business issue, quality and clarity of writing and the challenge posed to students. 

Awards:

• 1st place winning case writer(s): C$10,000
• 2nd place winning case writer(s): C$5,000
• 3rd place winning case writer(s): C$3,000
• All other selected cases writer(s): C$1,000

Notes: If a case has multiple authors, the awarded amount will be divided evenly among the authors. All currencies above are in Canadian dollars.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

Good Luck!

Hoda Heli (she/ her)      

Judges, Cases, Event, and Sustainability Organizer 

2026 John Molson MBA International Case Competition,

hoda.heli@mbacasecomp.com