The Excel World Championship: When spreadsheets become a sport

Forget the traditional sports competitions, because another international championship is about to begin: the Microsoft Excel World Championship (MEWC). For two months, 128 candidates will battle it out for the title, with the final scheduled to take place in Las Vegas. While you might think that Excel is far removed from competitive video games, the MEWC adopts the e-sport format, with online events, commentators, and even a cash prize of $15,000 for the winners.

Unlike e-sport players, MEWC participants are experienced professionals who are exploring the fun aspects of their work tool, Excel. Barbara Mauric, a management controller for an Italian company, explains that her participation allows her to improve while having fun. She has been using Excel since 2008.

The championship was created by AG Capital, which also organises the Financial Modelling World Championship (FMWC). AG Capital CEO Andrew Grigolyunovich launched the MEWC in 2021 to reach a wider audience, including Excel-savvy mathematicians and engineers. The MEWC events are similar to brainteasers, ranging from solving problems on a fictional island to analysing the results of biathlon competitions.

Each challenge must be solved in thirty minutes, with the emphasis on efficiency and rigour, just like in Excel. Participants have to find the most effective formulas and tools to achieve predefined objectives.

To make the MEWC more attractive, the organisers have borrowed elements from e-sport, with online matches, battle formats and commentators. The championship is also broadcast on American television on ESPN, reaching a wider audience. Personalities such as Diarmuid Early, dubbed the "Michael Jordan of Excel", also contribute to the championship's popularity.

Ultimately, the MEWC offers Microsoft excellent visibility to promote new versions of its software. The innovations and new formulas used by participants can inspire other software developers and owners.

In this way, the MEWC transforms Excel into a competitive sport, proving that even a work tool can be a source of entertainment and competition on a global scale.