The World English Language Olympics (WELO), a global initiative of SUL Education bringing together students and institutions through English language excellence, today announced a major milestone with the confirmation of TOEFL as a Co-Founding Member and Official Assessment & Certification Partner.
ETS, a global education and talent solutions organisation, is one of the world’s most respected educational assessment organisations, and TOEFL is among the most widely recognised international standards for English language proficiency. This partnership places academic integrity and global benchmarking at the core of WELO, ensuring that assessment and certification processes align with internationally trusted standards.
This announcement coincides with the formal unveiling of the WELO brand identity, as countries begin confirming participation in the 2026 WELO National Qualifiers. The International Finals will be held annually in the United Kingdom.“Partnering with TOEFL is a game-changer,” said Slavas Palkevicius, Secretary-General of WELO and Director of SUL Education. “It validates the academic quality of what we are building and supports our mission to connect, inspire, and elevate students worldwide through the power of language.”
TOEFL’s Official Statement
Omar Chihane, Global General Manager of TOEFL and newly appointed WELO Governing Committee Member, commented:
“We are pleased to be part of this important global initiative. TOEFL has always stood for fairness, transparency, and academic excellence, values that strongly align with WELO’s vision. This partnership supports young learners around the world by giving them access to a unified, international standard of English that is recognised globally. We look forward to supporting WELO in empowering students and expanding opportunities through language.”
Global Support from National Representatives
Alexandre Argenta, President of BELTA (Brazilian Educational & Language Travel Association), commented: “Brazil is proud to be part of this important global initiative. BELTA will represent WELO in Brazil, giving all agencies the opportunity to participate, collaborate, and bring this project to students across the entire country. This is an inclusive moment for our sector, and the response so far has been extremely positive.”
Jorge Alberto Otero, from Student Union Colombia, shared early results from their national outreach: “In Colombia, we have already conducted a series of school presentations about WELO, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Schools see strong educational value in the project, and many have already confirmed their intention to take part.”
Berenice Oliva, Director of New English Travel in Torino, Italy and Head of Business Development for WELO, highlighted the momentum in Italy: “We presented WELO throughout our events in Italy this season, and the response has exceeded all expectations. Hundreds of schools have already confirmed they will join the National Qualifiers. The excitement is tangible — teachers and students are eager to engage.”
Countries Confirmed for the 2026 WELO National Qualifiers
A total of 33 countries are now officially on board:
Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Czechia, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Georgia, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam.
“These confirmations represent an important step forward,” Juan M. Elizalde Sánchez, Chair of the WELO Governing Committee. “WELO is more than a competition — it is a long-term international academic movement. With so many nations joining together under a shared vision, we are shaping an initiative that can positively influence education worldwide.”
About the TOEFL iBT test
The TOEFL iBT test is the most respected, accepted and preferred test of academic English-language proficiency, used for study, work and immigration. More than 13,000 institutions in 160+ countries worldwide accept TOEFL iBT scores to make high-stakes decisions. The test is a crucial component of the world-class TOEFL Family of Assessments, offering tools for English-language proficiency starting with learners 8+. Powered by ETS, these assessments are rooted in 75 years of research and expertise, building equitable ways to measure proficiency while empowering people and institutions around the globe to turn aspirations into reality. TOEFL is a passionate journey partner, providing learners access, authority and support to move the world.
For more information, visit www.ets.org/toefl.
About SUL Education
SUL Education is a UK-based academic organisation recognised for its innovation in English-language education and junior academic programmes. Since 2018, SUL Education has been consistently shortlisted for the StudyTravel Star Awards, presented by StudyTravel Magazine, and in 2024 received the ST Star Award in the category “Junior Courses for Under 18s.” Each year, SUL Education welcomes thousands of students to its junior programmes and provides the academic, structural and operational foundation for the development of WELO.
About WELO
The World English Language Olympics (WELO) is a global academic initiative created by SUL Education to inspire excellence in English language learning, critical thinking and cross-cultural communication. WELO brings together students, educators and institutions from around the world through structured national qualifiers and an annual international final held in the United Kingdom. Guided by a multi-national Governing Committee, WELO operates as an independent academic movement with representation from education organisations worldwide.
Media Contact
Company Name: SUL Education
Contact Person: Slavas Palkevicius
Email: Send Email
Country: United Kingdom
Website: www.sul.education