In a few years time, the Cigar Smoking World Championship has received a reputation and a status in the industry like hardly any other event. Twenty qualifying events before the grand finale, all over Europe, the USA, Asia, South America and even during the Procigar festival in the Dominican Republic.

The first two qualifiers for the 2019 CSWC took place Macedonia and Lithuania in November of 2018, but now the other countries and most of the dates have been published on the website.

The schedule is:
17-22 February – Dominican Republic, as part of the Procigar festival
2 March – Poland
16 March – Malaysia, an event in the capital of Kuala Lumpur
23 March – Germany, at the world famous Cigarworld lounge in Dusseldorf
30 March – Vietnam, Hanoi is the chosen city for this qualifier
6 April – France
13 April – Lebanon
19-21 April – Russia, at the La Gran Fumada Russia, a cigar festival in St. Petersburg.
26-28 April – Austria
30 April – Croatia, an event in Makarska will be the qualifier for the home team.
9-11 May – USA. This is one of the four US qualifying tournaments, taking place in Nashville
25 May – Denmark, the qualifying event is part of the Big Smoke Copenhagen
1 June – Sweden
8 June – Romania
12 June – Luxembourgh
14 June – Italy
14 – 16 June – Estonia, at the Club Mareva lounge.
22 June – Ukraine, an event in Kiev.
5 July – Switzerland. The qualification is part of the Big Alpine Smoke.

The qualifying events mentioned are not all, events in the following countries are planned, but the dates have to be announced as of now:

Brasil
Hong Kong
Thailand (Bangkok)
Finland
Norway (Oslo, Augusto Cigar Shop)
The Netherlands (Amsterdam, Hajenius)
Montenegro (Yacht Marina Porto Montenegro)
Slovenia (Ljubljana)
Spain (Madrid)
United Kingdom (London)
USA – Dallas
USA – Chicago (Biggs Mansion)
USA – NYC (Club Macanudo)

Now we are not making any promises, but we will surely try to visit one or two of the qualifiers to write about the event.