At the end of the summer season, Drum Corps International (DCI) World Class corps compete to earn the title of DCI World Class Champion (formerly DCI Division I World Champion). The championships consist of three rounds—Preliminaries, Semifinals, and Finals—held on the first or second Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of August. Through 2010, all active World Class corps (21 corps as of 2024) competed in the Quarterfinals, with the top 17 advancing to the Semifinals. The top 12 corps from Semifinals then advanced to the Finals. Since the 2011 season, all active DCI corps (Open and World Class) have been permitted to compete for the championship. In this format, about 40 corps compete in Preliminaries, while the top 25 advances to Semifinals, with the top-scoring 12 advances to Finals. The champion is determined by the overall high score in the Finals competition. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the DCI World Championship and tour were cancelled. In 2021, to mark the return of drum corps, there were no scores given during the season, and the season concluded with a three-day celebratory event at Lucas Oil Stadium consisting of exhibition performances.

Only 11 corps have ever won the title (including 3 ties):

  • Blue Devils – 21 titles (2 ties)
  • The Cadets – 10 titles (1 tie)
  • The Cavaliers – 7 titles (1 tie)
  • Santa Clara Vanguard – 7 titles (1 tie)
  • Bluecoats – 2 titles
  • Madison Scouts – 2 titles
  • Phantom Regiment – 2 titles (1 tie)
  • Anaheim Kingsmen – 1 title
  • Boston Crusaders – 1 title
  • Carolina Crown – 1 title
  • Star of Indiana – 1 title

The Anaheim Kingsmen, Star of Indiana, and The Cadets are no longer active.

{|class="wikitable sortable"

!Year

!Champion & Repertoire

!Score

|-

!2025

|Boston Crusaders (Boston, Massachusetts)

  • BOOM
  • The Kingdom
  • Red, White, and Black Worlds
  • Whatchamacallit
  • Malambo No 1
  • The Commuter
  • Shooting Star
  • Once Upon Another Time
  • No Time For Caution
  • Now, Then, and Beyond

|98.425

|-

!2024

|Bluecoats (Canton, Ohio)

  • Change is Everything
  • Change is Everything
  • Foreplay/Long Time
  • The Four Sections
  • Agape
  • Love/Lover/Friend
  • Threshold
  • Dymaxion
  • Lost It to Trying

|98.750

|-

!2023

|Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • The Cut-Outs
  • The Rise
  • Caves
  • Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
  • Stardust Crusaders “Jotaro's Theme"
  • Resistance
  • Both Sides Now
  • Of Energy
  • Incident in Jazz
  • Grand Canyon Fanfare

|98.975

|-

!2022

|Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • Tempus Blue
  • Lapis Lazuli
  • Divine Blue
  • Carnival of Venice
  • Moon River
  • Hands And Feet
  • Silk Sonic Intro
  • Tank!
  • Home Of The Brave

|98.750

|-

!2021

| colspan="2" bgcolor="lightgray" |No scored competitions

|-

!2020

| colspan="2" bgcolor="lightgray" |Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

|-

!2019

|Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • Ghostlight
  • Discombobulate
  • Don't Think
  • Rhythm Song
  • A True Passion
  • Stroke of Genius
  • Symphony No. 3
  • Ghostlight
  • Circus

|98.325

|-

! 2018

|

Santa Clara Vanguard (Santa Clara, California)

  • Babylon
  • My Body is a Cage
  • Journey to the Center of the Earth
  • Metropolis 1927
  • Apology
  • Club Sound

| 98.625

|-

! 2017

|

Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • Metamorph
  • Birth of Eternity
  • Dreamscape
  • Facing Future
  • The Triumph of Time
  • Flight of the Bumblebee
  • Everything Must Change
  • Crystal

| 98.538

|-

!2016

|Bluecoats (Canton, Ohio)

  • Down Side Up
  • Jose/beFORe JOHN5
  • Heat of the Day
  • Raga Raja
  • Udacrep Akubrad
  • The Great Gig in the Sky
  • Down Slide Up
  • Todo Tiende

|97.650

|-

!2015

|Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • Ink
  • Dark Forest
  • Sweeney Todd
  • The Giant Attack
  • The Mad Hatter's Tea Party
  • I Like You
  • Children Will Listen
  • Last Midnight

|97.650

|-

!2014

|Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • Felliniesque
  • Act 1 - Fellini's Religion
  • Old Toys
  • La Strada
  • Act 2 - Fellini's Circus
  • The Clowns
  • Circo Compagnia
  • Act 3 - Fellini's Fantasy
  • Be Italian
  • Movie Studio

|99.650

|-

!2013

|Carolina Crown (Fort Mill, South Carolina)

  • e=mc<sup>2</sup>
  • Einstein on the Beach
  • Also Sprach Zarathustra
  • Walking With Heroes
  • The Devil's Bridge
  • The Abyss
  • The Light Fantastic
  • The Dark Side of the Moon

|98.300

|-

!2012

|

Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • Cabaret Voltaire
  • Harmonielehre
  • Morrison Mania
  • Children's Hour of Dream
  • Symphonies: V
  • Bird and Bela in B Flat
  • Gymnopedies Amazon
  • Ballet Mecanique
  • Peppy and George (from The Artist)
  • Dr. Bones
  • New Arrival (from Corpse Bride)
  • Tevot
  • Rhapsody in Blue

|98.700

|-

!2011

|

The Cadets (Allentown, Pennsylvania)

  • Between Angels and Demons
  • Angels in the Architecture
  • 160 BPM (from Angels and Demons)
  • Doxology/Amazing Grace
  • Finale

|98.350

|-

!2010

|

Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • Through a Glass, Darkly
  • City of Glass Suite
  • Conflict
  • Mirage
  • Trajectories
  • Incident in Jazz
  • Laura
  • La Suerte De Los Tontos

|98.900

|-

!2009

|

Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • 1930
  • Get Happy
  • Happy Days Are Here Again
  • Playing Love
  • Piano Variations
  • Rialto Ripples
  • I Got Rhythm
  • Piano Concerto in F
  • Caravan
  • Rhapsody in Blue

|99.050

|-

!2008

|

Phantom Regiment (Rockford, Illinois)

  • Spartacus
  • Ein Heldenleben
  • Selections from Spartacus
  • Toccata from Piano Concerto No.1
  • Dance of Ecstasy
  • Battlefield from KÀ (Cirque du Soleil)

|98.125

|-

!2007

|

Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • Winged Victory
  • Pegasus Fantasy
  • Ascension
  • Heaven

|98.000

|-

!2006

|

The Cavaliers (Rosemont, Illinois)

  • Machine
  • Genesis
  • Wired
  • Premonition
  • The Machine Age

|97.200

|-

!2005

|

The Cadets (Allentown, Pennsylvania)

  • The Zone: Dreamscapes in Four Parts with a Door
  • Twisted Nerve from Kill Bill
  • Liquid
  • Overture to a New World (from Dancer in the Dark)
  • Cvalda (from Dancer in the Dark)
  • Vertigo
  • False Mirrors

|99.150

|-

!2004

|<!-- Deleted image removed: right -->

The Cavaliers (Rosemont, Illinois)

  • 007
  • Goldeneye
  • Welcome to Cuba (from Die Another Day)
  • Hovercraft (from Die Another Day)
  • For Your Eyes Only (from For Your Eyes Only)
  • Live and Let Die (from Live and Let Die)
  • Tomorrow Never Dies

|98.700

|-

!2003

|<!-- Deleted image removed: 160px|right -->

Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • The Phenomenon of Cool
  • Concierto de Aranjuez
  • Take Five
  • Blue Rondo A La Turk
  • Unsquare Dance

|98.800

|-

!2002

|The Cavaliers (Rosemont, Illinois)

  • Frameworks
  • Melody
  • Harmony
  • Rhythm

|99.150

|-

!2001

|The Cavaliers (Rosemont, Illinois)

  • Four Corners

|98.350

|-

!2000

|The Cadets (Bergen County, New Jersey)

  • We Are the Future
  • Disney Millennium Celebration

The Cavaliers (Rosemont, Illinois)

  • Niagara Falls
  • Niagara Falls
  • Richard Saucedo Original Composition

|97.650

|-

!1999

|Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • Rhythms...At the Edge of Time
  • Estancia Ballet (Rhythm 1 – Afrocuban/Malambo)
  • Powerhouse: Rhumba for Orchestra (Rhythm 2 – Rhumba)
  • Powerhouse: Rhumba for Orchestra (Rhythm 3 – Samba)
  • Adios Nonino (Rhythm 4 – Tango)
  • Unchained Melody (Rhythm 5 – Jazz)
  • The Dirty Boogie (Rhythm 6 – Swing)

Santa Clara Vanguard (Santa Clara, California)

  • Inventions for a New Millennium: Music by Samuel Barber and Frank Ticheli
  • The Canyon
  • Symphony No. 2
  • Symphony No. 1
  • Blue Shades

|98.400

|-

!1998

|The Cadets (Bergen County, New Jersey)

  • Jan Van der Roost's Stonehenge
  • Stonehenge
  • Canterbury Chorale

|98.400

|-

!1997

|Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • As Time Goes By...
  • Casablanca
  • Bangkok
  • A Night in Tunisia
  • As Time Goes By

|98.400

|-

!1996

|Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • Club Blue: A Gangster Chronicle
  • Children's Hour of Dream
  • Desi
  • Tess' Theme (from Dick Tracy)
  • Trouble (from Mission Impossible)

Phantom Regiment (Rockford, Illinois)

  • A Defiant Heart: The Music of Dmitri Shostakovich
  • Fourth Ballet Suite
  • First Symphony, Second Movement
  • Fifth Symphony, Fourth Movement

|97.400

|-

!1995

|The Cavaliers (Rosemont, Illinois)

  • The Planets
  • Mars
  • Venus
  • Mercury
  • Jupiter

|98.300

|-

!1994

|Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • My Spanish Heart
  • Spanish Fantasy Part I
  • Night Streets
  • Day Danse
  • My Spanish Heart
  • Spanish Fantasy Part 4

|98.400

|-

!1993

|The Cadets of Bergen County (Bergen County, New Jersey)

  • In the Spring, At the Time When Kings Go Off to War
  • In the Spring, When Kings Go Off to War
  • Ballet Sacra
  • On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss

|97.400

|-

!1992

|The Cavaliers (Rosemont, Illinois)

  • Revolution and Triumph
  • Gavorkna Fanfare
  • Cornish Dances, 4th Movement
  • English Dances, 4th Movement
  • Peterloo Overture

|97.500

|-

!1991

|Star of Indiana (Bloomington, Indiana)

  • Roman Images: The Music of Ottorino Respighi
  • Roman Festivals – Movement I
  • The Pines of Rome – Movement I
  • Roman Festivals – Movement II
  • Roman Festivals – Movement III
  • Roman Festivals – Movement IV

|97.000

|-

!1990

|The Cadets of Bergen County (Bergen County, New Jersey)

  • A Bernstein Celebration
  • Overture to Candide
  • Mass
  • Somewhere (from West Side Story)
  • Fancy Free Ballet

|97.700

|-

!1989

|Santa Clara Vanguard (Santa Clara, California)

  • Phantom of The Opera
  • Angel of Music
  • Masquerade
  • Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
  • Track Down this Murderer

|98.800

|-

!1988

|Madison Scouts (Madison, Wisconsin)

  • Concerto For Guitar and Jazz Orchestra
  • Malagueña

|97.100

|-

!1987

|Garfield Cadets (Garfield, New Jersey)

  • Appalachian Spring

|97.900

|-

!1986

|Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • Channel One Suite
  • Conquistador
  • Spanish Fantasy
  • Chick Corea Suite

|98.400

|-

!1985

|Garfield Cadets (Garfield, New Jersey)

  • Jeremiah Symphony
  • Overture to Candide
  • Make Our Garden Grow (from Candide)

|98.400

|-

!1984

|Garfield Cadets (Garfield, New Jersey)

  • Selections from West Side Story

|98.000

|-

!1983

|Garfield Cadets (Garfield, New Jersey)

  • Rocky Point Holiday
  • Mass

|94.400

|-

!1982

|Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • T.O.
  • Pegasus
  • Paradox
  • One More Time Chuck Corea
  • People Alone (from The Competition)

|95.250

|-

!1981

|Santa Clara Vanguard (Santa Clara, California)

  • Northridge
  • A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
  • Slava
  • Don't Cry For Me Argentina (from Evita)

|94.000

|-

!1980

|Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • New York Fantasy
  • Ya Gotta Try
  • Pegasus
  • Free
  • La Suerte de Los Tontos (from Cuban Fire Suite)
  • Pauper in Paradise
  • Dindi

|90.600

|-

!1979

|Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • Chicago III Suite
  • La Suerte de Los Tontos (from Cuban Fire Suite)
  • My Heart Belongs to Me

|93.550

|-

!1978

|Santa Clara Vanguard (Santa Clara, California)

  • Overture to a New Era
  • Dance of Welcome (from Gayane Ballet)
  • Adagio (from Gayne Ballet)
  • Lezghinka (from Gayne Ballet)
  • Gopak (from Gayne Ballet)
  • If You Believe (from The Wiz)
  • Bottle Dance (from Fiddler on the Roof)

|91.550

|-

!1977

|Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • Channel One Suite
  • Spanish Fantasy
  • Gonna Fly Now (from Rocky)

|92.050

|-

!1976

|Blue Devils (Concord, California)

  • Channel One Suite
  • Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor
  • Chase the Clouds Away

|92.700

|-

!1975

|Madison Scouts (Madison, Wisconsin)

  • Slaughter on 10th Avenue (from On Your Toes)
  • MacArthur Park
  • Rhapsody in Blue
  • Dueling Banjos
  • The Way We Were

|92.500

|-

!1974

|Santa Clara Vanguard (Santa Clara, California)

  • Siegfried's Rhine Journey (from Die Götterdammerung)
  • A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
  • Overture to Candide
  • A Little Night Music
  • Weekend in the Country (from A Little Night Music)
  • Send in the Clowns (from A Little Night Music)

|89.500

|-

!1973

|Santa Clara Vanguard (Santa Clara, California)

  • Fanfare and Allegro
  • A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
  • Wedding Celebration & Bottle Dance (from Fiddler on the Roof)
  • Chava Ballet (from Fiddler on the Roof)

|88.650

|-

!1972

|Anaheim Kingsmen (Anaheim, California)

  • March from Folk Song Suite
  • When Johnny Comes Marching Home
  • Mickey Mouse Club March
  • Ritual Fire Dance (from El Amor Brujo)
  • Sing Sing Sing
  • Exodus
  • King of Kings

|88.100

|}

  • Drum Corps Repertoire Database
  • Official website