Your guide to the 2025 World Conker Championships

The World Conker Championships attracts hundreds of competitors and thousands of spectators to an unassuming corner of Northamptonshire

An extraordinary international sporting event will mark its 60th anniversary this weekend - when hundreds descend on a village to do battle for the world conker crown.

As well as competitors. the World Conker Championships, held in Southwick, Northamptonshire, is expected to welcome about 2,000 spectators.

In previous years, it has attracted players from as far away as Australia, Canada, Mexico and Sri Lanka.

This year's much-anticipated tournament takes place at the Shuckburgh Arms from 09:30 until 16:00 BST on Sunday. Here are some key conker facts.

What is a conker?

Conkers are the glossy brown seeds of the horse chestnut tree. They grow in green spiky cases and fall to the ground in autumn.

The conker shells often split on impact, revealing the shiny conker inside.

Conkers contain a chemical called aesculin which is poisonous to humans and most animals.

• Source: The Woodland Trust

Each conker is threaded with a leather strip

How do you play conkers?

The game starts with a coin toss with the winner choosing whether to strike or receive.

A minimum distance of no less than 20cm (8in) of lace must be between knuckle and nut for both striking and receiving players.

Each player takes three alternate strikes at the opponent's conker.

Each attempted strike must be clearly aimed at the nut with reasonable force.

The game will be decided once one of the conkers is smashed. A small piece of nut or skin (a third or less) remaining shall be judged out; it must be enough to mount an attack.

If both nuts smash at the same time, then new conkers are drawn.

• Source: World Conker Championships

All conkers are provided by organisers to make sure they meet the requirements

What's the history of the event?

The World Conker Championships has been a fixture on the calendar since 1965.

It was held at Ashton, near Oundle, for 45 years, before moving to a bigger site at the Shuckburgh Arms in Southwick.

Women were not allowed to play in the competition until 1988, but there are now both adult and junior competitions.

Organisers said the event has helped raise about £420,000 for charities which support the visually impaired.

These have included, but are not limited to, the RNIB, Hunts Society for the Blind, Northants Association for the Blind and Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Kelci Banschbach, from Indianapolis, became the first American to be crowned world champion in 2024

Last year's women's competition was won by Kelci Banschbach, from Indianapolis, who became the first American to be crowned world champion.

David Jakins won the men's competition, but faced extraordinary claims that he had cheated his way to the title.

What were the cheating allegations?

The 2024 World Conker Championships was rocked by allegations of cheating.

Mr Jakins, known as King Conker, found himself at the centre of national headlines when the Telegraph reported claims he cheated by swapping his real conker for a metal one.

Mr Jakins, a conker competitor since 1977, denied it, and said he kept a steel conker on him for "humour value".

He kept his title after World Conker Championships officials confirmed nothing "untoward" was seen by judges or umpires.

David Jakins won the men's World Conker Championships, fair and square, in 2024, its organisers said

But last year's added coverage helped boost publicity, and a spokesperson said a "ridiculous" number of entrants were due to take part in this year's event.

They said Mr Jakins would be "bringing his steel conker for [visitors] to have a look at, although it will be kept safely out of his reach".

How has the weather affected this year's preparations?

There were fears that the event could be cancelled after a hot, dry summer caused conkers to drop from their trees earlier than normal.

The Met Office confirmed the summer of 2025 was officially the hottest on record for the UK - in line with evidence that summers are getting hotter and drier because of climate change.

Suitable nuts have had to be sourced nationwide for the Northamptonshire-based contest after many local ones fell long before autumn arrived.

Organiser Charles Whalley said he had received "emails from around the country" from people offering to supply them.

A conker donation arrived from Windsor Castle, as well as from as far afield as Italy and France.

Organisers have had to source conkers from around the country due to them falling from their trees early