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February 4, 2026

Dear Colleague,

On behalf of the NDT Committee, the Board of Trustees, our tabroom staff, and our host, the University of Houston, I am pleased to share our plans for the 80th National Debate Tournament in Houston Texas. Onsite registration for the tournament will take place on Thursday March 26, 2026. The competition schedule will take place Friday, March 27 through Monday, March 30, 2026.

There are two primary sets of resources to help guide your entry and participation in the NDT.

First, our hosts at Houston have generated a hosting document that contains all of the campus and hotel information. We are fortunate to have a very convenient plan that will allow us to move between our hotel, and the Houston campus. Please note that although the hotel block may fill early, the last day to book is Monday March 12.

Second, it is important that all programs have an understanding of NDT rules and procedures. This letter will highlight a few commonly asked about items, but it is the responsibility of each program to review the rules prior to the tournament.

Finally, when a team qualifies, either through an At Large Bid or from the District process, please make sure to both enter them on tabroom.com and complete our tournament logistics form. Tabroom handles the details needed for Gary Larson to tabulate the tournament. Please enter your teams to begin the qualification process. Teams will be put on the waitlist and removed from the waitlist by the tournament director. All Entries are due Friday March 6, 2026. The logistics form allows us to arrange all of the hosting logistics, including catering and ADA information.

I look forward to seeing you at the NDT!

Best,

Gordon Stables, Ph.D.
Director, National Debate Tournament
[email protected]