World Finals
World Finals at Michigan State University, May 21st-25th, 2025. Over 800 teams from around the world will compete at the 44th Odyssey of the Mind World Finals. The competition emphasizes creativity and teamwork and has grown into the largest international creative problem-solving competition worldwide. This page provides information for teams, coaches, parents and supporters about World Finals, the schedule, links to the national site and more will be posted in mid April.
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Odyssey of the Mind World Finals page
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Odyssey of the Mind World Finals FAQ page
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Odyssey of the Mind World Finals Team Packet
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Colorado Odyssey Google Photos site to see pictures of last year’s World Finals
World Finals Workshop
May 3rd, Location TBD
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Colorado Odyssey will host an afternoon of spontaneous practice, stage presence techniques and more on Saturday, May 13th. Teams will either attend Session 1 at 12:00 – 3:00 or Session 2 at 3:00 – 6:00 pm and will rotate through four 45 minute sessions and parents are welcome to attend!
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Station #1 – Hands On Problem
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Station #2 – Verbal and Verbal-Hands On
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Station #3 – Stage Presence
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Station #4 – WF Experience (Teams & Parents)
Registration will be available shortly and emailed to coaches in the weekly World Finals Reminders
2025 World Finals Team Schedules
The World Finals tentative schedule will be posted May 2nd – May 5th and the final schedule will be posted May 8th . All Colorado schedules listed below will be posted on May 14th.
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World Finals Schedule by Problem & Division or by Day & Time
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World Finals Schedule – Creativity Festival
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World Finals Schedule
Creativity Festival
Test your creativity and skill at the Odyssey of the Mind Association booths, especially Colorado Odyssey’s! Each team is required to provide one volunteer to staff the Colorado Odyssey booth for approximately 2 hours. The volunteer schedule will be posted May 15th and will be scheduled around your long term and spontaneous competition time.
You can also explore our planet at NASA’s interactive booth, visit the CCI pin exhibit for some Odyssey history, see the Ranatra Fusca trophy, and much more. The Creativity Festival is also a great place for pin trading!
Donate to a World Finals Team
If you would like to support a specific team with a tax exempt contribution via Colorado Odyssey, please see our Colorado Odyssey Directed Funds policy below and visit our Store or mail a check via the information below. In the field “Member” please enter the team’s Membership #, Problem & Division (ex: #90061 P4 D2) so we know which team should receive your kind contribution. Please note a 3% credit/debit card transaction fee will be deducted from the donation or you can send a check to:
Colorado Odyssey
Attn: Calla Pott, State Director
415 Heron Cove
Ft. Collins, CO 80524
Please include the team’s Membership #, Problem & Division on the Memo line (ex: #90061 P4 D2). Thank you in advance for your support of these teams!
Colorado Odyssey Directed Funds Policy
Funds contributed for a designated team will be paid to the team for World Finals expenses when appropriate receipts support such expenses. While Colorado Odyssey intends to make every reasonable effort to fulfill the wishes of the donor with regard to directed contributions, Colorado Odyssey must ensure that all funds are spent on appropriate charitable expenses. This includes registration and housing, travel, prop shipping, pins and t-shirts for team members and coaches only. This does not include housing, travel, meals, t-shirts, etc. for family members such as parents or siblings. Accordingly, Colorado Odyssey may not always be able to apply all or even any of a contribution to the designated team due to lack of documentation or inappropriate expenses. To the extent that funds cannot be properly used for the benefit of the designated team, Colorado Odyssey will use such funds at its discretion. Colorado Odyssey will not accept directed contributions for the benefit of a team that includes an immediate family member of the contributor. An immediate family member as defined by the IRS includes any spouse, ancestors, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and spouses of children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. A brother or sister of an individual is not a member of the family for this purpose. A legally adopted child of an individual will be treated as a child by blood. All reimbursements will be made back to the coach for distribution to individual payees who may have paid for these expenses upfront.
Coach Information
It is important to involve the parents so you can do what you have been doing well all season – coaching! Please remember to visit the Coaches Mentor blogs for tips and ideas as you prepare your team for World Finals. There are lots of helpful hints and ideas to ease your stress and focus your team so you can truly enjoy the experience. Also, don’t forget to include spontaneous problems at each practice. The more problems the team experiences, the more they will be able to apply to future problems and solutions.
Before you arrive on campus, have a meeting with the parents and set a schedule with them as to when you will need their assistance and when you will need just the team for practice. During those practice times, encourage the parents to see performances, check out souvenir items at the Odyssey store, visit the Creativity Festival and more. They are looking to you for guidance and direction AND want to help – they just need to know what, how, when and where
Parent Information
Parents play a critical role in sending teams to World Finals! The coaches need your support with fund raising, practice spontaneous problems, public relations, gathering forms, travel logistics, pin & t-shirt orders and much more. Please ask the coach how you can help and let them know what interests you so it is a win-win for all!