Peru's ceviche has advanced to the semifinals of the 2026 World Food Cup, an online voting competition organized by Spanish streamer and influencer Ibai Llanos, and will now face off against Argentina's asado for a spot in the final.
Voting between the two dishes began on September 14, with fans casting votes on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. Ceviche, paired with Inca Kola, reached the semifinal after beating Guatemala in the quarterfinals and Honduras in the round of 16. Argentina's asado, accompanied by fernet, advanced after defeating Uruguay.
Peru's road to the semifinal
Ibai Llanos, who had promised to improve the trophy awarded to the winner of the 2026 World Food Cup after facing criticism, said both dishes had drawn heavy voting. He described the matchup as a major showdown, noting that Peru, the reigning champion, had reached the semifinals with ceviche and Inca Kola after an epic comeback against Guatemala, calling it historic. He said Argentina, on the other side, had arrived after crushing Uruguay, and praised the asado as a spectacle in its own right.
Fans rally behind ceviche
Following Llanos's post, Peruvian fans and some supporters from other countries voiced their backing for ceviche in the comments on his Instagram account. Several praised the dish's history, variety of ecosystems and flavor compared with Argentine asado, while others called Peru an eternal winner and urged people to keep voting given the strength of the new rival.
What happens next
Only one of the two dishes will move on to the final of the 2026 World Food Cup. The winner of the Peru-Argentina vote will face whichever country wins the separate matchup between Ecuador and Venezuela, according to the competition's bracket. Ibai Llanos has built a following for staging large-scale, fan-voted online tournaments, and the food-themed edition has drawn participation from across Latin America.
