Tournament Schedule

2026–27 Regular Season Topics

National Online Forensics offers more than two dozen events, so we post a lot of topics. This page explains when each event's topics are released and which tournaments they're used at.

ES = Elementary · MS = Middle School · HS = High School · C = College.

Synchronous Invites: every topic is required.

At live tournaments, competitors must use the topics NOF releases for that tournament. There are no suggested topics and no topic substitutions in any event.

Asynchronous invites: 3 events with suggested topics

Async Debate, Extemp, and Impromptu must use the released topics. For Async Congress, Mock Trial Advocacy, and Assigned Platform only, the current month's material is suggested, and alternatives are accepted without penalty.

On this page:

2026-27 Topic Release Schedule (Chronological)

Topic Release Schedule (By event)

2026–27 Topic Release Schedule

Every date NOF releases topics this season, with each tournament’s registration deadline. Topics go up at 12:00 PM PT on the NOF website and in each tournament’s document list on ForensicsTournament.net. Registration closes at 8:00 PM PT. The C NFA-LD resolution and the September–November debate resolutions are already posted. SPAR, NOF Parli, IPDA, World Schools impromptu motions, and synchronous Extemp and Impromptu topics are given in-round.

At async invitationals, Async Debate, Extemp and Impromptu topics are set. Async Congress, NOF Mock Trial and Assigned Platform topics are suggested; students may choose alternatives if they feel the prep time is inadequate.

Topics releasedRegistration closes

September 2026

  1. 1Tue
    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      Suggested Async Congress dockets, NOF Mock Trial case (MS, HS) and Assigned Platform topics

      For Birch Async (Sep 5–12)

    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      Congress dockets (ES, MS, HS, Finals), World Schools prepared motions (ES, MS, HS), NOF Mock Trial case (MS, HS), Assigned Platform topics

      For Sapphire Invitational (Sep 19)

  2. 4Fri
  3. 5Sat
  4. 15Tue

October 2026

  1. 1Thu
    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      Suggested Async Congress dockets, NOF Mock Trial case (MS, HS) and Assigned Platform topics

      For Oak Async (Oct 3–10)

    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      Congress dockets (ES, MS, HS, Finals), World Schools prepared motions (ES, MS, HS), NOF Mock Trial case (MS, HS), Assigned Platform topics

      For Pearl Invitational (Oct 17)

  2. 2Fri
    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      Extemp (MS, HS, C) and Impromptu prompts, posted on the tournament page

      For Oak Async (Oct 3–10)

  3. 3Sat
  4. 13Tue

November 2026

  1. 1Sun
  2. 6Fri
    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      Extemp (MS, HS, C) and Impromptu prompts, posted on the tournament page

      For Elm Async (Nov 7–14)

  3. 7Sat
  4. 17Tue

December 2026

  1. 1Tue
  2. 4Fri
    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      Extemp (MS, HS, C) and Impromptu prompts, posted on the tournament page

      For Pine Async (Dec 5–12)

  3. 5Sat
  4. 15Tue

January 2027

  1. 1Fri
    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      Suggested Async Congress dockets, NOF Mock Trial case (MS, HS) and Assigned Platform topics; extemp (MS, HS, C) and Impromptu prompts, posted on the tournament page

      For Palm Async (Jan 2–9)

    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      Congress dockets (ES, MS, HS, Finals), World Schools prepared motions (ES, MS, HS), NOF Mock Trial case (MS, HS), Assigned Platform topics

      For Onyx Invitational (Jan 16)

  2. 2Sat
  3. 12Tue

February 2027

  1. 1Mon
  2. 5Fri
  3. 6Sat
  4. 16Tue

March 2027

  1. 1Mon
    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      College debate topics (NFA-LD, IPDA, NOF Parli) and Assigned Platform topics

      For College Championship (Mar 6–7)

    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      Suggested Async Congress dockets, NOF Mock Trial case (MS, HS) and Assigned Platform topics

      For Walnut Async (Mar 6–13)

    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      Congress dockets (ES, MS, HS, Finals), World Schools prepared motions (ES, MS, HS), NOF Mock Trial case (MS, HS), Assigned Platform topics

      For Emerald Invitational (Mar 20)

  2. 5Fri
  3. 6Sat
  4. 16Tue

April 2027

  1. 1Thu
    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      Suggested Async Congress dockets, NOF Mock Trial case (MS, HS) and Assigned Platform topics

      For Maple Async (Apr 3–10)

    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      Congress dockets (ES, MS, HS, Finals), World Schools prepared motions (ES, MS, HS), NOF Mock Trial case (MS, HS), Assigned Platform topics

      For Diamond Invitational (Apr 17)

    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      HS/C Async Debate resolution, plus suggested Async Congress dockets, NOF Mock Trial case (MS, HS) and Assigned Platform topics

      For Async Championships (May 15–22)

  2. 2Fri
  3. 3Sat
  4. 13Tue

May 2027

  1. 1Sat
    • Topics 12:00 PM PT

      Congress dockets (ES, MS, HS, Finals), World Schools prepared motions (ES, MS, HS), NOF Mock Trial case (MS, HS), Assigned Platform topics. HS PF and HS LD resolutions to be announced

      For NOF Championships (May 31–Jun 6)

  2. 14Fri

Championship registration

  1. TBD
  2. TBD
  3. TBD

Resolution Release Schedule By Event

    • September–November: Governments ought to expand nuclear power development.

    • December–February: The benefits of student cell phone use in K–12 classrooms outweigh the harms.

    • March–May: New resolution, released February 1

    • September–October: PF: data center moratorium

    • November–December: PF: NATO nuclear weapons treaty

    • January–February: New resolutions, released December 1

    • March–April: New resolutions, released February 1

    • Nationals: Released the last week of April

    • September–October: LD: space colonization

    • November–December: LD: de-extinction

    • January–February: New resolutions, released December 1

    • March–April: New resolutions, released February 1

    • Nationals: Released the last week of April

  • The United States federal government should substantially increase its public ownership of one or more of the following industries: electric utilities, health insurance, arms manufacturing, pharmaceuticals.

    • September–November: Governments ought to expand nuclear power development.

    • December–February: The benefits of student cell phone use in K–12 classrooms outweigh the harms.

    • March–May: New resolution, released February 1

  • Dockets released on the 1st of each month

    Divisions: ES, MS, HS (synchronous) · ES, MS, HS, C (asynchronous)

    Released: Docket posted on the 1st of the month and used at that month’s tournaments. For example, the docket released October 1 is used at the October 17 Pearl Invitational.

    Synchronous tournaments: Required

    Asynchronous invitationals: Suggested. Other legislation is accepted without penalty.

  • Divisions: ES, MS, HS · Synchronous tournaments only

    Released: Two prepared motions posted on the 1st of the month, used in preliminary rounds 2 and 3.

    At the tournament: An impromptu motion is announced for preliminary round 1 and elimination rounds.

    Synchronous tournaments: Required · Not offered at asynchronous invitationals.

  • Released: Fact pattern posted on the 1st of the month.

    Synchronous tournaments: Required

    Asynchronous invitationals: Suggested. Other cases are accepted without penalty.

  • Released: Topic list posted on the 1st of the month.

    Synchronous tournaments: Required

    Asynchronous invitationals: Suggested. Other speaking prompts are accepted without penalty.

  • Limited prep

    Divisions: MS, HS, C

    Synchronous tournaments: Prompts are drawn in-round. Required.

    Asynchronous invitationals: Prompts are posted Friday at 12:00 PM PT, the day before registration closes. Required.

    • Birch Async Sept 5-12: Fri, Sept 4, 12:00 PM PT

    • Oak Async, Oct 3–10: Fri, Oct 2, 12:00 PM PT

    • Elm Async, Nov 7–14: Fri, Nov 6, 12:00 PM PT

    • Pine Async Dec 5-12: Dec 4, 12:00 PM PT

    • Palm Async, Jan 2–9: Fri, Jan 1, 12:00 PM PT

    • Cherry Async, Feb 6–913 Fri, Feb 5, 12:00 PM PT

    • Walnut Async, Mar 6–13: Fri, Mar 5, 12:00 PM PT

    • Maple Async, Apr 3–10: Fri, Apr 2, 12:00 PM PT

  • Synchronous tournaments: Prompts are drawn in-round. Required.

    Asynchronous invitationals: Prompts are posted Friday at 12:00 PM PT, the day before registration closes. Required.

    • Birch Async Sept 5-12: Fri, Sept 4, 12:00 PM PT

    • Oak Async, Oct 3–10: Fri, Oct 2, 12:00 PM PT

    • Elm Async, Nov 7–14: Fri, Nov 6, 12:00 PM PT

    • Pine Async Dec 5-12: Dec 4, 12:00 PM PT

    • Palm Async, Jan 2–9: Fri, Jan 1, 12:00 PM PT

    • Cherry Async, Feb 6–913 Fri, Feb 5, 12:00 PM PT

    • Walnut Async, Mar 6–13: Fri, Mar 5, 12:00 PM PT

    • Maple Async, Apr 3–10: Fri, Apr 2, 12:00 PM PT

  • Announced in-round · synchronous only

    Topics for these events are given out at the start of each round. There’s nothing to prepare in advance, and none are offered at asynchronous invitationals. All are required.

    SPAR Debate · ES, MS, HS, C

    Three topics per round. Each side strikes one, and the remaining topic is debated.

    NOF Parli · ES, MS, HS, C

    Three topics per round. Each side strikes one. Topics may be announced ahead of a tournament at the Tournament Director’s discretion.

    IPDA Debate · C

    Five topics per round. The sides take turns striking two each, and the remaining topic is debated.