The Largest Academic Competition in the World!
The Lincoln Financial Group/National Forensic League National Speech & Debate Tournament is the largest academic competition in the world. To attend, students must place among the top competitors at one of NFL’s 106 district tournaments. Qualifiers to the national tournament will compete for more than $200,000 in college scholarships in one of ten main events — Policy Debate, Congressional Debate, Public Forum Debate, Lincoln Douglas Debate, Oratory, US Extemp, and International Extemporaneous Speaking, Humorous, Dramatic and Duo Interpretation — as well as seven consolation and supplemental events.
Tournament History
The National Forensic League has run the National Debate & Speech Tournament continuously since 1931 (except for the World War II years) and the National Student Congress since 1938. Events and rules have changed with the growth of the NFL, but the League’s commitment to honoring the best competitors in the world has remained constant.
Read more about the events, the winners, and watch final round videos.
Hall of Fame
In 1978, the National Forensic League inducted its first class into the Hall of Fame. Since then, 152 of the most respected coaches in the country have been added to the NFL’s most honored ranks. To be eligible, a coach must reach 25 years of NFL coach membership or be retired, and be nominated by their peers. Elections are held each spring by members of the Hall of Fame and all coaches with at least three diamonds. At the 2010 NFL National Tournament, the next class of coaches will be inducted.
Learn more about the Hall of Fame.
The National Forensic League is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit honorary society created to recognize high school students in speech and debate. We are the oldest and largest interscholastic forensic organization. This year, more than 112,000 high school and middle school students, representing more than 2,900 middle and high schools, built their communication, leadership, cognitive, and presentational skills as members. Since 1925, more than 1.3 million students have found their voice in the NFL. For more information about our organization, objectives, and history, please visit nflonline.org.
The NFL Mission
We promote high school and middle school speech and debate activities as a means to develop a student’s essential life skills and values.
The NFL Vision
Our vision is that every child in the United States will be empowered to become an effective communicator, ethical individual, critical thinker, and leader in a democratic society.
Research has proven what NFL members know to be true: That forensics, or speech and debate education, is an irreplaceable and life-changing experience for everyone who participates. Among participants, forensics has been shown to increase standardized test scores, improve graduation and retention rates, and boost critical thinking and communication skills. Forensics education offers unique benefits to both gifted and at-risk populations by allowing each to work at their own pace. Because forensics has been shown to make such a remarkable difference in students’ education, we want every student to have the opportunity to participate. For more information about the unmatched benefits of forensics education, including several studies and research projects, please visit our white papers at http://www.nflonline.org/AboutNFL/Advocate