Spanish content creator Ibai Llanos announced on Friday, August 21, 2026, the round of 16 matchups for the online World of Foods tournament, confirming Peru will face Honduras.
Defending champion Peru will enter its national dish ceviche alongside the soft drink Inca Kola, while Honduras will compete with traditional baleadas and Salvavidas beer in the opening voting stage.
The selection of ceviche followed an online poll launched by Llanos, who first announced the food competition a week earlier when he introduced ceviche as an initial entrant. Although Peruvian fans suggested several alternative national dishes, including rotisserie chicken, creamy chicken stew, stir-fried beef, and layered potato dishes, Llanos confirmed that 70 percent of user comments ultimately chose ceviche to represent Peru.
Llanos, the Spanish streamer and organizer of the popular live event La Velada del Año VI, noted that Honduras faces a challenging draw against Peru, which he described as the reigning champion and a tournament favorite. He added that ceviche required no introduction to his audience because he had eaten it frequently. Llanos also noted that he was recently surprised when he tried pan con chicharrón, a traditional Peruvian fried pork belly sandwich.
Peruvian Ceviche Faces Honduran Baleadas
Ceviche is widely recognized as Peru's signature culinary dish, made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices and flavored with chili peppers and onions. For the dual menu pairing in the first round, Peru's dish is accompanied by Inca Kola, a sweet, golden carbonated soft drink flavored with lemon verbena. Honduras will compete using baleadas, a traditional Honduran dish consisting of a thick wheat flour tortilla folded over refried beans, cream, and cheese, paired with Salvavidas, a popular Honduran lager beer.
Alternative options considered by Peruvian supporters during the selection process included regional classics such as pollo a la brasa, a spiced rotisserie chicken; ají de gallina, a creamy shredded chicken stew; lomo saltado, a stir-fried beef dish with red onions and tomatoes; and causa limeña, a cold layered yellow potato dish. Despite the popularity of those alternatives, public voting heavily favored ceviche.
Social media users reacted enthusiastically to the matchup announcement on Instagram. Supporters stated that ceviche had no serious competition in the tournament, urging Peru to pursue a second consecutive title. Other commentators praised Peruvian gastronomy as superior across all daily meals, predicting that ceviche would carry the nation into the final round.
Full Tournament Bracket and Next Steps
The 2026 World of Foods features 16 participating countries competing in eight head-to-head opening round pairings. The complete round of 16 matchups announced by Llanos includes:
- Spain vs Argentina
- Paraguay vs Uruguay
- Peru vs Honduras
- Guatemala vs Mexico
- Dominican Republic vs Colombia
- Venezuela vs El Salvador
- Bolivia vs Chile
- Ecuador vs Cuba
Public voting for the round of 16 has officially opened online through a link provided across Llanos's social media channels, allowing fans from all participating countries to vote for their favorite national pairings.
