The 34th edition of the MBA Tournament (MBAT), Europe’s largest and most prestigious MBA sports event, wrapped up at HEC Paris after three days of high-energy competition and community building from 1 May to 3 May 2025.

This year’s event united over 1,500 MBA students from 16 top international business schools, delivering the ultimate celebration of athleticism, teamwork, and global connection.

The picturesque HEC Paris campus transformed into a vibrant hub of energy, with facilities offering Olympics-inspired football pitches, rugby fields, tracks, dodgeball arenas, volleyball and lake zones, rest areas, medical teams, food trucks offering global cuisine, and shuttle buses linking hotels and the campus. Its sprawling green spaces and scenic beauty provided the perfect backdrop for this unforgettable gathering.

Participants competed in over 30 sports, including classic events such as football, basketball, tennis, swimming, dodgeball, badminton, rowing, crossfit, and track competitions. The programme also included e-sports tournaments like FIFA and Mario Kart, along with parasports such as the Blind Sprint and Goalball. In addition to athletic events, the competition featured social activities like dance battles, fashion shows, trivia contests, and band performances—ensuring there was something for everyone.

The tournament kicked off with a festive Day 1 as teams arrived on campus, welcomed by MBAT’s mascot Hector (inspired by France’s national animal, the rooster). Each day was packed from 9 a.m. with non-stop competitions, evening performance shows, and after-parties to celebrate the day’s achievements. The event culminated in the Gala Night and Award Ceremony, where participants swapped jerseys for formal wear and came together one last time to celebrate a standout moment in the MBA experience.

Final standings:

🥇 1st Place: Oxford Saïd Business School

🥈 2nd Place: HEC Paris

🥉 3rd Place: London Business School

🎖 Special Awards:

• Best Cheering: IMD Business School
• Best Delegation: Rotterdam School of Management (RSM)
• Fairplay / Best Sportsmanship: London Business School

Reflecting on the event’s success, Brad Harris, Associate Dean of MBA/EMBA Programmes at HEC Paris, shared: “The HEC student leaders once again created an amazing MBAT experience that delivered on the event’s true spirit. They bring the brightest business school students in the world together in the name of competition, but leave them with the gift of deep connection. I am consistently amazed by what the MBAT participants are capable of doing as individuals, and I’m even more excited by the idea that their impact will be amplified by the new relationships they form with one another.”

Omar Toulan, MBA Dean and Hilti Chair at IMD Business School, also emphasised the profound impact of the tournament, stating: “The opportunity MBAT gives students to create bonds within and across the programmes is unmatched. I know for the cohort from IMD, it is a defining moment to solidify camaraderie and support each other. I always say there is the programme before MBAT and the programme after MBAT. Thank you for this opportunity.”

The MBAT would like to extend sincere thanks to all sponsors, partners, and the HEC Paris community for their unwavering support. As MBAT continues to grow, it remains committed to fostering not just athletic achievement but also lifelong connections across the global MBA community.

About The MBA Tournament (MBAT)

Founded in 1991, the MBA Tournament (MBAT) is Europe’s largest annual sports event for MBA students, held at HEC Paris. Known as the “MBA Olympics,” MBAT brings together MBA students from top international business schools across Europe for three days of multi-sport competition, networking, and cultural exchange.

MBAT is entirely student-led: each edition is organised by the current cohort of HEC Paris MBA students, who act as the primary planners and hosts. They work closely with student representatives from all participating schools to co-create an event that fosters teamwork, leadership, and international friendship. The 2025 MBAT core team consisted of 29 dedicated members, who worked tirelessly over eight months to bring this world-class event to life—a true testament to collaboration and commitment.

MBAT 2025 LEADERBOARD:

MBAT 2025 AWARDS:

For more information, visit www.mbat.org or follow HEC Paris MBAT on LinkedIn.

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