The final chance for speakers to earn their way into the Grand Slam: Inspirational Speaking Finals, Speaker Slam®'s biggest stage of the year.
Voting runs September 22, 2026 to September 23, 2026, closing at 11:59 PM ET. One vote per person.
Meet the CandidatesCast your vote for the speaker you want to see at the Grand Slam. One vote per person, so make it count.
Cast Your Vote →Voting has closed and the 4 Wild Card Winners have been announced. Thank you to everyone who voted.
Meet the WinnersFour speakers have earned their place at the Grand Slam on November 21, 2026 at the CBC Glenn Gould Studio. Thank you to everyone who voted and to all ten speakers who ran this race.
Throughout the season, the champions from each qualifier automatically advance to the Grand Slam. But 4 more spots are up for grabs, and this is where the Wild Card Race comes in. It exists for the speakers who delivered a powerful talk this season and did not advance: the ones who placed just outside the top, went over time, or had a night where the room was stacked. It also exists for the speakers who kept building after their competition, the ones who show promise and potential and have been making things happen ever since.
The Speaker Slam® team invites 8 to 12 speakers from this season's qualifiers who did not advance, chosen on judges' scoring, speaker momentum, engagement and participation, time disqualifications, and overall attitude.
For a few days, the community votes online for the speaker they want to see on the Grand Slam stage. One vote per person, and every share counts.
At the same time, the Speaker Slam® team weighs votes, the quality of the speech, speaker momentum, and audience support to choose the speakers who best exemplify what the Grand Slam stage is about.
The top vote-getters go straight to the Grand Slam. This is the community's pick.
Chosen by Speaker Slam® based on performance, momentum, and impact.
Together they join the Grand Slam lineup on November 21, 2026 at the CBC Glenn Gould Studio to compete for the title of Inspirational Speaker of the Year and a prize package worth up to $50,000. Learn about the Grand Slam →
Ten speakers from the 2026 season, invited on judges' scoring, momentum, engagement, and attitude. 4 of them will take the Grand Slam stage on November 21, 2026.
The ballot goes live at speakerslam.com/vote
11:59 PM ET. Late votes are not counted.
The 4 speakers advancing to the Grand Slam are revealed
CBC Glenn Gould Studio, Toronto
The Wild Card Race is not a consolation round. Two of the last three Inspirational Speakers of the Year did not advance from their qualifier. They earned their way back in, and then they won everything. Four more wild cards have finished on the Grand Slam podium.
Martin went over time at Empowerment in September 2023 and did not place. He entered the Wild Card Race, won it, and two months later was crowned the 2023 Inspirational Speaker of the Year. He has since delivered a TEDx talk and returned to Speaker Slam® as a judge.
Read Martin's story →
Michelle placed fourth at The Underdog in July 2025. Fourth place does not advance. She entered the Wild Card Race, her community rallied behind her in the vote, and four months later she was crowned the 2025 Inspirational Speaker of the Year.
Read Michelle's story →
Won the first-ever Wild Card Race, then finished second at the Lyric Theatre. Her story is now the documentary 50,000 First Dates.
Came through the same 2019 race and took third, making that year's podium two-thirds wild cards.
Third at Freedom in May 2024, a wild card that fall, and runner-up for Inspirational Speaker of the Year.
Highest vote count in the 2025 race, then third on the Glenn Gould stage alongside Michelle.
When you vote, you can leave a few words for the speaker you chose. After the race closes, every candidate receives the messages their community left for them, gathered into one document, anonymous, and theirs to keep. Whether they advance or not, they walk away knowing exactly how many people showed up for them and what their story meant.
"I read every response with a smile on my face, joy in my heart, and tears in my eyes." A 2025 Wild Card candidate, on receiving her messages.
Voting opens September 22, 2026 and closes September 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. When it opens, the voting link will be right here and at speakerslam.com/vote.
Voting is open. Cast your vote for the speaker you want to see at the Grand Slam. One vote per person, so make it count, and share it with anyone who should be voting too.
Cast Your Vote →Voting has closed and the 4 Wild Card Winners have been announced. Thank you to everyone who voted and to all ten speakers who ran this race.
Meet the WinnersSpeakers who competed in this season's qualifiers and did not advance to the Grand Slam. The Speaker Slam® team invites 8 to 12 standouts each season, chosen on judges' scoring, speaker momentum, engagement and participation, time disqualifications, and overall attitude. Going over time is not the end of the road. We also look at what happened after the competition. Speakers who kept creating, kept showing up, and built real momentum since their night on stage are exactly who this race is for.
Once. Voting is one vote per person, tied to a single email address, and every ballot is audited before results are finalized, so duplicate votes are removed and do not count. Choose the speaker you most want to see on the Grand Slam stage and rally the people around you to vote too.
2 spots go to the top vote-getters. 2 spots are selected by the Speaker Slam® team, who review each shortlisted speaker's performance, the momentum they have built since competing, and the impact of their story.
November 21, 2026 at the CBC Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. Wild card winners join the season's champions to compete for the title of Inspirational Speaker of the Year. Learn more about the Grand Slam.
Yes. Applications for the next season are open at speakerslam.com/apply. One speech can change your life.