Joey Chestnut Cleared for 2026 Nathan’s Contest Despite Guilty Plea to Battery

Joey Chestnut will compete in the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4 after Nathan's and Major League Eating cleared him to participate. Usa Today reported that the 42-year-old, a 17-time champion who set the record by eating 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes in 2021, received approval despite an April 20 guilty plea to one count of misdemeanor battery.

The charge arose from an incident in which Chestnut slapped a man at a bar near his home in Westfield, Indiana.

Court records show he received a sentence of 180 days of probation with no travel restrictions. George Shea, co-founder of Major League Eating, stated that the incident did not violate the organization's code of conduct because it occurred outside any organizational event and was handled by local authorities.

Chestnut has continued promotional appearances in Knoxville, Tennessee; San Diego, California; Charlotte, North Carolina; and St.

Paul, Minnesota. In a video posted on Instagram, Chestnut ate 10 hot dogs topped with mustard and onions as part of Nathan's 250 hot dog challenge while wearing a contest jersey. He told USA TODAY Sports by text message this month that a record could be made at the contest.

About six months earlier, Chestnut said he was developing a plan to improve fitness in order to reach new records.