The Riftbound Regional Championship events are the last and biggest stops of Riftbound's first competitive season. There are three in 2026: Europe in Stuttgart on November 6–8, North America at Convergence Fest in Las Vegas on December 11–13, and a Chinese Regional Championship. The Top 8 at each one earn an invitation to Riftbound's first World Championship event. This guide covers who can play, the format, prizes and the rule changes Riot announced on October 15.
Last checked October 21, 2026, against Riot's 2026 Regional Championship info and October 15 prizing and policy update. We'll update this page as Riot shares more.
2026 Riftbound Regional Championships at a glance
| Event | Dates | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Regional Championship | November 6–8, 2026 | Hall H, Messe Stuttgart, Germany | $50,000 prize pool |
| North American Regional Championship | December 11–13, 2026 | Convergence Fest, Las Vegas, USA | Runs as part of Convergence Fest |
| Chinese Regional Championship | TBA | China | Replaces the Radiance Major |
| World Championship Showcase | End of January | China | Top 8 from each Regional Championship |
Who can play in a Riftbound Regional Championship?
Entry is by invitation. Players earned one by finishing in the Top 64 of a 2026 Regional Qualifier. The last qualifier of the year was Los Angeles in late September, so the 2026 list is set.
Invitations aren't locked to a region. A qualified player can choose Stuttgart or Las Vegas, and players who earned invitations at more than one qualifier can attend both.
The Chinese Regional Championship works differently. It's a 256-player invitational plus an open tournament for more than 1,500 players, and Riot is announcing its qualification path to Chinese players separately.
If you aren't qualified, the 2026 Regional Championships aren't the place to start. Our Riftbound tournaments guide explains the store events that lead up the ladder.
Format and schedule
The European Regional Championship is Standard Constructed, with Radiance legal two weeks after its October 23 release. That makes Stuttgart the first major Radiance tournament anywhere.
| Day | What happens |
|---|---|
| Friday, November 6 | 6 Swiss rounds. Players with 12+ match points advance |
| Saturday, November 7 | 6 more Swiss rounds. Top 8 advance |
| Sunday, November 8 | Quarterfinals, semifinals and the final |
Expect the same Standard format in Las Vegas, with seven weeks of Radiance behind it.
Before either event, check the current Riftbound ban list and the October 16 Riftbound rules update, which changed several tournament procedures.
Stuttgart prize payouts
Riot published the European payout with the event announcement:
| Finish | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $10,000 |
| 2nd | $5,000 |
| 3rd–4th | $2,500 |
| 5th–8th | $1,500 |
| 9th–16th | $1,000 |
| 17th–32nd | $500 |
| 33rd–64th | $250 |
Every qualified player also gets a participation package with a commemorative playmat and a promo card. Day 2 players get an extra promo, the Top 8 get a playmat and promo, and the champion gets their own playmat and promo. Riot hasn't published a separate payout table for Las Vegas.
The new Foil Plated Legend prizes
Plated Legends have been the most talked-about prize of the season. On October 15, Riot changed how they're awarded:
- Overnumbered Foil Plated Legends now reward overall finish. The top 58 players draft from the 58 Overnumbered Foil Plated Legends in finishing order, starting with 1st place.
- Best-Of prizes switch to Foil Plated Legends from Unleashed, Vendetta and Radiance. Each goes to the highest-finishing eligible player on that Legend.
- Origins, Proving Grounds and Spiritforged Legends aren't eligible for Best-Of prizes at Regional Championships.
- You must reach Day 2 on a Legend to win its Best-Of prize.
- Radiance Foil Plated Legends won't be handed out at the events. Riot expects to deliver them in January 2027.
Riot said it had been watching how Best-Of prizes affected competitive decisions, beyond encouraging players to bring their favourite Legends, and wanted the biggest prizes to reward overall performance. Our Riftbound Legends list shows every Legend by set, so you can see which ones are Best-Of eligible.
Open decklists and the no-concession rule
Riot also tightened competitive integrity rules for all three Regional Championships:
- Open decklists. Everyone's registered list is public. Riot announced this before decklists lock, so players can plan for it.
- No throwing matches. Players can't ask for or offer match concessions before or during the event.
- No deciding a drawn match after time. If time runs out on a draw, you can't flip a coin or otherwise pick a winner.
Still allowed: conceding a single game for time (but not a match-deciding game), intentional draws agreed before time runs out, and yielding for a genuine emergency. Breaking the rules means immediate disqualification and a possible suspension.
The road to the Riftbound World Championship
The Top 8 at each Regional Championship (Europe, North America and China) are invited to Riftbound's first World Championship Showcase, at the end of January in China. That's 24 invitations. If a player makes Top 8 at more than one Regional Championship, the extra invitations pass down to the next eligible finisher of that event.
Riot hasn't published the Showcase's prizes or format yet. In 2027, organized play expands with Regionals, Continental Championships and a full World Championship, covered in our 2027 release and organized play guide.
Start-of-game playtests in Stuttgart
The Friday and Sunday Standard Challenges at Stuttgart, which are side events, will test Riot's proposed fixes for the going-first advantage. Players going second may start on 1 point, draw an extra card or predict before their first draw, depending on the option announced at the event. The main Regional Championship uses the current rules.
How to follow along
Check Riot's official Riftbound channels and PlayRiftbound.com for streams, standings and results. With open decklists, Stuttgart's Top 8 will be the first clear look at what wins with Radiance. If you're planning a deck around those results, buy the cards you know you need as singles and skip the rest: cards from a winning list are often in demand right after a big weekend.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Riftbound European Regional Championship?
November 6–8, 2026, in Hall H of Messe Stuttgart, Germany.
When is the North American Regional Championship?
December 11–13, 2026, as part of Convergence Fest in Las Vegas.
How much does the Riftbound Regional Championship winner get?
In Stuttgart, $10,000 from a $50,000 prize pool, plus an exclusive champion playmat and promo and a Worlds invitation.
How do you qualify for the Riftbound World Championship?
Finish in the Top 8 of a 2026 Regional Championship. Each one sends eight players to the World Championship Showcase in China at the end of January.
Are Riftbound Regional Championship decklists public?
Yes. Riot is running all three Regional Championships with open decklists.
Get event-ready
Whether you're travelling to Stuttgart or playing your local Nexus Night, fill your list with Riftbound singles and sleeve up with standard sleeves. Our Riftbound sleeves guide covers tournament-safe options.
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