A. Tournament Format

1. Each round consists of one (1) Match (first Duelist to win 2 Duels wins the Match).
2. After the Swiss Rounds are complete, the Top 8 Duelists will play one (1) Single Elimination Round in the Quarter Finals.
3. Day 1 of the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2026 will consist of seven (7) rounds of Swiss tournament play. After the Swiss Rounds are complete, the Top 8 Duelists will play one (1) Single Elimination Round, the Quarter Finals.
4. Day 2 will consist of two (2) Single Elimination Rounds for the Semi Finals featuring the remaining Top 4 Duelists from Day 1 and then the Championship Match to determine the King of Games.

B. Deck & Deck List

1. Duelists may only use the Deck which they registered for the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2026.
2. Cards that are not listed on the submitted Deck List cannot be used.
3. Cards switched from the Side Deck to Main Deck or vice versa must be returned to the original Deck as written on the Deck List, prior to the beginning of each Match.
4. Duelists are not allowed to swap cards in their Main Deck from the Side Deck in the 1st Duel of a Match.

C. Time Limit

1. The Time Limit for each Swiss Round is 50 minutes.
2. The Top 8 Single Elimination Rounds do not have a time limit, but Duelists are still expected to play at a proper pace and Slow Play penalties will be enforced as needed.
3. This includes intervals between Duels (time used for Side Decking and shuffling), and the time that it takes a judge to make a ruling or for translators to translate Duelists’ questions.
   
   1. Depending on the situation, the Judge may opt to extend time, but this is not guaranteed.
4. Both Duelists are responsible for playing at an acceptable pace so that the Round ends before the Time Limit, if there is a Time Limit.

D. Slow Play

1. Duelists will be penalized for delaying the game.
2. Duelists who repeatedly delay the game are subject to upgraded penalties.
3. Duelists who take excessive time to perform actions, or make repetitive actions, may receive penalties, even if the delay is unintentional.
4. Penalties are given by a judge, usually beginning with a Warning.
5. Duelists must inform a judge if they feel their opponent is causing a delay.
6. This includes intervals between Duels (time used for Side Decking and shuffling), and the time taken by Duelists to ask questions, and time taken to resolve any issues.
   1. Depending on the situation, the Head Judge may opt to extend time, but this is not guaranteed.
7. Both Duelists are responsible for playing at an acceptable pace so that the Round ends before the Time Limit, if there is a Time Limit.
8. Slow Play penalties come with a minimum time extension of three (3) minutes.

E. End of Match Procedure - Swiss Rounds

If the Match does not finish within 50 minutes, the result will be a double loss.

1. A Match is considered finished when one of the Duelists has either won two Duels or lost 2 Duels.
2. If time expires and the Match has not finished it will be a double loss.
3. If the Duelists have completed 3 Duels without the Match finishing and there is time remaining in the Round, the Duelists will go into a 4th Duel.

F. Dueling Procedures

1. Conduct each Duel following the procedure below:
   1. Shake hands with the opponent.
   2. Each Duelist reveals the number of cards in their Extra Deck and Side Deck.
2. Each Duelist must thoroughly randomize (shuffle) their Deck where the opponent can see.
   1. Pile shuffling is allowed but may not be the final method of randomization.
   2. The final method of randomization can be
      • Overhand
      • Hindu
      • Faro
   3. A Duelist cannot look at, check, or order the cards when shuffling.
   4. A Duelist cannot pre-sort their Deck (sorting Monsters/Spell/Trap, etc.) without fully randomizing the Deck afterwards.
   5. After the Deck is thoroughly randomized, it must be presented to the opponent.
   6. The opponent must randomize (shuffle) the Deck further and then return it to the original owner.
   7. The owner must then “cut” their Deck, then present it to the opponent who must “cut” the Deck again and then present it back to the original owner.
   8. No additional randomization may be done to the Deck after this point by the owner or the opponent.
3. If a Duelist is resolving multiple search effects in a turn, they will not shuffle after each individual search effect.
   1. Instead, they will wait until all search effects are completed, and then shuffle their Deck.
   2. To remove confusion about whether the Deck is randomized, Duelists will be provided with a two-sided card which will indicate “Randomized” or “Not Randomized,” depending on which side is displayed.
      
      1. While the search effects are being carried out, the card should indicate “Not Randomized.”
      2. After all searches are completed, the Deck should be randomized (shuffled) and the card turned to indicate that the Deck is now “Randomized.”
   3. This should be done prior to the resolution of any effect that requires the Duelist to draw from the Deck, or at the end of the turn.
   4. If there is any question or concern about whether the Deck has been randomized, Duelists should call for a judge.
4. A judge will make the final randomization for all shuffling during the Top 8.
5. At the start of the Match, Duelists must roll a single die to determine who will go first.
   1. The Duelist that rolls the higher number on the die will have the choice of going first or second.
   2. This must be done before either Duelist draws cards for your starting hand.
6. Each Duelist draws five (5) cards from the top of their Deck as their starting hand.
   1. Before drawing their opening hand, both Duelists must decide who will go first.
   2. If the Duelists draw cards before deciding who will go first, the Duelist who won the die roll will automatically go first.
   3. The Duelist who loses a Duel of a Match chooses to go first or second for the next Duel in the Match. If the Duel ends in a Draw, the order of play for the next Duel shall be determined by a die roll.
7. Each Duelist may use their Side Deck to exchange cards in their Main Deck or Extra Deck (Side-Decking) between Duels of a Match.
   1. The number of cards in the Deck and Extra Deck MUST match the same total as it was before a Duelist Side-Decked.
   2. After a Duelist has finished Side-Decking, they must reveal and verify the totals for their Side Deck and Extra Deck cards to their opponent.

G. Duelist Responsibilities

1. If Duelists have a question or concern about a ruling, policy, or any aspect of the tournament, they must call a judge and follow the judge’s instructions.
2. If either Duelist resolves a card effect incorrectly and continues with the Duel, Duelists should call a judge and follow the judge’s instructions to properly address the situation.
3. No disputes will be accepted after the Duel ends.
4. Both Duelists must pay attention to each other’s actions during the Duel, as both Duelists are responsible for maintaining the game state.
5. Duelists are expected to perform their actions within a reasonable amount of time.
6. Duelists who take excessive amounts of time to make their plays may be subject to penalties.

H. Hygiene

1. This will be a livestreamed event, streamed globally, with each Duelist representing their country and region in front of hundreds of thousands of viewers from around the world. Duelists should be showered and appropriately groomed.
2. Neglecting to wash or put on clean clothes contributes to an unpleasant atmosphere at the event.
3. Duelists who neglect self-care to the point that they are negatively impacting the tournament may be asked to correct the issue to continue in the event.

I. Conceding Games

1. Duelists may concede a Game in the interest of time. Duelists who wish to concede must call a Floor Judge to inform the Judge of the concession.
2. Duelists may concede Game 1, Game 2, and/or Game 3. However, they may not choose to concede an entire Match during the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.
3. Duelists will be required to follow a specific procedure if they wish to concede a Duel while featured on the Live Stream. This procedure will be explained to Duelists prior to the Live Stream Match.

Finals 1st Stage

Aug. 28, 2026

The Main Tournament 1st Stage will comprise 3 rounds played in a Swiss Draw format. This means that players with similar results (DP) will be pitted against each other in their next matches.

The winner of each round will be determined by a BO5 match (first to win 3 Duels / max. 5 Duels).
Once a Deck is used, it cannot be reused in the same round.
During each round, you will be awarded 3 DP for a win, 0 DP for a loss, and 1 DP for a draw.
The top 4 players after 3 rounds will advance to the Final Tournament.

Precedence for Deciding Rankings

1. Highest DP
2. Highest average DP of opponents
3. Highest average DP of opponents defeated
4. Most Duels won
5. Least Duels lost
6. Highest average DP of opponents Dueled by opponents you Dueled
7. Highest average DP of opponents' opponents
8. Highest total of remaining LP at the end of Duels won

Final Tournament

Aug. 28 & 30, 2026

The Final Tournament will comprise 2 Semi-Finals and 1 Final played in a single elimination format between the 4 players who advanced from the Main Tournament 1st Stage.
The winner of each round will be determined by a BO5 match (first to win 3 Duels / max. 5 Duels).
Once a Deck is used, it cannot be reused in the same round.

The Semi-Finals of the Final Tournament will be held on the same day that the Main Tournament 1st Stage concludes. The Championship Match is scheduled to be played two days after the Semi-Finals.

Deck Rules

Duelists will construct 5 Decks that follow the guidelines below.

• Duelists must follow the Forbidden/Limited List effective as of Jul. 31, 2026 (JST).
• Duelists cannot use any new cards, characters, and Skills scheduled to be added to the game on or after Aug. 6, 2026 PM2:00 (JST).
• Duelists must prepare 5 Decks, each with a different character and Skill.
• At least 3 Decks must have a Legendary Skill set.
• Duelists can only have up to 3 copies in total of each card across all Decks.
• Duelists can only have up to 1 copy in total of each Limited 1 card across all of their Decks, and up to 2 copies in total of each Limited 2 card across all Decks.
• Cards you can only obtain 1 or 2 copies of in-game can only be included up to that number in total across all Decks. (Legend Cards are an exception to this rule.)
• Duelists can have up to 3 copies in total of each Legend Card, with a maximum of 1 per Deck. However, if a Legend Card is Limited 1 or Limited 2, only 1 or 2 copies respectively in total can be included across all Decks.
• Each Duelist can select 3 "Tactical Cards" and include up to 3 copies of each per Deck. If only 1 or 2 copies of a selected card are obtainable in-game, or if it is Limited 1 or Limited 2, only 1 or 2 copies respectively can be included per Deck. Legend Cards cannot be selected as Tactical Cards.

Finals 1st Stage

Aug. 28, 2026

The Main Tournament 1st Stage will comprise 4 rounds played in a Swiss Draw format. This means that players with the most similar results (DP) will be pitted against each other in their next matches.
The winner of each round will be determined by a BO5 match (first to win 3 Duels / max. 5 Duels).
Once a Deck is used, it cannot be reused in the same round.
During each round, you will be awarded 3 DP for a win, 0 DP for a loss, and 1 DP for a draw.
The top 4 players after 4 rounds will advance to the Final Tournament.

Precedence for Deciding Rankings

1. Highest DP
2. Highest average DP of opponents
3. Highest average DP of opponents defeated
4. Most Duels won
5. Least Duels lost
6. Highest average DP of opponents Dueled by opponents you Dueled
7. Highest average DP of opponents' opponents
8. Highest total of remaining LP at the end of Duels won

Final Tournament

Aug. 28 & 30, 2026

The Final Tournament will comprise 2 Semi-Finals and 1 Final played in a single elimination format between the 4 players who advanced from the Main Tournament 1st Stage.
The winner of each round will be determined by a BO5 match (first to win 3 Duels / max. 5 Duels).
Once a Deck is used, it cannot be reused in the same round.

The Semi-Finals of the Final Tournament will be held on the same day that the Main Tournament 1st Stage concludes. The Championship Match is scheduled to be played two days after the Semi-Finals.

Deck Rules

Duelists will construct 5 Decks that follow the guidelines below.

• Duelists must follow the Forbidden/Limited List effective as of Jul. 31, 2026 (JST).
• Duelists cannot use any new cards, characters, and Skills scheduled to be added to the game on or after Aug. 6, 2026 PM2:00 (JST).
• Duelists must prepare 5 Decks, each with a different character and Skill.
• At least 3 Decks must have a Legendary Skill set.
• Duelists can only have up to 3 copies in total of each card across all Decks.
• Duelists can only have up to 1 copy in total of each Limited 1 card across all of their Decks, and up to 2 copies in total of each Limited 2 card across all Decks.
• Cards you can only obtain 1 or 2 copies of in-game can only be included up to that number in total across all Decks.
• Each Duelist can select 3 "Tactical Cards" and include up to 3 copies of it per Deck. If only 1 or 2 copies of the selected card are obtainable in-game, or if it is Limited 1 or Limited 2, only 1 or 2 copies respectively can be included per Deck.

Decks

By August 24th, 12:59 (JST), each team member must create 2 Decks in-game that meet the requirements stated below. Once saved, the Decks will be checked by tournament staff. Once registration is complete, Decks cannot be edited. No Decks other than those registered can be used at the tournament.

General Deck-Building Guidelines

• Main Deck: 40 to 60 cards
• Extra Deck: 0 to 15 cards
• Duelists must follow the Forbidden/Limited List effective as of August 6th (JST).
• Only cards available in MASTER DUEL as of August 24th 12:59 (JST) can be used.
• There can be at most 3 copies of each card across all of each team's Decks. If a card is Limited or Semi-Limited, only 1 or 2 copies respectively can be included across all of each team's Decks. This rule also applies to any card whose name is treated as that of another card.
  Example:
  • If you put 2 copies of "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" (not on the Forbidden & Limited List) in 1 of your Decks, you can only include 1 copy of “Blue-Eyes White Dragon” across your other Decks.
  • If you put 3 copies of "Red-Eyes Black Dragon" (not on the Forbidden & Limited List) in 1 of your Decks, you cannot put any more copies in any of your other Decks.
  • If you put 1 copy of " D.D. Dynamite" (which is Semi-Limited) in 1 of your Decks, you can only include 1 copy of " D.D. Dynamite" across your other Decks.
  • If you put 1 copy of " Exodia the Forbidden One" (which is Limited) in 1 of your Decks, you cannot include it in your other Decks.
  • If you put 3 copies of "Pacifis, the Phantasm City" (which is treated as "Umi") in 1 of your Decks, you cannot include "Umi" in any of your Decks.
• Cards you can only obtain 1 or 2 copies of in-game can only be included up to that number across all of your Decks. Example:
  • If you put 1 copy of "Power Pro Lady Sisters" (only 1 copy obtainable in-game) in 1 of your Decks, you cannot include it in your other Decks.
• Each team can designate up to 5 "shared cards."
• If a card is designated as a shared card, up to 3 copies can be included in each Deck.
• If a shared card is Limited, only 1 copy can be included in each Deck. If a shared card is Semi-Limited, up to 2 copies can be included in each Deck.
  Example:
  • If you select "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" as a shared card, you can include 3 copies in each of your Decks.
• The following cards cannot be used.
  • Cards scheduled to be added to the game on or after August 24 at 13:00 (JST)

Finals 1st Stage

Aug. 28, 2026

In the Finals 1st Stage, groups will be formed of 6 teams, and a round-robin competition will be held among the 6 teams in each group.
The top 2 teams from each group will proceed to the Final Tournament.

The ranking within each group is determined by the following.

1. Total rounds won.
2. Total Duels won by all team members across all rounds.
3. Total Duels won by the team leader across all rounds.
4. The teams that won in matches within their own groups.
5. If the winners are not decided by the criteria above, the winning teams will be decided by random draw.

Final Tournament (Semi-Finals)

Aug. 28, 2026

The Semi-Finals will be contested by the four teams that advanced from the Group Stage, consisting of the top two teams from each group.
The four teams will compete in the Semi-Finals, with the two winning teams advancing to the Finals.

Final Tournament (Finals)

Aug. 30, 2026

The two teams that advanced from the Semi-Finals will compete in the Finals.
The winning team in the Finals will be the winner of this competition.
When the winning team is determined, all other Duels taking place at that moment will be terminated.