# Riftbound Regional Championships 2026 Guide

_2026-10-15 · RiftCompare_

Stuttgart (6–8 Nov) and Las Vegas (11–13 Dec): who can play, prize money, the Worlds invites, format, and the decks to beat now that Radiance is legal.

## The short version

- **Two Regional Championships close out 2026:** Europe at Messe Stuttgart on **6–8 November**, and North America at Convergence Fest in **Las Vegas on 11–13 December** (alongside Teamfight Tactics).
- **Each one is reported at US$50,000**, with US$10,000 to the winner in Stuttgart. The **Top 8 at each one earn invitations** to Riftbound's first World Championship in 2027.
- **Entry is by invitation.** A Top 64 finish at a 2026 Regional Qualifier earns one, and invited players choose which Championship to attend.
- **The format is Standard with Radiance legal.** Radiance launches on 23 October, so Stuttgart is the first big Radiance event anywhere.
- **The decks to beat coming in:** Rengar, Pridestalker; Azir, Emperor of the Sands; and Irelia, Blade Dancer, all winners or finalists at the last big events before Radiance.

Riftbound's first competitive year ends with its biggest events yet: two **Regional Championships**, each worth a reported US$50,000, each sending its Top 8 to the first **Riftbound World Championship** in 2027. This guide covers both: dates, who can play, prize money, what format to expect, and which decks are likely to be at the top tables now that **Radiance** is legal.

## The two Regional Championships at a glance

| | Europe | North America |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dates | **6–8 November 2026** | **11–13 December 2026** |
| Venue | Messe Stuttgart (Hall H), Germany | Convergence Fest, Las Vegas, USA |
| Prize pool | US$50,000 (reported) | US$50,000 (reported) |
| Winner | US$10,000 | Not yet published |
| Worlds invitations | Top 8 | Top 8 |
| Format | Standard, Radiance legal | Standard, Radiance legal |
| Alongside | Riftbound only | Teamfight Tactics |

Some coverage mentions a separate Chinese Championship. China runs its own circuit through publisher Shining Soul, with its own National Opens, so check the Chinese schedule separately if you play there.

## Who can play

The Regional Championships are **invitation only**. You earned an invitation by finishing in the **Top 64 of a 2026 Regional Qualifier**. The last RQ of the year was **Los Angeles on 25–27 September**, a 2,165-player event, so the list is now closed. Invited players pick which Championship to attend, which is why some North American players are expected in Stuttgart and some Europeans in Las Vegas.

If you missed the RQ circuit, the route back in is **2027**: Riot has said more on the 2027 organized play structure will follow its State of the Game updates. In the meantime, Showdown Series events (Sacramento on 23–24 October, Orlando on 30 October–1 November) and your store's **Nexus Nights** and **Summoner Skirmish** windows are where the competitive scene plays week to week. Radiance's first Skirmish window opens on 9 November.

## Prize money and the road to Worlds

Stuttgart's reported structure pays **US$10,000 to the winner** and **US$250 to each of 33rd–64th place**. Riot had not published every payout in between when we wrote this; one outlet reports US$5,000 for second place, but we have not seen that confirmed. Assume Las Vegas pays on a similar scale until Riot says otherwise.

The bigger prize is the **World Championship invitation** for the Top 8. Riot has confirmed the first Riftbound Worlds for 2027 but not its date, venue or prize pool. Given League of Legends' Worlds is the most-watched esports event in the world, expect Riot to stage it as a showpiece rather than a convention side hall.

## The format: Standard, with Radiance two weeks old

**Radiance launches on 23 October**, so it is legal in Standard for both events. That gives players about **two weeks** of Radiance before Stuttgart, and seven before Las Vegas. Expect Stuttgart to reward whoever reads the new set fastest, and Las Vegas to look more settled.

Three rules changes matter:

- **Radiance's Core Rules patch notes and errata** take effect on 16 October. **[Our errata summary](/blog/riftbound-radiance-patch-notes-errata)** lists every changed card.
- **The September 18 ban list** removed Ekko, Recurrent and Stacked Deck from Standard and 2v2. **[The full ban list](/guides/riftbound-banlist-explained)** is kept current.
- **The new keywords:** Deploy, Show Off and Disarm. If you haven't played with them, start with **[the Deploy guide](/guides/riftbound-deploy-explained)**, then **[Show Off](/guides/riftbound-showoff-explained)** and **[Disarm](/guides/riftbound-disarm-explained)**.

## The decks to beat coming in

The last major events before Radiance give us a starting picture:

- **Los Angeles Regional Qualifier (25–27 September, 2,165 players):** won by DSG Prismaticism on **Rengar, Pridestalker**, 14-0-2 and the only undefeated record in the Top 32, beating **Irelia, Blade Dancer** 2-1 in the final. The Top 8 had two Azirs, two Irelias, and one each of Master Yi, Akali and Ornn.
- **Chengdu National Open (October, 1,835 players):** won by **Azir, Emperor of the Sands**, with Vex and Nasus behind it.
- **Riftbound Challenge Gdańsk (10 October, 489 players):** won by **Rengar** again, 11-1-1.

That makes **Rengar, Azir and Irelia** the three Legends to plan around. All three are older-set Legends (Rengar from Unleashed, Azir and Irelia from Spiritforged), so the question for Stuttgart is which of them gains most from Radiance's cards, and whether a Radiance Legend can break into the top tier straight away. **[Our view, from the one-year hot takes](/blog/riftbound-one-year-hot-takes):** Azir wins Stuttgart.

You can see every printing of each contender on their champion pages: **[Rengar](/champions/rengar)**, **[Azir](/champions/azir)** and **[Irelia](/champions/irelia)**.

## How a Championship weekend works

If you've only played Nexus Nights, the scale of a Regional Championship is the main adjustment. The structure is the same as the Regional Qualifiers:

- **Swiss rounds first.** Every player plays every round, paired against opponents with the same record. Matches are best-of-three, and a draw is possible when time runs out, which is why records like Prismaticism's 14-0-2 in Los Angeles include draws.
- **A cut to the Top 8.** After the Swiss rounds, the Top 8 by record play single-elimination quarterfinals, semifinals and a final on Sunday. Those eight players are the ones who earn Worlds invitations, so a Top 8 finish matters more than the trophy itself.
- **Decklist registration.** You submit your 40-card main deck, rune deck, Legend and battlefields before the event and play exactly that all weekend. Check the registration deadline in your invitation email; with Radiance two weeks old, many players will be finalising lists the night before.
- **Tiebreakers.** Players on the same record are separated by their opponents' win percentages, so a loss in round one can still make the cut and a strong schedule helps.

Riot's tournament rules changelog for October 2026 sets the current penalties and procedures. Read it before you travel, especially the sections on deck checks and slow play, which are where most game losses at large events come from.

## Radiance cards to test first

We don't know the Radiance meta yet and won't pretend to. But three groups of Radiance cards are the obvious first tests for Championship lists:

1. **Deploy cards in Azir and Irelia shells.** Deploy is Radiance's most common keyword (27 printings in our database), and both Legends reward having extra bodies on the board.
2. **Disarm as an answer to Rengar.** Rengar's lists lean on buffed and equipped units, which is exactly what Disarm punishes. If Rengar is the deck to beat, Disarm cards will be in sideboards.
3. **The new Legends.** Eight Radiance Legends are confirmed. History says one or two are tournament-viable straight away and the rest take a few weeks of testing. **[The Radiance card list](/blog/riftbound-radiance-card-list)** has all eight with live prices.

## Building a Championship deck without overpaying

A competitive Riftbound deck is not cheap, and the two weeks after a set launch are the most expensive time to buy one. Our price records show **Vendetta's median single fell 56% between its first week and mid-October**. That is no help if your event is in two weeks, but it changes how you should buy:

1. **Buy the older-set core now.** If you're on Rengar, Azir or Irelia, most of your deck is Unleashed or Spiritforged cards whose prices have settled. Compare them across stores in **[the market view](/market)** and order early: international shipping takes longer than two weeks.
2. **Buy only the Radiance cards you've tested.** Launch-week Radiance prices will be the highest they get for most cards. Proxy them in testing where your store allows, then buy the few that make the list.
3. **Use Best Basket.** **[Best Basket](/tools/best-basket)** splits a list across stores to find the cheapest total including shipping, which matters more for a 40-card deck than any single card.
4. **Check your market.** Prices differ a lot by country. **[Our country comparison](/blog/are-riftbound-cards-cheaper-in-another-country)** shows where each card is cheapest.

## Travel and timing notes

- **Stuttgart:** Messe Stuttgart is next to Stuttgart Airport, and the Friday start means most players arrive Thursday. The event runs six Swiss rounds on Friday, six more on Saturday, then a Top 8 cut, with quarterfinals through the final on Sunday.
- **Las Vegas:** Convergence Fest runs Riftbound alongside Teamfight Tactics, so expect a crowded hall and a strong side-event programme.
- **Coverage:** Riot streams its major events on the official Riftbound YouTube and Twitch channels and posts results, standings and decklists on **@RiftboundOP** on X. We will cover both Top 8s and what they mean for prices.

## What happens after

The Regional Championships end Riftbound's first competitive season. **Legacy** previews follow (the set launches on 29 January 2027) and, after it, Riot's first State of the Game of 2027 in February, which is where we expect the 2027 RQ calendar and Worlds details. The **[2027 set roadmap](/blog/riftbound-2027-set-roadmap)** has every dated release, and **[the Radiance card list](/blog/riftbound-radiance-card-list)** has every card that will be legal in Stuttgart.

One thing we're confident about: a strong result at a Regional Championship moves prices. When a Legend wins a big event, its key cards tend to rise in the following days. Set a **[price alert](/alerts)** on any card you're planning to buy before the weekend of 6 November.

## FAQ

**When is the Riftbound Regional Championship?**

There are two in 2026: the European Regional Championship at Messe Stuttgart, Germany, on 6–8 November, and the North American Regional Championship at Convergence Fest, Las Vegas, on 11–13 December.

**How do you qualify for a Riftbound Regional Championship?**

By finishing in the Top 64 of a 2026 Regional Qualifier, which earns an invitation. The last Regional Qualifier of the year was Los Angeles on 25–27 September 2026, so the invitation list is now set. Invited players choose which Championship to attend.

**How much prize money is at a Riftbound Regional Championship?**

Each is reported at US$50,000. In Stuttgart the winner takes US$10,000 and 33rd–64th place receive US$250 each. Riot had not published every payout in between at the time of writing.

**How do you qualify for the Riftbound World Championship?**

The Top 8 at each Regional Championship earn invitations to the first Riftbound World Championship, confirmed for 2027. Riot had not announced its date, venue or prize pool at the time of writing.

**Is Radiance legal at the Regional Championships?**

Yes. Radiance launches on 23 October 2026 and is legal in Standard from then, two weeks before Stuttgart. The September 18 ban list (Ekko, Recurrent and Stacked Deck) also applies.

**Can I watch the Riftbound Regional Championship?**

Riot streams its major Riftbound events on the official Riftbound YouTube and Twitch channels, and posts results and decklists on @RiftboundOP on X. Expect the same for both Regional Championships.

Source: https://riftcompare.com/guides/riftbound-regional-championships-2026