National Championships are annual premier competitive events where players compete to become their region or country’s National Champion. These events also play a key role in the Flesh and Blood Organized Play program, as they award invitations to the 2026 World Championship. Players may only participate in one National Championship for the region or country listed on their player profile.
Event Window
| National week | Dates (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) |
|---|---|
| United States of America | June 12-14, 2026 |
| Rest of the world – Week 1 | June 19-21, 2026 |
| Rest of the world – Week 2 | June 26-28, 2026 |
| Rest of the world – Week 3 | July 3-5, 2026 |
During the 2026 season, National Championships will be held across more than 45 participating regions and countries. Events will be run as invitation-only in larger regions and countries, or as open-entry events in smaller countries. Attendance may be adjusted based on venue restrictions in certain countries. The final player cap for each event will be confirmed on the official event page once published.
| Events | Cap | Event Type |
|---|---|---|
| United States of America | – | Invite Only |
| Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, Australia, United Kingdom | Up to 152 | Invite Only |
| Belgium, China, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan | Up to 128 | Invite Only |
| Denmark, Finland, Greece, Indonesia, Mexico, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand | Up to 80 | Open Entry |
| Austria,Ireland, South Korea, Vietnam | Up to 64 | Open Entry |
| Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia | Up to 32 | Open Entry |
World Championship Qualifier Only Regions: For the 2026 season, Brunei, Costa Rica, Israel, Luxembourg, Puerto Rico, and Ukraine will run World Championship Qualifier events only and will not host a National Championship.
WEEKEND Overview
The schedule below offers an indicative overview of what to expect during the National Festival weekend and is subject to change based on local organizers.
Events capped at 64 players or higher (Excluding USA)
- National Championship – Saturday and Sunday
- World Championship Qualifier – Festival Promo Event – Sunday
- Side Events throughout the weekend
Events capped at 32 players
- Festival Promo Armory Event – Friday evening or Saturday
- National Championship – Saturday
- Side Events – at the discretion of the local organizer
National Championship Structures
| Rounds | 128-152 players | 64-80 players | 32 players |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swiss Rounds | 1-4 Classic Constructed | 1-4 Classic Constructed | 1-3 Classic Constructed |
| Swiss Rounds | 5-7 Booster Draft | 5-7 Booster Draft | 4-6 Booster Draft |
| Swiss Rounds | 8-10 Classic Constructed | 8-9 Classic Constructed | – |
| Top 8 | Classic Constructed | Classic Constructed | Classic Constructed |
Qualification
National Championship events are split between invitation-only events in larger regions and countries, and open-entry events in smaller countries. Players may only participate in one National Championship per year, and only in the region or country registered on their player profile. All players must pre-register for their National Championship event.
Qualification
Road to Nationals – Top 4
- Earning an invitation by placing Top 4 at a Road to Nationals 2026 in-store event.
- Road to Nationals invitations do not pass down and may not be transferred to another player.
- If a player has already qualified, the invitation ceases to exist.
Road to Nationals – XP
- Players may also qualify by earning sufficient Road to Nationals XP during the 2026 season.
- XP qualification thresholds and timelines will be published separately.
- Road to Nationals XP invitations do not pass down and are valid only for the 2026 National Championships.
PTI Redemption
Players may qualify by redeeming a Professional Tournament Invitation (PTI) earned from eligible prior events, such as Showdown or Calling events.
- Redeeming a PTI – PTIs can be redeemed by emailing protour@fabtcg.com with your name and GEM player ID. The player redeeming their PTI must send this email from the same email address registered to their GEM player account. PTI redemptions can be submitted up until Tuesday May 26, 2026 at 11:59 pm PDT. If the player does not attend the event, their PTI will still be deemed to have been used.
- Gifting a PTI – A player may also gift a PTI to another player by emailing protour@fabtcg.com with your name and GEM player ID number, and the name and GEM ID number of the recipient. The player gifting the PTI must send this email from the same email address registered to their GEM player account. PTI gifting requests can be submitted up until Tuesday May 26, 2026 at 11:59 pm PDT. Please note that a gifted PTI must be used by the recipient to play at the National Championship. If the recipient does NOT attend the event, the PTI will cease to exist.
2025 National Champions
- 2025 National Champions are automatically qualified to defend their title at the 2026 National Championship for their region or country.
- 2025 Champions receive free entry to the main event.
- If a 2025 National Champion also qualifies through another method, the additional qualification does not pass down.
Open-entry Events
- Only apply to events capped at 32, 64, or 80 players
- Players who qualify through Road to Nationals (Top 4 or XP), or 2025 National Champions will receive free entry.
- Open-entry tickets will be available to domestic players, up to the player cap.
Where can I find information for my country?
Each participating country will have a dedicated event page for its National Championship. Events will be published as organizers confirm their dates and locations.
Living Legend
National Championships play a significant role in the accumulation of Living Legend points. For more information, refer to the Living Legend page.
Is there anything for players who are not qualified?
Players who are not qualified for the National Championship are welcome and encouraged to attend.
- All National Championship events (capped at 64 players or higher) will host a Silver Age World Championship Qualifier on Sunday. Participation in this event awards the 2026 National Festival Promo.
- Players who are not qualified for the National Championship or who do not advance to Top 8, may participate in this qualifier.
National Championship events capped at 32 players will not host a World Championship Qualifier. For these events, the 2026 National Festival Promo will instead be available during side events scheduled by local organizers.
