The path to greatness starts in your store with 2026 Road to Nationals!
Road to Nationals provides players with a direct qualification to National Championships, plus prize cards and playmats!
What is the event window?
January 3, 2026 – February 1, 2026.
Events can be sanctioned now.
Is there any flexibility on the event dates?
Events must be run in this window. If stores cannot run the event during this time the event MUST be cancelled and the Prize Kit MUST be returned to your distributor.
How will I know if my store has been selected to host a Road to Nationals 2026 event?
- Selected stores will receive an email inviting them to sanction their event in GEM.
- Invited stores will be able to select the Tournament Type ‘Road to Nationals 2026’ in GEM
- Invitations will be sent October 20, with stores having until 5:00 PM, November 3 (local time) to sanction their events in GEM.
What format is Road to Nationals 2026?
Road to Nationals events will use the Classic Constructed format.
Entry Fee?
Stores may charge an entry fee for this event at their discretion.
What should I do if I am unable to run my Road to Nationals event?
Please contact op@fabtcg.com.
Event Structure
| Players | Swiss Rounds | Top Cut |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 3 | None |
| 9 – 16 | 4 | Top 4 |
| 17 – 32 | 5 | Top 8 |
| 33 – 64 | 6 | Top 8 |
| 65 – 128 | 7 | Top 8 |
All events should be run with swiss rounds, followed by a top 4 or 8 cut depending on the number of players in the event (with the exception of 8 players where there is no top cut).
Is there a minimum number of players needed to run this event?
Road to Nationals events need a minimum of 8 players to run. If an event runs with less than 8 players, it will not provide any invites and the store will lose the right to host an event of this level in the future.
Is there a maximum number of players?
Road to Nationals events are very popular event series and frequently attract a high number of players. Stores may set an attendance cap for their Road to Nationals events in line with their store’s capacity and staffing capabilities, however, you may wish to consider an external venue if your store has the capacity for less than 32 players.
If your event does have an attendance cap, then we encourage you to have a clearly communicated pre-registration process to reduce the risk of player disappointment.
How long should I budget for my Road to Nationals event?
For Classic Constructed events, we recommend 55-minute rounds. This allows players up to 5 minutes to present their decks and at least 50 minutes to play their match.
Prizes and Distribution
What are the prizes?
| Prize | Distribution |
|---|---|
| National Championship 2026 Entry Qualification | Top 4 players each receive the qualification. |
| 1x Random Drop Gold Foil Card (Common or Rare or Majestic) | Stores can NOT open the Random Drop Gold Foil. 1st place winner to be awarded sealed black envelope at the conclusion of top 8. Winner may choose to open it or keep sealed. The envelope contains a random PCG 9 or better Common, Rare, or Majestic Gold Foil Prize Card. |
| 2x Finalist Playmats (either Call to the Grave or New Horizon) | To be awarded to the 1st and 2nd placed player. |
| 4x Cold Foil In the Palm of Your Hand Promo Cards | To be awarded to the top 4 placed players. |
| 8x Rainbow Foil Twin Drive Promo Cards | To be awarded to the top 8 players. |
| 50x GEM Pack 3 Boosters | To be used as participation prizes. Each participating player should receive a GEM Pack 3 booster, while stocks last. |
| 1x Judge Pack | Handed out to the head judge once the event has concluded. |
| 1x Judge Playmat | Handed out to the floor judge once the event has concluded. |
I have extra GEM Pack 3 boosters left over after giving one per player, what should I do?
Stores may use any leftover GEM Pack 3 boosters as additional prizing for their Road to Nationals event or use as support for other in-store events at their discretion.
How do I get the Prize Kits?
The Prize kit will be supplied by your distributor. Distributors will be notified of participating stores once the event sanctioning window has closed.
Can I add prizes to the prize pool?
Stores may add any additional prizing at their discretion.
Judge Support
The following is provided to reward your Head Judge:
- 1x Judge Pack of the current season.
The following is provided to up to one Floor Judge, if any, otherwise to the Head Judge:
- 1x Judge Playmat
The judge support must be provided to your judge team only
LSS provides this Judge Support to reward judges for their skills and dedication shown towards the game and is not allowed to be used to replace any compensation they would otherwise receive for working a Road to Nationals 2026 event.
Rules Enforcement, Judges and Decklists
Are decklists required?
Yes! Decklists are mandatory for these events and we recommend having players use our GEM Deck Builder Tool to submit their decklists electronically. For paper submissions you can find the Deck Registration Sheets here.
What level of rules enforcement is this event run at?
This event is run at a Competitive rules enforcement level.
Will I need a Judge for this event?
Road to Nationals events MUST have a Level 1 or higher judge as head judge. The judge program has qualified over 1500+ Level 1+ judges up to date.
How do find a Judge for my event?
If you are not already in touch with a judge in your community, please check out our guide here.
Other Questions
Can I run this event at a location that is not my store?
Road to Nationals events can be run at alternate locations. However, location information needs to be entered in the event description in GEM when you create the event.
Can store staff play in these events?
The TO and judges for the event cannot play. Store staff that are not involved in the administration of the event are allowed.
Additionally, the TO is not allowed to be a judge in the event.
Players from outside my country want to join the event. Do I let them?
Yes, players from outside your country can play in your event. If they win a qualification they can only attend the Nationals of the country they are resident in, this does not take away a Nationals spot from your country.
Digital Assets and Marketing
Where do I find digital assets for social media?
Digital assets for social media and printable posters can be found here.
Tell us about your event!
We love showcasing fans having fun at their local game store! If you’d like a chance to have your store and players featured, please fill out the Coverage Form.
In particular, we are looking for:
- A photo of the winner
- General event photos
- Stories of players, matches, or the day
We ask for your understanding that it may not always be possible to feature every event that is submitted.
If you have any questions or would like to submit additional information, please email coverage@fabtcg.com.