MTG World Championship 2026: Schedule, Format and Prize
Worlds opens the same day Star Trek reaches stores, so the Draft rounds use a set that has been on Arena for three days and on shelves for none.
Verdict
Magic World Championship 32 runs November 13-15 in Atlanta: two days of Star Trek Draft and Standard, then a Standard Top 8 on Sunday, for a $1,000,000 pool.
MTG World Championship 2026, officially Magic World Championship 32, starts on Friday, November 13, the same day Magic: The Gathering | Star Trek reaches stores. The invited players split two days between Star Trek Booster Draft and Standard at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, and the Top 8 plays Standard on Sunday.
Part 6 of 6The story so far: Star Trek MTG, from spoilers to release
That timing is the story. Star Trek reaches MTG Arena only three days earlier, so the Draft rounds reward whoever learns it fastest, and Standard lists lock on Wednesday, two days before Star Trek is on store shelves.
What Is the MTG World Championship 2026? (quick answer)
It is Magic's invitation-only World Championship, held at MagicCon: Atlanta, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia 30313, USA. Friday and Saturday mix Star Trek Booster Draft and Standard Constructed; Sunday is a single-elimination Top 8 in Standard. The fact sheet also confirms the payout below.
What Happened: MTG World Championship 2026 Dates, Venue and Prize
Wizards published the competitor fact sheet on July 28, 2026. Beyond the dates and venue, it fixes the two formats, the deadlines in the table further down, and the prize money.
The $1,000,000 pool pays $100,000 to the winner, $50,000 to second, $25,000 each to third and fourth and $20,000 each to fifth through eighth. Nobody leaves with less than $4,000. Payouts for ninth place down are in the complete chart, which Wizards says will be announced the week of November 9, 2026.
Top 8 prizes and the minimum payout from the World Championship 32 fact sheet. Image: BaseMTG chart.
How the 14 Swiss Rounds Work
| Day | Star Trek Booster Draft rounds | Standard rounds |
|---|---|---|
| Friday | 3 | 4 |
| Saturday | 3 | 4 |
Competitors with 12 or more match points after Round 7 advance to Saturday's portion of the competition. A player who reaches the designated number of match wins before Round 14 goes straight to the Top 8 and stops playing Swiss; Wizards sets that number the week of November 9. Sunday's single-elimination rounds are Standard, best three out of five, and every player keeps the same Standard deck from Friday to Sunday.
The fact sheet gives 14 Swiss rounds in total. That matches the day-by-day split: 3 Draft plus 4 Standard is 7 rounds a day, and two days make 14.
Dates from the competitor fact sheet on magic.gg; the Arena and tabletop release dates come from Wizards' Star Trek collecting page. Image: BaseMTG chart.
Deadlines Players Need to Know
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, November 11, 12:00 p.m. Atlanta-local | Standard decklists due on MTGMelee |
| Thursday, November 12, 5:00-8:00 p.m. | In-person registration |
| Friday morning, 8:00-8:30 a.m. | Late registration |
Why It Matters: A Brand-New Draft Format on Release Weekend
The Draft format is Star Trek Booster Draft, and the tabletop release of Star Trek is November 13, 2026, the day the championship begins. Star Trek reaches MTG Arena on November 10.
The Standard decklist deadline is Wednesday, November 11: one day after the Arena release and two days before the tabletop release. That is date arithmetic on the published schedule.
The fact sheet lists no sets legal for the Standard rounds, no broadcast details and no pack count for the Draft. Wizards' collecting page says Star Trek (TRK) is legal in all formats.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Magic World Championship 32? Magic World Championship 32 runs November 13-15, 2026, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia 30313, USA. Friday and Saturday each carry three Star Trek Booster Draft rounds followed by four Standard rounds, 14 Swiss rounds in total, and Sunday holds the Top 8 single-elimination rounds.
Where is the MTG World Championship 2026? The MTG World Championship 2026 takes place at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia 30313, USA, from November 13 to 15, 2026. In-person registration is Thursday, November 12, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., and Standard decklists are due Wednesday, November 11, at 12:00 p.m. Atlanta-local time.
What formats are played at Magic World Championship 32? Magic World Championship 32 uses two formats: Magic: The Gathering | Star Trek Booster Draft and Standard Constructed. Friday and Saturday each schedule three Draft rounds followed by four Standard rounds. The fact sheet lists no sets legal for the Standard rounds and no pack count for the Draft.
What is the prize pool for the MTG World Championship 2026? The pool is $1,000,000. The fact sheet's Top 8 chart pays $100,000 for first, $50,000 for second, $25,000 each for third and fourth and $20,000 each for fifth to eighth, and every competitor receives at least $4,000. The complete chart for the other places is due the week of November 9, 2026.
How do players reach Sunday at Magic World Championship 32? Sunday is reserved for the Top 8 competitors, who advance to single-elimination rounds. To play Saturday, competitors need 12 or more match points after Round 7 of the Swiss rounds. Both rules come from the competitor fact sheet, which gives the Swiss portion as 14 rounds in total.
When are Standard decklists due for Magic World Championship 32? Standard decklists are due Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Atlanta-local time, submitted on MTGMelee. By the published dates, that is one day after the November 10 MTG Arena release of Star Trek and two days before its November 13 tabletop release.
Related Reading
- MTG Standard Rotation 2027: Which 6 Sets Leave and When: Which six sets leave Standard next, and the date they go.
- Standard Metagame Tier List After Reality Fracture: Where each Standard deck stands right now, and the one we'd register.
- Star Trek MTG Release Date: Nov 13, Arena Nov 10 (2026): The confirmed Star Trek release dates and products.
References
The story so far
Star Trek MTG, from spoilers to release
3 earlier steps on the full timeline
Every confirmed date, from Prerelease week to the tabletop release
- then
Wizards warns some products may ship late; Commander decks in North America may miss release day
- thenYou are here
World Championship 32 preview: Star Trek Draft and Standard in Atlanta
- Next
Debut stream opens the full preview season; complete card gallery on October 30
- Next
Prerelease events open in stores, running through November 12
About the author
Standard & Metagame Desk
Pen name for the BaseMTG Standard desk: deck guides, metagame reports and tournament results. Each piece starts from published tournament lists and dated metagame data, with a sources table behind every number.
- Standard decks, metagame and tournament results
- A sources table behind every number
- Mana and opening-hand odds computed by script, run count stated
Keep reading
Golgari Standard Deck Guide: Vraska Midrange vs Tarmogoyf
Guides · 13 min
Budget Standard Decks: The Cheapest Lists That Still Win
Guides · 12 min
Sultai Reanimator Standard Deck Guide: List and Game Plan
Guides · 17 min
Mono-Black Aggro Standard Deck Guide and 60-Card List
Guides · 13 min
4c Control Standard Deck Guide: Decklist and How to Play
Guides · 13 min
Jeskai Artifacts Standard Deck Guide: Both Builds Compared
Guides · 14 min
Selesnya Landfall Standard Deck Guide and 60-Card List
Guides · 6 min
MTG Standard Banned List: All 14 Entries (October 2026)
Guides · 12 min
Disclaimer
This article is published for informational and entertainment purposes. It does not constitute professional financial, legal, or technical advice. Game performance, online services, patch schedules, and store listings change. Verify critical details (pricing, system requirements, regional availability) with publishers and storefronts before you buy. Affiliate links, where present, help support our editorial work and are labelled in our affiliate disclosure.