2026 World Championship

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2026 World Championship

Brian Fred with the World Championship trophy
Organizer Players Committee
Dates 23–25 October 2026 (main event 24–25 October)[1]
Venue Hyatt Regency Bloomington by Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota, USA[1][2]

The venue, the Hyatt Regency Bloomington (photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0)
Format Open (Virtual Set 27 legal)
Players 58[3][4]
Champion Brian Fred
Runner-up Justin Desai[5]
Previous / Next 2025 · —

The 2026 World Championship was the 31st Star Wars CCG World Championship, held by the Players Committee at the Hyatt Regency Bloomington by Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, from 23 to 25 October 2026; the main event was played on 24–25 October.[1][2] Fifty-eight players entered, and all 58 played all eight Swiss games.[3][4] Brian Fred defeated Justin Desai in the Final Confrontation with ISB Operations and Diplomatic Mission To Alderaan,[5][3][6] a year after his Hall of Fame induction at the 2025 World Championship.[7] Fred also won the Friday team tournament with Phil Aasen.[8]

Minnesota Worlds 2026 banner
The Players Committee's promotional banner for the event[9]

Results

Final Top 8 order and Sunday (Top 8) decks as published.[5]

Place Player Dark Light
1 Brian Fred ISB Operations Diplomatic Mission To Alderaan
2 Justin Desai On The Verge Of Greatness The Force Is Strong In My Family
3 Greg Shaw The Shield Will Be Down In Moments Something About This Boy
4 Drew Lichtenstein On The Verge Of Greatness They Have No Idea We're Coming
5 Joe Horbey Hunt Down And Destroy The Jedi (V) The Force Is Strong In My Family
6 Joe Olson Endor Operations Watch Your Step
7 Dennis Reinhardt Invasion The Force Is Strong In My Family
8 Bryan Mischke Hunt Down And Destroy The Jedi Watch Your Step

Top 8 bracket

The main event was eight Swiss games on Saturday 24 October (strength-of-schedule tiebreak), then a Top 8 of match play on Sunday with 1:15 games. Quarterfinal pairings were drawn at random, top four against bottom four; the higher seed chose which side to play first, and the bracket was re-seeded to the Day 1 standings after the quarterfinals.[1]

Day 1 seeds: 1 Greg Shaw 8–0; 2 Drew Lichtenstein 7–1; 3 Desai 6–2; 4 Joe Horbey 6–2; 5 Joe Olson 6–2; 6 Dennis Reinhardt 6–2; 7 Fred 6–2; 8 Bryan Mischke 6–2.[3] Mischke and Chris Wirfs (9th, 6–2) played a game for the eighth seat; its result was not posted, but Mischke made the Top 8 and Wirfs is listed 9th.[3][5]

The organizer posted one game of each match; the second games and the match totals were not posted. Margins are differentials; lost piles in brackets.[3]

  • Quarterfinals: Desai (Dark) def. Reinhardt by 20 (19–44) in the posted game, and Desai advanced. Lichtenstein (Light) def. Olson by 19 (14–31), and Lichtenstein advanced. Shaw (Dark) def. Mischke by 3 (34–33), and Shaw advanced. Horbey (Dark) def. Fred by 13 (27–35), but Fred advanced.[3]
  • Semifinals (re-seeded): Desai (Dark) def. Lichtenstein by 20 (21–36), and Desai advanced. Shaw (Light) def. Fred by 9 (18–28), but Fred advanced; his game 2 against Shaw is in the YouTube playlist.[3][10]
  • Final: Fred (Light) def. Desai by 5 (28–46) in game 1. Game 2 was not posted. Fred won the title.[3][6]

The Top 8 was streamed live on twitch.tv/swccgpc and twitch.tv/tashi_station_,[3] with Dan Tartaglione and Garrett Larson as the stream team.[11] Eleven games from the weekend were posted to a YouTube playlist; the final is not among them.[10]

Day 1

Day 1 standings and lists as published.[5]

Day 1 Player Dark Light
1 Greg Shaw The Shield Will Be Down In Moments Something About This Boy
2 Drew Lichtenstein On The Verge Of Greatness They Have No Idea We're Coming
3 Justin Desai On The Verge Of Greatness The Force Is Strong In My Family
4 Joe Horbey My Kind Of Scum The Force Is Strong In My Family
5 Joe Olson My Kind Of Scum Let The Wookiee Win (V)
6 Dennis Reinhardt Revenge Of The Sith The Force Is Strong In My Family
7 Brian Fred Revenge Of The Sith Something About This Boy
8 Bryan Mischke Agents Of Black Sun Watch Your Step
9 Chris Wirfs Set Your Course For Alderaan Don't Tread On Me (V)
10 Tom Kelly My Kind Of Scum Mind What You Have Learned (V)
11 Ryan Jellison Agents Of Black Sun Watch Your Step
12 Patrick Johnson Court Of The Vile Gangster Watch Your Step
13 Hayes Hunter Hunt Down And Destroy The Jedi (V) The Force Is Strong In My Family
14 Phil Aasen Revenge Of The Sith Something About This Boy
15 Daniel Amor Court Of The Vile Gangster Watch Your Step
16 Karl Koenig My Kind Of Scum The Force Is Strong In My Family
17 Mike Kessling Revenge Of The Sith Something About This Boy
18 Matthew Harrison-Trainor Revenge Of The Sith They Have No Idea We're Coming
19 Casey Anis Hunt Down And Destroy The Jedi He Is The Chosen One
20 Amar Banger Coruscant CRv Let The Wookiee Win (V)
21 Sam Olson More Systems Will Rally To Our Cause Communing
22 Chris Kelly Court Of The Vile Gangster Mind What You Have Learned (V)
23 AJ Hatoum My Kind Of Scum Watch Your Step
24 Patrick Lima Hunt Down And Destroy The Jedi The Force Is Strong In My Family
25 Cory Lauer A Great Tactician Creates Plans Quiet Mining Colony
26 Carson Stockman A Great Tactician Creates Plans The Galaxy May Need A Legend
27 Sam Tashima On The Verge Of Greatness We Have A Plan
28 Matt Lutz Hunt Down And Destroy The Jedi The Hyperdrive Generator's Gone (V)
29 Jarad Konsker Hunt Down And Destroy The Jedi (V) TRM
30 Justin Miyashiro On The Verge Of Greatness Let The Wookiee Win (V)
31 Bill Kafer Shadow Collective Watch Your Step
32 Abe Christensen More Systems Will Rally To Our Cause Let The Wookiee Win (V)
33 Barry Alperstein No Money, No Parts, No Deal! Let The Wookiee Win (V)
34 Sean Miller The Shield Will Be Down In Moments Communing
35 Ming Huo Endor Operations Mind What You Have Learned (V)
36 Nick Swedal On The Verge Of Greatness Zero Hour
37 William Ament This Deal Is Getting Worse All The Time (V) Watch Your Step
38 Mark Walseth A Great Tactician Creates Plans Communing
39 Charlie Arlandson Revenge Of The Sith Something About This Boy
40 Nathan Russell On The Verge Of Greatness The Hyperdrive Generator's Gone (V)
41 Jeff Lavigne My Kind Of Scum Let The Wookiee Win (V)
42 Larry Nava De Santiago Endor Operations The Force Is Strong In My Family
43 Zach Behm ISB Operations Quiet Mining Colony
44 Richard Law Shadow Collective They Have No Idea We're Coming
45 Ben Riggs Shadow Collective The Force Is Strong In My Family
46 Andrew Moss Imperial Entanglements The Empire Knows We're Here
47 Joel Cooper A Stunning Move They Have No Idea We're Coming
48 John Veasey On The Verge Of Greatness They Have No Idea We're Coming
49 Conrad Simmering Imperial Entanglements Quiet Mining Colony
50 Keith Brown On The Verge Of Greatness Communing
51 Jackson Schuman Hunt Down And Destroy The Jedi (V) He Is The Chosen One
52 Ryan Sersen Agents Of Black Sun Yavin 4 Base Operations
53 Ellie Hoyt My Lord, Is That Legal? Plead My Case To The Senate
54 Malcolm Wershow The First Order Reigns Watch Your Step
55 Jacoby Kramer Imperial Entanglements Hunt For The Droid General
56 Tom Marlin A Stunning Move The Hidden Path
57 Emmett Armstrong Let Them Make The First Move Quiet Mining Colony
58 Joe Wisniewski Bring Him Before Me Zero Hour

Side events

  • Team tournament (Friday 23 October, teams of two, one player on each side, three games, cumulative differential; 11 teams): won by The Unholy Alliance, Phil Aasen and Brian Fred, with 12 points (+92) without dropping a game, for the mini obelisk trophies. Hong Kong Danger Duo were second (8, +39) and Team S&C third (8, +9).[1][8]
  • Consolation (Sunday, six Swiss games, about 27 players): won by Pat Johnson, undefeated, ahead of Carson Stockman, Sam Tashima and AJ Hatoum.[12]
  • Other events: a Friday Cube event ("Throdo's Cube Spectacular!") and Retro (Premiere–Death Star II) events were also scheduled; their results were not posted on the forum.[1][13]
  • Holotheatre: Brian Fred joined deadbody and DTartagOne for a special Holotheatre episode on twitch.tv/swccgpc on Monday 2 November 2026.[14]

Photographs

  • The Players Committee's promotional banner for "Minnesota Worlds 2026" (announced 2 October 2026)
    The Players Committee's promotional banner for "Minnesota Worlds 2026" (announced 2 October 2026)
  • The venue, the Hyatt Regency Bloomington (photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0)
    The venue, the Hyatt Regency Bloomington (photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0)
  • Two Star Wars CCG Players Committee pull-up banners ('Come back to the game you love') in the venue hallway.
    Two Star Wars CCG Players Committee pull-up banners ('Come back to the game you love') in the venue hallway.
  • Brian Fred (eventual champion) in Game 6 vs Dennis Reinhardt (both later Top 8). Two players mid-game, card boxes on table.
    Brian Fred (eventual champion) in Game 6 vs Dennis Reinhardt (both later Top 8). Two players mid-game, card boxes on table.
  • Close-up of the prize pile: foil cards in sleeves with Worlds poker chips.
    Close-up of the prize pile: foil cards in sleeves with Worlds poker chips.
  • Justin Desai (finalist) vs Joe Olson, Game 6. Two players over a space playmat.
    Justin Desai (finalist) vs Joe Olson, Game 6. Two players over a space playmat.
  • Start of Game 2: wide shot of the full main event hall.
    Start of Game 2: wide shot of the full main event hall.
  • Greg Shaw (went 8-0 on day 1) vs Hayes Hunter, Game 8 (Table #1).
    Greg Shaw (went 8-0 on day 1) vs Hayes Hunter, Game 8 (Table #1).
  • Chris Schoenthal at the tournament/organiser desk with laptop ('Lord of His Domain').
    Chris Schoenthal at the tournament/organiser desk with laptop ('Lord of His Domain').
  • Stream team Dan Tartaglione and Garrett Larson at the streaming desk with laptops, PC banner behind.
    Stream team Dan Tartaglione and Garrett Larson at the streaming desk with laptops, PC banner behind.
  • Prize Pile: tables of foil prize cards in packs (Worlds stamped).
    Prize Pile: tables of foil prize cards in packs (Worlds stamped).
  • Team tournament, Friday Oct 23: players standing around between games.
    Team tournament, Friday Oct 23: players standing around between games.
  • The Unholy Alliance (team tournament champions Phil Aasen + Brian Fred) posing before/while 'prophesying their win'.
    The Unholy Alliance (team tournament champions Phil Aasen + Brian Fred) posing before/while 'prophesying their win'.
  • Tom Kelly vs Joe Olson, Game 8 (Table #5).
    Tom Kelly vs Joe Olson, Game 8 (Table #5).
  • The Unholy Alliance (Phil Aasen and Brian Fred) with their team tournament obelisks.
    The Unholy Alliance (Phil Aasen and Brian Fred) with their team tournament obelisks.

See also

Sources

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Schedule of Events (2026 World Championship), Star Wars CCG Players Committee forum
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 forum topic 86751 (venue details), Star Wars CCG Players Committee forum
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 2026 World Championship Top 8, forum.starwarsccg.org
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Players Committee Slack, #announcements, imrahil327, 24 October 2026: "58 players for the 2026 World Championship!"
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 2026-11 SWCCG World Championship – Bloomington, Minnesota (Oct. 23-25, 2026), starwarsccg.org
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Players Committee Slack, #announcements, imrahil327, 25 October 2026: "Congrats to our newest World Champion, @retwin316!"
  7. ↑ World Championship 2025 Wrap-Up: Greg Shaw Wins his Crown, starwarsccg.org (23 October 2025). Preserved copy: Internet Archive
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Team Tournament updates (2026 World Championship), Star Wars CCG Players Committee forum
  9. ↑ 2026 World Championship – Upcoming October 23–25 in Minneapolis MN, starwarsccg.org (2 October 2026)
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 2026 World Championship, YouTube playlist, Star Wars CCG channel (11 videos, checked 30 October 2026)
  11. ↑ Photo file page: File:2026 World Championship Stream Team.jpg (from the shared "Worlds 2026 Photos & Videos" Google Drive folder)
  12. ↑ Consolation Tournament Pairings (2026 World Championship), Star Wars CCG Players Committee forum
  13. ↑ Prize Support (2026 World Championship), Star Wars CCG Players Committee forum
  14. ↑ Players Committee Slack, #announcements, DTartagOne, 27 October 2026 (Holotheatre announcement)

References

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