Magic the Gathering's US RCQ | 2026-27 Round 1 comes to Curiosity Games

Kicking off at the end of April, Curiosity will be hosting three Regional Championship Qualifier (RCQ) events. Each event will be run as Sealed using different Magic sets (see below for dates and formats), feature official promo support, and award an invitation to the next Regional Championship to the winner.*

RCQs are part of Magic’s highest-level in-store competitive play. These events are designed to identify top players in the region and provide a direct path toward higher-level organized play. Whether you’re aiming to qualify or just want to test yourself in a Competitive REL environment, these events are built to challenge you.

We’re proud to host these events and look forward to welcoming both returning players and new faces from across the area. Curiosity places a strong emphasis on maintaining a clean, professional, and community-focused environment. We expect all participants to bring a respectful and competitive attitude to match.

Players must be registered and paid at least one week prior to each event to guarantee a seat. Late entries may be accepted if space and product are still available, but entry is not guaranteed after that point.

Tournament Structure

Events will be run using Swiss rounds based on attendance. If the event exceeds 16 players, the tournament will cut to a Top 8 single-elimination playoff to determine the winner. For smaller events, the tournament may conclude after Swiss rounds based on final standings.

Event Schedule

4/25 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Sealed

5/23 – Lorwyn Eclipsed Sealed

6/20 – Secrets of Strixhaven Sealed

Entry: $40

Each event includes official RCQ promos that we have purchased specifically to support these tournaments. No additional prizing will be offered beyond these promos.

What if 8 players do not sign up?

If fewer than 8 players register for the event, it will not qualify to award an invitation to the Regional Championship. In that case, you may choose to receive a refund in your original payment method, or we may still run the event for the official promos only, without the invitation.

An invitation to the Regional Championship is only awarded if a minimum of 8 players participate in the event.

Curiosity reserves the right to refuse entry or remove any participant at our discretion to maintain a safe, respectful, and competitive environment.