Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2025

Card Legality

Cards released in TCG regions after August 1st 2025, or originating from Battles of Legend: Monster Mayhem are not permitted in the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2025 Tournament. This is in addition to any TCG Exclusives / World Premiere cards not yet released in the OCG (and vice versa), and any OCG set released after April 26th 2025 - it's a long list!.

This means that Justice Hunters is the last legal set for this event, however Battles of Legend: Monster Mayhem is not - likely due to product delays in European territories.

Click here to see the full Forbidden & Limited List for the World Championships (TCG) and Forbidden & Limited List for the World Championships (OCG)

Tournament Format

• Each round consists of one 1 Match (first Duelist to win 2 Duels wins the Match).
• After the Swiss Rounds are complete, there will be a cut to the Top 8.
• Day 1 of the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG World Championship 2025 will consist of seven 7 rounds of Swiss tournament play.
• Day 2 will consist of the 3 Single Elimination Rounds (Quarter Finals, Semi Finals, and Championship Match) featuring the remaining Top 8 Duelists from Day 1.

End of Match Procedure - Swiss Rounds

If the Match does not finish within 50 minutes, the result will be a double loss.

1. A Match is considered finished when one of the Duelists has either won two Duels or lost 2 Duels.
2. If time expires and the Match has not finished it will be a double loss.
3. If the Duelists have completed 3 Duels without the Match finishing and there is time remaining in the Round, the Duelists will go into a 4th Duel.

Deck & Deck List

• Duelists may only use the Deck which they registered for the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG World Championship 2025.
• Cards that are not listed on the submitted Deck List cannot be used.
• Cards switched from the Side Deck to Main Deck or vice versa must be returned to the original Deck as written on the Deck List, prior to the beginning of each Match.
• Duelists are not allowed to swap cards in their Main Deck from the Side Deck in the 1st Duel of a Match.

Time Limit

• The Time Limit for each Swiss Round is 50 minutes.
• The Top 8 Single Elimination Rounds do not have a time limit, but Duelists are still expected to play at a proper pace and Slow Play penalties will be enforced as needed.
• This includes intervals between Duels (time used for Side Decking and shuffling), and the time that it takes a judge to make a ruling or for translators to translate Duelists' questions.
• Depending on the situation, the Judge may opt to extend time, but this is not guaranteed.
• Both Duelists are responsible for playing at an acceptable pace so that the Round ends before the Time Limit, if there is a Time Limit.

Slow Play

• Duelists will be penalized for delaying the game.
• Duelists who repeatedly delay the game are subject to upgraded penalties.
• Duelists who take excessive time to perform actions, or make repetitive actions, may receive penalties, even if the delay is unintentional. Penalties are given by a judge, usually beginning with a Warning.
• Duelists must inform a judge if they feel their opponent is causing a delay.
• This includes intervals between Duels (time used for Side Decking and shuffling), and the time taken by Duelists to ask questions, and time taken to resolve any issues.
• Depending on the situation, the Head Judge may opt to extend time, but this is not guaranteed.
• Both Duelists are responsible for playing at an acceptable pace so that the Round ends before the Time Limit, if there is a Time Limit.
• Slow Play penalties come with a minimum time extension of three (3) minutes.