The RCQ Season 2026-27 Roadmap: Your Path to the Pro Tour
Expanded event frequency and upgraded promos headline the new qualifying season. April start means Secrets of Strixhaven shapes the early competitive landscape.
Wizards of the Coast has published the full roadmap for the 2026-27 Regional Championship Qualifier season, which begins in April 2026. The season serves as the qualifying pipeline for 2027's Pro Tour events.
Key changes from last season include expanded event frequency, with stores able to host more RCQs per quarter. Promo cards have been upgraded — the participation promo is a full-art basic land cycle, while top finishers receive foil alternate-art versions of Standard-legal rares.
The pathway structure remains: RCQ winners qualify for Regional Championships, and Regional Championship top performers earn Pro Tour invitations. The system has been praised for making competitive Magic more accessible than the old Grand Prix qualification model.
For players planning their competitive calendar, the April start date means Secrets of Strixhaven will be legal for the first wave of RCQs, creating an unusually dynamic early-season metagame.
