Updated: 11/11/2026
The Riftbound Regional Championship Europe (RC Europe) was held at Messe Stuttgart, Germany, from 6 to 8 November 2026. It was Riot Games' first European Regional Championship for Riftbound: League of Legends TCG. More than 300 players entered the main event, which had a $50,000 prize pool and invitations to Riftbound's first World Championship for the Top 8. ASC Evansrhim won it with Kennen, Heart of the Tempest, beating Sonecon's Riven 2-0 in the final. The Universe TCG team was there as a guest store, and this is our first-hand report: the Carnival, on-site grading with Premier Card Grading, the creators, the Rioters and what it all means for Riftbound players in Spain.
RC Europe Stuttgart 2026: the key facts
| Event | Riftbound Regional Championship: Europe (RC Europe) |
|---|---|
| Dates | 6–8 November 2026 |
| Venue | Messe Stuttgart (Halls 8 and 10), Messepiazza 1, 70629 Stuttgart, Germany |
| Organisers | Riot Games and UVS Games |
| Format | Standard, with Radiance (set 5) legal |
| Players | 315 on day 1 (291 decklists), 96 on day 2 |
| Prize pool | $50,000; the champion took $10,000, the Champion card and the Champion playmat |
| Champion | ASC Evansrhim (Kennen, Heart of the Tempest) |
| Runner-up | Sonecon (Riven, The Exile) |
| Top 8 legends | 4 Riven, 3 Kennen, 1 Kai'Sa |
| Reward | Top 8 invited to Riftbound's first World Championship |
The competitive side: Riven everywhere, Kennen on top
Riven, The Exile was by far the most played legend, with 126 of the 291 decklists. Kennen was a much smaller slice of the field, but three Kennen players reached the Top 8 and one of them lifted the trophy. If you play Riftbound competitively, that is the lesson from Stuttgart: the most popular deck isn't always the one that wins. The full results are on the official standings.
The top 58 players also drafted Overnumbered Foil Plated Legends in order of finish, and attendees could buy the Worlds 2026 Bundle.
The Riftbound Carnival: Play, Collect, Redeem
For us, the best surprise of the weekend wasn't on the tables but around them. Riot Games, UVS Games and Fanfinity built a full carnival inside the hall, and it was a great idea: it gave everyone who wasn't playing the main event (friends, families, collectors, players knocked out on day 1) something to do all weekend.
Every visitor got a Carnival Passport with a Five-Game Challenge. Each game was themed on a League of Legends champion:
- Ekko's Chronobreak Challenge
- Viktor's Hexcore Calibration
- Lee Sin's Reflex Training
- Kennen's Lightning Rush
- Vi's Atlas Punch
Each game gave you a bronze (1 point), silver (2 points) or gold (3 points) token. At the end you handed in your passport for a prize: bronze for 5–8 points, silver for 9–12 and gold for 13–15.
As you can see, we got gold in Ekko, Viktor, Lee Sin and Kennen, and the Vi slot is empty. The Vi's Atlas Punch machine ended up out of service after one visitor missed and put a little too much enthusiasm into the punch. It was a shame, because the machines were great fun. That left us on 12 of 15 points: silver prize.
The top prize, for 13–15 points, was an enamel Regional Championship Europe pin with a matching keychain, both with the RC Europe logo.
Many of the arcade modules came from Erlebnisverleih, a German event-rental company that announced it was at the Riftbound European Championship in Stuttgart with its modules. They also build custom-branded modules for events, which is worth knowing if you organise one.
Erlebnisverleih Hannover (@erlebnisverleih_hannover) shared videos of its modules at the event. All credit for the videos goes to them:
Watch Erlebnisverleih Hannover's videos from the Riftbound European Championship in Stuttgart on Instagram
Our favourite detail: the sticker that reads "I played every game at the Stuttgart Regional Championship Carnival and all I got was this sticker". It's a great touch of humour, and it's already in our collection.
Stuttgart joins the other official Riftbound events in our collection, like the VIP "Accès Riftbounder" badge from the Riftbound Radiance launch. Radiance was also the newest set legal at RC Europe, so it made sense to put them side by side.
On-site grading with Premier Card Grading (PCG)
Premier Card Grading (PCG) was the official grading partner of RC Europe. It offered on-site grading with same-day (limited places), next-day and standard service, with tracked return shipping within Europe. Eligible cards received an exclusive Regional Championship 2026 label, developed with Riot, and came back in a gold foil box.
We spoke with the PCG team at length and the attention was excellent. Could a collaboration be on the way? We may start working with them. We'll keep you posted. In the meantime, you can see our current grading services.
Custom toploaders, creators and Rioters
The community area ran creator-hosted activities all weekend: quizzes, draw-and-guess games, rune painting and toploader decorating. We decorated our own Universe TCG toploaders, which are now part of our collection. There was also a meet and greet with creators and pro players, and plenty of chances to chat with them between rounds.
We also talked with several Rioters who were at the event. They were very approachable, they were interested in how the community is growing in Spain, and you could tell how much they care about the game. Speaking with the people who make Riftbound face to face is something we take back to our store.
What RC Europe means for Riftbound in Spain
Stuttgart confirmed what we see every week at our tables: Riftbound is growing fast in Europe, and the competitive circuit is getting serious. Next season's European dates are already set. With The Reckoning, the Regional Championships move to Düsseldorf (21–23 May 2027) and Lyon (25–27 June 2027), according to the official Riftbound roadmap.
If you want to get ready:
- Follow the sets: Radiance (the RC Europe format), Legacy (29/01/2027) and The Reckoning (30/04/2027).
- Find everything Riftbound in our Riftbound hub.
- Play with us: check our events and tournaments at our stores in Mollet del Vallès (Barcelona) and Segovia.
It was a great event for the Universe TCG team. We go to these championships to learn, meet the people behind the game and bring back the best of it to our players and collectors. We're always improving for you.
FAQ
Who won the Riftbound Regional Championship in Stuttgart?
ASC Evansrhim won RC Europe 2026 in Stuttgart with Kennen, Heart of the Tempest, beating Sonecon's Riven 2-0 in the final.
How many players took part in RC Europe Stuttgart?
315 players started the main event (291 decklists were submitted) and 96 made it to day 2.
What was the Riftbound Carnival Passport?
It was a passport for five champion-themed side games: Ekko, Viktor, Lee Sin, Kennen and Vi. Each game awarded bronze, silver or gold points, and your total (up to 15) decided your prize.
Could you grade cards at the Riftbound Regional Championship?
Yes. Premier Card Grading (PCG) offered same-day, next-day and standard grading on site, with an exclusive Regional Championship 2026 label.
When are the next Riftbound Regional Championships in Europe?
For the 2027 season, the official roadmap lists Düsseldorf (21–23 May 2027) and Lyon (25–27 June 2027).
Sources: Riftbound: All Eyes on RC Europe, official standings, riftbound.zone, and our own visit. Riftbound and League of Legends are trademarks of Riot Games.
