The Judge Cup Returns at Worlds 2025!

That’s right – the Judge Cup is back! On Wednesday, November 12th, before the World Championship kicks off, judges from around the globe will once again gather to battle for glory, pride, and the title of Judge Champion of the Year.

The Judge Cup is one of our most beloved traditions: a day-long tournament where judges showcase not just their dedication to the game, but their skill at the highest level of competition. Expect a full day of play.

Venue

Queen & Rook Game Cafe
123 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
https://queenandrookcafe.com/

Queen & Rook Game Cafe is hosting us! On top of their excellent service and venue, they will have a selection of hot food and drinks available starting 12:00 picked from https://queenandrookcafe.com/philadelphia-queen-village-queen-and-rook-game-cafe-food-menu

In order to sustain the Judge Cup, please consider having lunch there, and maybe even dinner. This support helps us keep the Judge Cup free of charge despite its logistical needs. If you’re in the market for board games or TCG products, please also consider supporting them by placing a pickup order for the Cup:
https://www.queenrookkeep.com/s/shop?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=created_date&sort_order=desc&fulfillments=pickup&location_id=11ea15ff66c968c9b0c80cc47a2ae378

Board games will be available for spectators or for players who drop from the Cup, and they will run a special Classic Constructed Armory starting at 18:00!
https://gem.fabtcg.com/gem/join/?query=cautious-turkey

Schedule and call time

Starting time: 10:00 sharp. All participants are expected to have submitted their decklists and be ready to play at that time. If you expect to be delayed, contact the Head Judge as soon as possible with your estimated time of arrival so you aren’t dropped. Dropped players will not be re-entered in the event. If you expect not to be able to show up, contact the event manager as soon as possible so your slot can be offered to another judge. Failure to do so may lead to disciplinary action by the judge program manager due to the disruption caused to a high-profile event.

Event details

Sponsored by LSS and free of charge, the Judge Cup runs at Competitive REL, mirrors Worlds formats, and rewards not only top performances but also participation.

Formats

3 rounds of Classic Constructed followed by 3 rounds of Living Legend.
Top 8 will be Best of 1, Classic Constructed.

Player expectations

While the Judge Cup is about fun, competition, and community, it is still an official activity. Judges are representing themselves and the entire program, and are expected to demonstrate the highest standards of fair play, integrity, and professionalism.
Judges are expected to make every effort to play their rounds to the best of their abilities, as a matter of respect for the staff, sponsors, and their opponents.

Prizes

• Participation: judge playmat and judge sleeves for every participant
• Top 8: an additional, more exclusive playmat
• Winner: a secret extremely rare collector item, trophy, and the 2025 Judge Champion title
• Door prizes: collector items (including the very cool Judge Happi from Worlds 2024) will be distributed at random each round to judges playing that round
Prizes will be collected during the weekend. Location and time will be communicated to you as soon as they are known. Do not ask to World Tour Admin staff about them.

Eligibility

To join the Judge Cup, you must:
• Be Level 1 or higher,
• Be in good standing with LSS and the Judge Program, and
• Have a 2025 event listed in your JudgeHub profile in a judge capacity.

Applications will be handled first come, first served if we reach capacity. We also welcome applications for event staff (Head Judge, Floor Judges, Scorekeeper).