Eyes On Bologna - What to Know

This weekend brings more than 1.6k players into the Main Event, alongside 1.7k players and creators joining us to dive into side events, try new formats, and connect with the Riftbound community. Whether you’re here to compete, create, or jump into the action, Bologna is shaping up to be a weekend to remember.

This event marks a major milestone for Riftbound in Europe, and before the first cards hit the table, there are a few important updates to know.

TL;DR – What’s New in Bologna

• Improved Tournament Structure

• Round Timing and Turn Updates

• Best-Of Prizing Updates

• Mixed-language Decks are Legal

• Draft Will Be Live and Playable

• Riftbound Spiritforged Product Availability

Let’s break it all down.

What is on the line? 

"Come out and play. Heheheh." - Draven

A lot.

Players who finish Top 32 will earn a share of the $25,000 prize pool, with $6,000 awarded to first place. More importantly, top performers will secure invitations to an upcoming Regional Championship, taking the next step toward qualification for the first-ever Riftbound World Championship.

Day 2 will feature an updated elimination structure—no longer straight single eliminations—giving competitors more room to fight back, adapt, and prove their skill on the biggest stage yet. 

Every match matters. Every decision matters. One well-timed Rune recycle or perfectly sequenced Unit buff could be the moment that puts you on the road to Worlds.

Best-Of Legends Prizing 

At Bologna, Best-Of Prizing returns in a big way.

Each Champion will have one Best-Of Legend available per Regional Qualifier, awarded to the highest-placing competitor piloting that Champion. These Best-Of Legends are tournament-legal, holographic metal versions of your Champion’s Legend card. Yes, they absolutely come with bragging rights.

Following Dalian and Fuzhou, Bologna continues the full set of 28 total Best-Of Legends spanning Riftbound: Origins, Proving Grounds, and Spiritforged. Earning one takes Champion mastery, a deep bracket run, and just enough luck to dodge your worst matchup.

Coverage Information 

Broadcast is heating up as a mix of new and familiar faces join the desk for Bologna.

Talent: Leonard König / Amy Wosley / James O'Leary / Aaron Chamberlain

You can catch the action live starting at:

• 4:00 AM CST

• 2:00 AM PST

• 10:00 AM GMT

Watch live on Riftbound’s YouTube and Twitch channels. Make sure you’re following so you don’t miss the opening match.

Reaction-Speed Coverage on @RiftboundOP

Following on the go? @RiftboundOP on X will have coverage throughout the weekend.

What you can expect:

• Match Results

• Bracket Updates

• Player Interviews

• Behind-the-scenes Content

• Deck Techs

@RiftboundOP is also your year-round home for Riftbound Organized Play, covering everything from Nexus Nights and Skirmish Series to Regional Qualifiers, Championships, and Worlds.

Traveling to Bologna?

Whether it’s your first time in the city or you’re already hunting down the best tortellini, we’ve got you covered. Check out our Bologna Travel Guide for tips and recommendations to help you make the most of your trip.

The guide includes parking details, transportation tips, places to visit, weather expectations, and more.

Riftbound Product Availability

We know access to product matters, and we’ve made sure Bologna has attendees covered. For this event, we’re bringing even more Riftbound: Origins and Spiritforged product on site—and we’ll be implementing reasonable per-badge purchase limits to help ensure everyone has a fair shot at getting what they want, no matter when they arrive.

Attendees will be able to purchase sealed product, while prize-wall tickets can be redeemed for full boxes and packs of both Origins and Spiritforged. Prize-Wall Plated Legends are also returning, giving players another chance to earn these fan-favorite collectibles.

Beyond the official merch store and prize wall, featured vendors will offer Riftbound singles and a wide selection of TCG accessories, making it easy to refine your deck or round out your collection throughout the weekend.

Player Reminders: Setting Yourself Up for Success

Before we get into rules specifics, here are a few reminders that can make a big difference at competitive events:

1. Be careful, be precise, and be communicative. Exhausting cards sloppily on messy board states, moving cards between areas, and not announcing triggers, are the majority of the mistakes we have observed in competitive play up to this point. Communication is key; ensuring that both players clearly understand what is going on throughout the game solves many issues.

2. Pay costs first, and be clear about your targets and decisions. When playing a card, make sure the costs are all paid before resolution for the card. Announcing your costs verbally also helps make explicit what you’re doing to your opponent. “I'll exhaust four runes and recycle a Body rune to play Qiyana.”

3. Maintain a proper pace of play. As we said above, we know it is both a young game and a nascent competitive scene, meaning that many players are still learning the rules and also may not have experience playing at competitive Riftbound events. As such, there will be some leeway here for the RQ in Houston, but players must act in a reasonable time. If you feel your opponent is not maintaining the proper pace of play then call a judge.

4. Call a judge and be understanding if your opponent calls a judge. Judges are here to help an event run smoothly. If something has gone awry in a game then the best thing to do is to immediately stop play and call a judge to check it out and, if needed, issue a ruling regarding an issue.

Frequently Asked Rules Questions

We’ve collected some answers to commonly asked questions about the Core Game Rules and the Tournament Rules, to help players going into this weekend’s event.

Make sure your sleeves are tournament-legal and your deck is properly randomized before each match. Don’t forget, you’re entitled to shuffle your opponent’s deck as well.

If anything feels unclear, don’t hesitate to call a judge. They’re there to help, not penalize, and getting a ruling early is always better than guessing.

In Closing

We’re incredibly excited to see how the competition unfolds in Bologna and to find out who lifts the trophy and which players earn their Plated Legends. Dibs on Teemo. Sorry, Gorica.

Bologna is one stop in a rapidly evolving Riftbound competitive season. Follow every moment live on stream and through @RiftboundOP throughout the weekend. Organized Play continues soon after with Regional Qualifiers in Las Vegas (February 27 to March 1) and Lille, France (April 17 to 19). You can read more about Riftbound’s 2026 roadmap here.

As the meta shifts and new regions come online, Riftbound continues to grow alongside its community. We can’t wait to see what you’ve built and how players adapt as the competitive landscape evolves.

Many Rioters and UVS staff will be on site in Bologna, so come say hi, share feedback, and talk Riftbound. If you’re not attending in person, join the conversation on Discord, Reddit, or social media. We’re listening and we don’t judge… unless it’s mid-game, in which case the judges are required to.

Above all, thank you. The passion, creativity, and energy of this community are what make events like this possible. Whether we see you in Bologna or at your local game store, thank you for being part of Riftbound.