For most Duelists who qualified for the 2025 North America World Championship Qualifier (WCQ), the competition to qualify for this year’s Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME World Championship in Paris, France begins tomorrow. But for 16 Duelists, the challenge begins today.

Over the course of the past year, top Duelists accumulated “World Qualifying Points” by achieving top rankings at events that award invitations to the World Championship Qualifier. The 16 Duelists who accumulated the most of those “World Qualifying Points” were invited to compete in today’s single elimination competition. In that competition, the top 2 Duelists will earn invitations – as well as paid travel and accommodations – to the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME World Championship in Paris, France in August.

It sounds easy. With only 16 players competing in the North America World Qualifying Points Playoff this weekend, players will only need to win 3 consecutive matches to make it to the top 2 and earn that prestigious invitation. But it’s not as easy to accomplish as it sounds. Today’s competitors are the best in North America, and many of them have been chasing the World Qualifying Points needed to compete today for the past 12 months. The competition is full of former YCS Champions and World Championship competitors including Jeff Jones, Charley Futch, Aditya Shirish, Pak Pamornsut, and John Wilkin. The competition today may be the fiercest we encounter all weekend.

The sixteen Duelists are getting seated, and the Duelists are about to begin some of the most important Duels of their lives. The 2025 North America World Qualifying Points Playoff – “Day 0” of the 2025 North America WCQ – is about to begin!