Welcome to the North America World Qualifying Points Playoff! This event consists of 16 Duelists with the most World Qualifying Points, with the final two Duelists earning an invitation to the 2026 World Championship in Japan. In this Round 1 Feature Match, we have Luka Kovac and Matthew McRae, two Duelists from Toronto, Canada! Each of them has chosen to play the Kewl Tune Deck for the event, a popular strategy that aims to control the game with powerful Synchro Monsters. Only one of these two Duelists will advance to the second round; let’s find out who it will be! It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Kovac opened with Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion, Kewl Tune Rotary, Kewl Tune Mix, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, and Effect Veiler. 

McRae won the die roll and chose to go first! He began by activating the effect of Kewl Tune Rotary, revealing Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring and Normal Summoning Rotary, then used Rotary and Ash to Synchro Summon Kewl Tune Track Maker. Kovac Chained the effect of Effect Veiler, negating Track Maker’s effect, as McRae used Rotary’s effect to search for Kewl Tune Synchro. Next, McRae activated Synchro, but was met by Kovac’s Ash Blossom! McRae then ended his turn. 

Kovac drew a second copy of Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion for turn! He activated the effect of his own Rotary, revealing Ghost Belle in hand, then Normal Summoned Rotary. He used Rotary and Ghost Belle to Synchro Summon his own Track Maker, but when he activated their effects, McRae Chained the effect of Effect Veiler! Kovac resolved Rotary’s effect, revealing McRae’s hand of Mulcharmy Fuwalos and Fydraulis Harmonia, then searched for JJ “Kewl Tune”. He used Track Maker and the second copy of Ghost Belle in hand to Synchro Summon Zalen the Shackled Dragon, then activated JJ and used his additional Normal Summon to bring out Kewl Tune Mix and search for Kewl Tune Cue. With just the Harmonia in hand, McRae knew that he would not be able to stop Kovac from setting up his board, and conceded.

Duel 2

Kovac opened with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Mulcharmy Purulia, Kewl Tune Rotary, Super Polymerization, and Kewl Tune Mix.

McRae chose to go first once again! During the Standby Phase, Kovac activated the effect of Mulcharmy Purulia. McRae began by activating the effect of Kewl Tune Rotary in hand, revealing Fydraulis Harmonia and Normal Summoning Rotary. This allowed Kovac to draw Mulcharmy Fuwalos, and he activated its effect right away! McRae then used Rotary and Harmonia to Synchro Summon Visas Amritara, and Kovac drew a copy of Kewl Tune Cue. McRae only activated the effect of Rotary, telling Kovac that McRae had his copy of Mannadium Reframing in hand, and allowing Kovac to Chain the effect of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to negate Rotary’s effect! Finally, McRae Set a card to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Kovac drew Kewl Tune Rotary for turn! He Normal Summoned Kewl Tune Mix and activated its effect, but was met by McRae’s Mannadium Reframing! Next, Kovac activated the effect of Rotary, revealing Cue in hand. McRae didn’t have the resources to stop Kovac, and conceded. 

With the victory, Kovac is moving on to the next round of the Worlds Qualifying Points Playoff, and is one step closer to earning his invite to the World Championship in Japan!