Overview
Ah, the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championships! Possibly the most important event of the year, where the best of the best from both TCG and OCG duke it out for a shot at becoming the World Champion! It's a long and arduous road to even qualify, as one has to receive an Invite to their respective Nationals (usually received by performing well enough at Regional Qualifiers) and then be one of the very few who win their continent's Playoffs or WCQs, with the latter having thousands of duelists vying for the spot.
We've had the EUWCQ in Berlin, the NAWCQ in Indianapolis, the CAWCQ in Costa Rica, the SAWCQ in Bogota, and Oceanics in Brisbane for TCG. OCG had their WCQs in Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei, and Shanghai, respectively.
Last year was won by none other than Ruben Penaranda, with Fiendsmith Yubel! He's back again as a competitor for a chance to defend his title. Before we go over the duelists, let's talk about some important distinctions the tournament will have.
Differences from Standard Play
The World's format is a different beast than what players may be normally used to. It combines the harshest regulations from both Forbidden and Limited lists, resulting in some surprising changes that the duelists will have to adapt to. For example, OCG's Maxx "C" is not allowed as it's forbidden in the TCG. Likewise, TCG's Kashtira Fenrir, normally at 3, is not permitted due to being banned in the OCG. This is a significant blow to Dracotail, who has been enjoying extensive usage of this card.
Maliss and Ryzeal also have to suffer from both consistency hits across the lists. This means that Maliss Dormouse, Sword Ryzeal, and Ext Ryzeal are all limited. The former is still expected to be a legitimate contender going into the tournament, while the latter has completely fallen off the radar. A big reason for that is due to TCG and OCG Exclusive cards not being allowed.
Mitsurugi has been dominating the TCG scene for the past few months and is commonly paired with the Ryzeals to great effect. This effectively removes a powerful deck from contention, which significantly changes the dynamic. Gem-Knight and Orcust, which some North American duelists used to qualify, cannot be used either. Fiendsmith has been dropping in popularity in both regions, but it's worth noting that the OCG's hits + Necroquip Princess being a TCG exclusive heavily impedes the engine's effectiveness.
Last but not least, the Double Match Loss rule is in effect for this tournament for its Swiss rounds. This means that after 50 minutes, if neither duelist has 2 Game wins, both Duelists will lose that round. Notably, this somewhat diminishes the power of cards like Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger from completely stealing games out of nowhere, but it can still help you close out the duel to actually get those Game wins under your belt. Grind games may also be harder to navigate than usual for our duelists, but I'm sure they'll be able to handle it.
With all of that out of the way, let's take a look at our competitors!
Lorenzo Muselli
Lorenzo Muselli is one of Italy's best duelists, consistently performing at a high level throughout the last few years. He's been seen dominating regionals, YCS, nationals, and even did the unthinkable to win the entire EUWCQ to qualify for this year's World Championships! Recently, he's made waves by utilizing the power of the underappreciated Pot of Extravagance! This card allowed his unexpected Kashtira strategy to power through YCS Bologna in 2024, giving him a Top 16 finish. Extravagance came back for a repeat performance, consistently giving his Vanquish Soul deck fuel and additional attributes to win the entirety of the EUWCQ! Now that Justice Hunters legal for the World Championships, will he soup up the Vanquish Souls with the K9 cards like everyone else, or will he pivot into a different strategy, such as Yummy or Dracotail? Only time will tell.
Qualified via: EU World Championship Qualifier (Champion)
Deck used: Vanquish Soul
Felipe Zapata
Felipe Zapata is a well-known Argentinian duelist and is one of the country's very best, having a mix of premier and regional wins and tops under his belt. He's one of the few to ever win a Team YCS, winning Team YCS Santiago in 2024, and he also conquered the entirety of the Central America WCQ! Earlier this year, he was seeing great results with Fiendsmith Ryzeal, but decided to switch to @Ignister Maliss later on during Nationals Season. There's been a lot of metagame changes since he qualified for Worlds, but I'm sure he's prepared to handle and take on the Justice Hunters trifecta.
Qualified via: South America World Championship Qualifier (Champion)
Deck used: @Ignister Maliss
Kato Akihiro
Before winning the biggest title of his career, Kato Akihiro had already built a strong name for himself in Japan’s competitive Yu-Gi-Oh! scene. He earned that reputation by winning multiple CS tournaments, repeatedly taking down tough opponents, and proving that he is one of the most skilled and adaptable duelists in the country. Each victory boosted his confidence and sharpened his ability to perform under pressure. All of that experience led to his proudest moment yet, claiming first place at the Japan Championship 2025 while piloting the Yummy deck. Facing a field full of elite players, Kato delivered flawless strategy, precise plays, and calm focus from start to finish. That win did not just mark the high point of his career so far; it also secured him a coveted spot at the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2025, where he will represent Japan and test his skills against the very best in the world.
Qualified via: Japan Championship 2025 (Champion)
Deck used: Yummy
Aditya Dharap
Despite being a name that’s begun to pop up only in the last few years, nobody can deny the impact Aditya’s had on the NA scene and how known he’s become in that time. In his first season of traveling to major events, he already topped four YCSs and won the NAWCQ in 2024. His streak of topping has steadily continued in 2025, placing Top 16 in YCS Orlando and back-to-back Top 4 in YCSs Houston and Providence! Aditya was almost the first to become North America’s consecutive champion, placing second in the tournament with Maliss! He’ll be heading to Worlds for a second time, and what he’ll bring is anyone’s guess. In 2025, he’s had success with Mermail, Maliss, Ryzeal, and, more recently, Vanquish Soul, so he can adapt to various playstyles. Let’s see what he’ll cook up for Worlds!
Qualified via: North America World Championship Qualifier (2nd Place)
Deck used: @Ignister Maliss
Alexander Molina Hernandez
Alexander Molina Hernandez is one of our newest duelists out of all our competitors, as this was his first-ever premier-level top! That's quite an achievement in itself! With Maliss in his grip, he managed to duel through Central America's best duelists and won the entirety of the Central America World Championship Qualifier! He's sure to make Costa Rica proud! We don't know if he'll bring Maliss yet again or something else altogether, so keep an eye on this underdog!
Qualified via: Central America World Championship Qualifier (Champion)
Deck used: @Ignister Maliss
Kim Joo-Hoon
In Korea’s competitive Yu-Gi-Oh! scene, Kim Joo-Hoon has earned his place as one of the country’s most consistent and feared duelists. Renowned for his precise plays and deep understanding of the game, he has taken first place at numerous high-level CS tournaments, including standout victories at 1923CS and Baeksu CS. Each win has strengthened his reputation among Korea’s elite, proving his ability to adapt to any meta and keep his composure in even the most high-pressure situations. That wealth of experience came to full fruition in 2025 at the WCQ Korea, where Kim claimed the championship title with his K9 Crystron deck. The triumph was a masterclass in technical skill, strategic decision-making, and competitive resilience. More than just a title, it secured him a coveted place at the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2025, where he will proudly represent Korea and put his skills to the test against the best duelists on the planet.
Qualified via: Korea World Championship Qualifier (Champion)
Deck used: K9 Crystron
Yuna Dicks
Coming from Germany, Yuna has multiple regional tops over the last few years. Although she's played Yu-Gi-Oh since childhood, her interest in joining the competitive scene is a more recent development. After bubbling both EUWCQ and German Nationals last year, she began her journey for worlds points and quickly became one of the country's top duelists! Her swift success not only secured her spot in the 2025 EUWCQ playoffs but also earned her an invite to the World Championship by winning it with Maliss! She also topped the main event itself, reaching the Top 64 among 2205 duelists! Maliss has been her preferred choice this year and the one she’s consistently gotten results with, but she's no stranger to the JUSH decks. Given her history of many different decks, be prepared for anything!
Qualified via: EU World Qualifier Points Playoffs (Top 2)
Deck used: @Ignister Maliss
Andy Liu
Andy Liu is one of Australia's top duelists, always bringing his A-game in the big events over in OCE. Unlike most of his fellow competitors, he qualified with something out of left field: Heraldic Ryzeal! This unique and creative choice paid off in dividends in the best way possible, as Australia was not prepared for the Rank 4 power of the Heraldics! Not only did he sweep the Adelaide State Championships with it, but he also won the entirety of the Oceanics! Ryzeal does have some tough hits from both lists combined, so he may pivot to a different strategy for the World Championships.
Qualified via: Oceanic World Championship Qualifier (Champion)
Deck used: Heraldic Ryzeal
Isaias Estrada
Isaias Estrada has been a solid player throughout the 2024 and 2025 season, garnering a good amount of regional tops on various powerful decks of that season, like Snake-Eye, Fire King, Tenpai Dragon, and Fiendsmith Ryzeal. He recently had an incredible tournament run by getting Top 4 at the prestigious NAWCQ using Gem-Knights, an under-the-radar strategy that opts to go second! Unfortunately, these gems will not be available for play in the upcoming World Championship. Not to worry, though, as he has been experimenting with the Justice Hunters decks and even got a recent top with K9 Crystron! Will he stick with this deck or lean into the other strategies JUSH has to offer?
Qualified via: North America World Championship Qualifier (Top 4)
Deck used: Gem-Knight
Mathis Magane
Mathis Magane is a relatively new duelist in France's competitive scene, playing around the height of Snake-Eye's dominance. The Raptors fan played SE Fire King at the time, topping the Le-Kremlin Bicetre WCQ Regional and finishing Top 64 at the French Nationals that year. The year after is where his hard work finally paid off, mastering Maliss and using it to grind worlds points to qualify for the European World Championship Points Playoffs! From there, he managed to ace the entirety of the tournament and secure his spot in this year's World Championships, without having to play at the Main Event! Maliss only suffered minor hits in the combined banlist, so will he give it another shot for the event?
Qualified via: EU World Qualifier Points Playoffs (Top 2)
Deck used: @Ignister Maliss
Thotsawat Wannako
Thotsawat Wannako has long stood among Thailand’s finest duelists, a familiar face at major events like the Asia Championship Thailand Qualifier, known for his sharp skills and quiet determination. But for all his consistency, a major title had remained just out of reach since 2019. Even so, he never let that stop him. Year after year, he returned to the competitive scene, driven by the same dream and an unwavering belief in himself. At the Yu-Gi-Oh! Asia World Championship Qualifier 2025, Thotsawat took a bold risk by choosing the Maliss deck, a strategy weakened by recent hits. While others might have backed away, he leaned in. He trusted his instincts, honed his play, and rose to the challenge. The result was a hard-earned victory at the Asia Championship, and with it, a long-awaited ticket to the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2025.
Qualified via: Asia World Championship Qualifier (Champion)
Deck used: @Ignister Maliss
Tom Kleinegräber
Tom Kleinegräber has been in the game for a solid amount of time, having solid results to back him up (15+ Premier tops and 2 finals finishes!) He's had a bit of a curse, though, as he's lost in two very big finals over the years. His efforts have finally paid off when he brought Fiendsmith Ryzeal Mitsurugi and dominated the EUWCQ, powering through several duelists and securing his worlds spot with an impressive Top 4 finish. This version of the deck was relatively unexplored before the event, and Tom made great adjustments to better combat Mulcharmies, such as introducing Pre-Preparation of Rites and Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi into the Main Deck. Mitsurugi won't be available for the World Championships, so who knows what this master duelist will bring to the event?
Qualified via: EU World Championship Qualifier (Top 4)
Deck used: Fiendsmith Ryzeal Mitsurugi
James Markowitz
James Markowitz is a long-time duelist from the illustrious Frozen Card Gaming team and has a very unique accolade under his belt: reaching 2nd place at a European National as an American! This was the Slovenian National Championships in 2023.
2025 was a great year for him, as he tore through various regionals throughout North America with his Fiendsmith Ryzeal and Ryzeal Mitsurugi strategies. The latter led him to an incredible finish at the NAWQPP, locking in his spot for this year's World Championships. Markowitz is one of NA's more crafty duelists, so he's sure to bring a deck that can handle the popular choices at the event! His preparations against the Justice Hunters archetypes are sure to pay off going into the event, so watch out!
Qualified via: North America Worlds Points Playoffs (Top 2)
Deck used: Fiendsmith Ryzeal Mitsurugi
Make sure to stay tuned for Part 2 of the World Championship Player spotlight! - Renren
