Duelists across Latin America are coming together in May for an intense competition amongst the some of the best players in the world. The 2023 Yu-Gi-Oh! National Championships will be held within 16 LatAm countries this year, with winners from each culminating into participation at an upcoming Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Qualifier.
Konami is bringing a heavy slate of prizes for winners as well, including rare Prize Cards and travel / accomodations to either the 2023 Central or South America Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Qualifier.
The full press release is shown below as well as the prize details:
THE 2023 YU-GI-OH! NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS BEGIN IN MAY, WITH THOUSANDS OF DUELISTS COMPETING ACROSS LATIN AMERICA
The path to the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2023 continues!
Hawthorne, Calif. (February 15, 2023) – Starting in May, thousands of Duelists across Latin America will put their Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME (TCG) skills to the test in the 2023 Yu-Gi-Oh! National Championships.
The 2022 Latin America Yu-Gi-Oh! National Championships saw more than 4,600 Duelists compete for the title of National Champion. Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. (KONAMI) is expecting thousands to compete again this year, as they look to ensure their path towards the highly anticipated Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship, after being on hiatus for the last 3 years, set to take place in Japan this August*.
KONAMI has revealed its plans to hold National Championships between May and June in 16 countries across Latin America. The countries will include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru.
The very best Duelists will compete in person for the right to call themselves National Champions, with special prizes on offer. Confirmed prizing includes Prize Cards along with travel and accommodation to either the 2023 Central or South America Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Qualifier, depending on their country of residence.
Today, the popular Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG is available across the globe, with products distributed in more than 80 countries and 9 languages, to be enjoyed by fans of all ages.
Latin American 2023 Yu-Gi-Oh! National Championships are your chance to be crowned the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME (TCG) National Champion! Duelists within each eligible Latin American country compete to become their nation’s Champion and represent their nation at either the Central America or South America Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship! Top finishers from the Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Qualifier – Nationals will be invited to either the Central or South America Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship, based on their country of residence.
All Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Qualifier – Nationals will be Open to all Duelists. If you have previously earned an invite to the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Qualifier (WCQ), the cost to enter the Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Qualifier – Nationals is waived. Duelists will not receive the participation packs but will have the opportunity to become the 2022 Champion of that Nation. Duelists may also elect to purchase the packs and registration in the event. If you have yet to earn an invite, Duelists can pay the equivalent of $15.00 USD in local currency to receive the equivalent in booster packs from our latest booster release Dimension Force (DIFO) and registration in the event.
Duelists must be a resident of that country to participate in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Qualifier – Nationals, if one is being held in your country. If your country does not have a Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Qualifier – Nationals, you are welcome to participate in any of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Qualifier – Nationals in Latin America or the Regional Qualifiers in the United States to earn your invite to the 2022 Central America (CA) or South America (SA) Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship. Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Qualifier – Nationals will take place throughout Latin America during the dates of May 21st – June 5th, 2022.
The Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Qualifier – Nationals have been broken down into three groups (A, B, and C); each group has its own prize pool. Groups are assigned based on the 2019 WCQ – Nationals’ attendance. Help make your country obtain a Group A classification in 2023 by participating this year! To reach a higher classification next year, your Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Qualifier – Nationals must have a minimum of the following attendance this year:
Group A – 301 players
Group B – 151 players
Group C – 65 players
Congratulations to the countries that moved up to a higher group as we get ready for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Qualifier – Nationals!
Peru is now in Group A.
El Salvador and Honduras are now in Group B.
The Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Qualifier – Nationals will give Duelists the unique opportunity to get their hands on WCQ – National 2022 branded prizing that was originally created for the WCQ- Nationals 2022 before we made the difficult decision of cancelling the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2022. Prizes such as the National Championship Plaques, WCQ: Nationals 2022 Game Mat and WCQ – Nationals Field Center Cards* will all be branded with the WCQ – National 2022 logo. In addition to all these great prizes, the Top participants will receive WCQ 2022 Sleeves.
*Exclusive to Group A Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Qualifier – Nationals.
Groups and prizing info for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Qualifier – Nationals:
Group A
| Country | OTS | Venue Name | City | Address | Date | Venue Cap |
| Argentina | Dima Game | Eventos PALAIS ROUGE – Salon Versalles | CABA | J. Salguero 1141 primer piso | June 4th & 5th | 450 |
| Brazil | Devir Brazil | Salão Nobre Tenis Clube Paulista | São Paulo | R. Gualaxo, 285 – Aclimação, São Paulo | June 4th & 5th | 550 |
| Chile | Konoha Store | Centro de Convenciones Gran Palace | Santiago | Huerfanos 1178, Santiago, Región Metropolitana | May 28th and 29th | 480 |
| Mexico | Battle City Coatzacoalcos | Hotel Galeria Plaza Veracruz | Veracruz Puerto | Bv. Adolfo Ruiz Contines #3495, Col. Mocambo, 94294 | May 28th and 29th | 800 |
| Peru | Carloncho Store | Cámara de Comercio de Lima | Lima | Av. Giuseppe Garibaldi 396, Jesús María 15072 | May 28th and 29th | 360 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | Media & Variety Emporium | Centre Point Mall Main Auditorium Hall | Chaguanas | Ramsaran Street, Chaguanas | June 4th & 5th | 800 |
Prizing Group A
| 1st Place | Travel and accommodations to the Latin America (South or Central depending on location of Nationals) Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Championship Super Rare copy of YCS Prize Card – Duel Link Dragon the Duel Dragon |
| 2nd Place | Nintendo Switch™ and custom Switch case Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution download code & Yu-Gi-Oh! RUSH DUEL: Dawn of the Battle Royale!! download code Super Rare copy of YCS Prize Card – Duel Link Dragon the Duel Dragon |
| 3rd-4th Place | 96 Booster Packs from recent sets |
| 5th-8th Place | 72 Booster Packs from recent sets |
| 9th-16th Place | 48 Booster Packs from recent sets |
| 17th-32nd Place | 24 Booster Packs from recent sets |
| Top 4 | National Championship Plaque |
| Top 32 | Additional WCQ 2022 Sleeves |
| Top 128 | WCQ: Nationals 2022 Game Mat WCQ 2022 Sleeves Invite to the Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship |
| Participation | Current Booster Packs equivalent to entry fee WCQ Nationals Field Center Card |
Group B
| Country | OTS | Venue Name | City | Address | Date | Venue Cap |
| Bolivia | Last Trick | Salon de Eventos Terra Center | Cochabamba | Calle Calama Entre Av. Ayacucho y Calle Nataniel Aguirre | May 21st | 160 |
| Colombia | Duelist Kingdom | Eventos Calima | Cali | Carrera 1 #44-71 | June 5th | 200 |
| Costa Rica | OMEGA Card Game Store | Hotel Best Western Irazu San José | San José | Km 3 Autopista General Canas, Edificio Sur, 10107, La Uruca | June 5th | 350 |
| El Salvador | The Freaky Store | Hotel Real InterContinental | San Salvador | Boulevard de Los Héroes y Avenida Los Sisimiles frente a Centro Comercial Metrocentro | May 22nd | 150 |
| Honduras | TCG Store | Museo de Niños de Honduras “CHIMINIKE” | Tegucigalpa | Museo de Niños de Honduras “CHIMINIKE”, Centro Cívico Gubernamental, Bulevar Fuerzas Armadas, contiguo a Corte Suprema de Justicia | June 5th | 250 |
| Ecuador | Duelist Place | Centro de Convenciones de Guayaquil, Salón de los Presidentes | Guayaquil | Avenida de las Américas, antiguo aeropuerto de Guayaquil | May 21st | 300 |
Prizing Group B
| 1st Place | Travel and accommodations to the Latin America (South or Central depending on location of Nationals) Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Championship Super Rare copy of YCS Prize Card – Duel Link Dragon the Duel Dragon |
| 2nd Place | Nintendo Switch™ system and custom Switch case Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution download code & Yu-Gi-Oh! RUSH DUEL: Dawn of the Battle Royale!! download code |
| 3rd-4th Place | 72 Booster Packs from recent sets |
| 5th-8th Place | 36 Booster Packs from recent sets |
| 9th-16th Place | 24 Booster Packs from recent sets |
| Top 4 | National Championship Plaque |
| Top 16 | Additional WCQ 2022 Sleeves |
| Top 64 | WCQ: Nationals 2022 Game Mat WCQ 2022 Sleeves Invite to the Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship |
| Participation | Current Booster Packs equivalent to entry fee |
Group C
| Country | OTS | Venue Name | City | Address | Date | Venue Cap |
| Dominican Republic | The Dragon’s Nest | Bella Vista Mall | Santo Domingo | Avenida Sarasota 62, Bella Vista | June 5th | 70 |
| Guatemala | Madhouse33 | Tikal Futura | Guatemala | Calzada Roosevelt 22-43, Zona 11 Centro Comercial Tikal Futura Guatemala | May 29th | 200 |
| Panama | Nación Geek | Princess Hotel Panamá | Panamá | Marbella, calle 53, Ciudad de Panamá | May 29th | 120 |
| Venezuela | Hobbie’s Place | CC Metropolis Valencia | Valencia | Autopista Regional del Centro, Municipio San Diego, (Referencia, a 100 metros del distribuidor Firestone) | May 28th | 500 |
Prizing Group C
| 1st Place | Travel and accommodations to the Latin America (South or Central depending on location of Nationals) Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Championship Super Rare copy of YCS Prize Card – Duel Link Dragon the Duel Dragon |
| 2nd Place | Nintendo Switch™ system and custom Switch case Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution download code & Yu-Gi-Oh! RUSH DUEL: Dawn of the Battle Royale!! download code |
| 3rd-4th Place | 48 Booster Packs from recent sets |
| 5th-8th Place | 24 Booster Packs from recent sets |
| Top 4 | National Championship Plaque |
| Top 32 | WCQ: Nationals 2022 Game Mat WCQ 2022 Sleeves Invite to the Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship |
| Participation | Current Booster Packs equivalent to entry fee |
In addition to the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Championship Qualifier – Nationals, each of the above countries will be hosting a Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Championship Qualifier Dragon Duel National on the same day. Participants are required to provide proof of age to participate in a Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Championship Qualifier Dragon Duel National. Duelists must be born in 2008 or later. This event is open to the public and is free of charge.
Prizing Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Championship Qualifier Dragon Duel National (4-20 Duelists)
| 1st Place | Travel and accommodations to the Latin America (South or Central depending on location of Nationals) Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Dragon Duel Championship Dragon Duel National Championship Plaque |
| 2nd Place | 24 Boosters from recent sets |
| 3rd-4th Place | 12 Boosters from recent sets |
| Top 4 | Dragon Duel WCQ: Nationals 2022 Game Mat |
| Top Cut | Invite to the 2022 the Yu-Gi-Oh! Dragon Duel Championship |
| Participation | WCQ 2022 Sleeves |
Prizing Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Championship Qualifier Dragon Duel National (21 + Duelists)
| 1st Place & 2nd Place | Travel and accommodations to the Latin America (South or Central depending on location of Nationals) Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Dragon Duel Championship Dragon Duel National Championship Plaque |
| 1st Place | 48 Booster packs from recent sets |
| 2nd Place | 24 Booster Packs from recent sets |
| 3rd-4th Place | 12 Booster packs from recent sets |
| Top 4 | Dragon Duel WCQ: Nationals 2022 Game Mat |
| Top Cut | Invite to the 2022 the Yu-Gi-Oh! Dragon Duel Championship |
| Participation | WCQ 2022 Sleeves |
