Mark your calendar. The Spiel des Jahres jury announces the 2026 nominees for the world's most influential board game award on Tuesday 19 May at 4pm CET (3pm BST), with the winners revealed in Berlin on 12 July. UK gamers should pay attention because Spiel des Jahres results drive what eventually lands on the shelves at Magic Madhouse, Zatu and your local indie shop, often via Coiledspring.
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Find events near youA quick refresher. Spiel des Jahres recognises the best new family game, Kennerspiel des Jahres covers more involved gamer-friendly titles, and Kinderspiel des Jahres handles children's games. Last year's headline winner was Bomb Busters, Hisashi Hayashi's cooperative bomb-defusing card game from Cocktail Games, which has since become a fixture at gaming cafes and family Christmases across Europe. Endeavor: Deep Sea took Kennerspiel and Topp die Torte! (a fast-reflex tile-stacking game from Wolfgang Warsch) won the children's prize.
The 14-strong jury, chaired by Harald Schrapers, never publicly previews favourites, but the German hobby press has been busy. Names doing the rounds in prediction lists include Boss Fighters QR, an app-supported co-op where players take on bosses, and Rebirth: Aufbruch in eine neue Zeit, a tile-laying game set in a post-apocalyptic world. Expect a mix of light family fare and the kind of mid-weight Euro that Kennerspiel rewards. The jury also publishes a Recommendation List on the same day, often where the real treasure hunt is for UK families and clubs after the headline nominees.
Run game nights? Backseat Gamer handles RSVPs, waitlists, date polling, and game voting so you can focus on playing.
Start organising for freeIf you run a board game club, library night or shop event, the Spiel des Jahres announcement is the perfect excuse for a "winners and nominees evening" once the trophy lands in July. Set up a community event and get ahead of the curve. Nominations land in 12 days.
Sources: Spiel des Jahres | BoardGameGeek | ICv2
