If you play Magic, Pokémon, Lorcana or Star Wars Unlimited, your hobby is about to get its own awards night. Spiel Essen, the world's largest tabletop fair, will host the first ever global Trading Card Game Awards this October. It is the first time the card-game world has had a dedicated international prize to call its own.
Got a regular group? Create a private community, poll for the best date, vote on games, and let your friends RSVP in one place.
Set up your group for freeThe TCG Awards are run by Card Sports League and Hana Sports & Entertainment, in partnership with Merz Verlag, the company behind Spiel Essen. Nominations opened on 1 May 2026, and anyone can take part: players, collectors and shop owners are all invited to put games and people forward. There are 13 categories split into two strands. The fan-voted Community Awards cover the things card players actually argue about, including Game of the Year, Set of the Year, Artwork of the Year and Content Creator of the Year. The Business Awards are decided by an expert jury and reward work behind the scenes, such as Brand Partnership and Campaign of the Year.
Two categories should catch the eye of UK players. Local Game Store of the Year and Event of the Year both reward the shops and organisers who keep card nights running week after week. If your local store or your regular Friday Night Magic deserves a shout, nominations are open now. The ceremony takes place at Spiel Essen, which runs from 22 to 25 October 2026 and is filling all eight of its halls for the first time. Fancy running a card-game meetup of your own? You can list it on Backseat Gamer and find players near you.
Run game nights? Backseat Gamer handles RSVPs, waitlists, date polling, and game voting so you can focus on playing.
Start organising for freeSources: Spiel Essen | TCG Awards Categories | Spiel Essen 2026 | TCG Awards
