• 2026 World Bridge Series

    Katowice, August 20 – September 3, 2026

    Registration
    MCK International Congress Centre Katowice

  • Play with us in Katowice

    Katowice, August 20 – September 3, 2026

    Registration
    MCK International Congress Centre Katowice
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  • 2026 World Bridge Series

    Katowice, August 20 – September 3, 2026

    Registration

  • Play with us in Katowice

    Katowice, August 20 – September 3, 2026

    Registration
PreviousNext

pzbsWorld Bridge Federation

Partners and Sponsors

2026 Word Bridge Series – Katowice

We would like to thank all partners for supporting the event

Ministry of Sports and Tourism Republic of Poland
Silesian Voivodeship
Metropolis GZM

Information

The 17th World Bridge Series will be held from August 20 to September 3 at the MCK International Congress Centre in Katowice.

Katowice to be the bridge capital of the world in 2026!

We are delighted to announce that the 17th World Bridge Series will take place in Poland. From 20 August to 3 September 2026, the MCK – International Congress Centre in Katowice will host the world’s finest bridge players.
This prestigious event, organised by the World Bridge Federation (WBF) in cooperation with the Polish Bridge Union, is open to players from every corner of the world, regardless of their level of play. We invite you to compete together in the heart of a modern region, where tradition meets the future.

Location and dates

  • 20 August – 3 September 2026
  • MCK – International Congress Centre in Katowice
  • Sławika i Antalla Square 1, 40-163 Katowice Poland

Rules and practical information

WBF Championship Website
Competition rules Convention cards Level-down Level-down Schedule Level-down Level-down How to register Level-down Level-down Entry fees (information) Level-down Level-down Prices Level-down Level-down Payment method
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welcome.katowice.eu

Competition programme

The 17th World Bridge Series in Katowice will feature a comprehensive range of events, ensuring that every player has the opportunity to compete throughout the entire festival.

Main Championship Events

World Championship Titles (Open, Women, Seniors, and Mixed):

  • August 20 – 26: Mixed Teams & Pairs; Senior Teams & Pairs
  • August 27 – September 3: Open Teams & Pairs; Women’s Teams & Pairs
Additional and Side Events

The unique format of the 17th World Bridge Series has been designed to provide participants with maximum high-level play. Regardless of your results in the main championships, every player can continue competing until the very end of the festival.

Guaranteed Play: The “Drop-in” System to the Swiss Cup

This is a key mechanism for players entering the team events. Pairs from teams that do not qualify for the Knockout phase—or those eliminated in the early KO rounds—do not have to end their championships. Instead, they can seamlessly “drop in” to the prestigious Swiss Pairs tournaments:

  • Mixed / Senior Swiss Cup (August 22 – 24): For players finishing their Mixed or Senior Teams qualification.
  • Open / Women Swiss Cup (August 29 – 31): For players finishing their Open or Women’s Teams qualification.

This system ensures that the competitive excitement continues uninterrupted, giving players a chance to win trophies in a fresh format.

Board-A-Match (BAM) Teams

For fans of team strategy, we have prepared two separate tournaments in the spectacular BAM format (scored as win/draw/loss on every board):

  • Mixed / Seniors BAM: August 25 – 26.
  • Open / Women BAM: September 1 – 3 (Finals held concurrently with the Main Championship Finals).
The Grand Finale: President’s Cup
  • Date: September 3, 2026 (The final day of the Championships).
  • Categories: Open and Women’s Pairs.
  • Eligibility: An open pairs tournament that traditionally crowns the entire event. It is the perfect opportunity for all players remaining in Katowice to participate in the grand finale and compete for the President’s Cup on the day of the closing ceremony.

Schedule of play

8 Championships & Side Events

A detailed schedule is available on the WBF website [LINK TO THE FULL SCHEDULE].

DAY Mixed Seniors
DAY 1
20.08 Thursday
MIXED TEAMS Qualification Swiss
Senior Teams Qualification Swiss
DAY 2
21.08 Friday
WBF Meeting of Congress
MIXED TEAMS Qualification Swiss
Senior Teams Qualification Swiss
DAY 3
22.08 Saturday
MIXED TEAMS Round of 32
MIXED PAIRS Qualification
Senior SWISS CUP Qualification
SENIOR PAIRS QUALIFICATION
DAY 4
23.08 Sunday
MIXED TEAMS Round of 16
MIXED PAIRS Qualification
MIXED SWISS CUP Qualification
Senior Teams Qualification
SENIOR PAIRS QUALIFICATION
Senior SWISS CUP Qualification
DAY 5
24.08 Monday
SIDE EVENT First Week BAM
MIXED TEAMS Quarterfinals
MIXED SWISS CUP Semifinal
MIXED PAIRS Semifinals A & B
Senior Teams Semi Finals
SENIOR PAIRS Semifinals A & B
Senior SWISS CUP Semifinal
DAY 6
25.08 Tuesday
SIDE EVENT First Week BAM - Semifinals A & B
MIXED TEAMS Semifinals
MIXED SWISS CUP Semifinal
MIXED PAIRS Semifinals A & B
Senior Teams Semi Final
SENIOR PAIRS Semifinals A & B
Senior SWISS CUP Semifinal
DAY 7
26.08 Wednesday
SIDE EVENT First Week BAM - Final A & B
MIXED TEAMS Final
MIXED SWISS CUP Final
MIXED PAIRS Finals A & B
Senior Teams Semifinals
Senior SWISS CUP Final
SENIOR PAIRS Finals A & B
Women Open
DAY 8
27.08 Thursday
Women's Teams Qualification
OPEN TEAMS Qualification Swiss
DAY 9
28.08 Friday
Women's Teams Qualification
OPEN TEAMS Qualification Swiss
DAY 10
29.08 Saturday
Women's Teams Qualification
Women SWISS Cup Qualification
OPEN TEAMS Round of 64
OPEN SWISS Cup Qualification
OPEN PAIRS Qualification
DAY 11
30.08 Sunday
Women's Teams Qualification
Women SWISS Cup Qualification
WOMEN'S PAIRS Qualification
OPEN TEAMS Round of 32
OPEN PAIRS Qualification
OPEN SWISS Cup Qualification
DAY 12
31.08 Monday
SIDE EVENT Second Week BAM Qualification
Women's Teams Semifinals
WOMEN'S PAIRS Semifinals A & B
Women SWISS Cup Semifinal
OPEN TEAMS Round of 16
OPEN PAIRS Semifinals A & B
OPEN SWISS Cup Semifinal
DAY 13
01.09 Tuesday
SIDE EVENT Second Week BAM Qualification
Women's Teams Final
WOMEN'S PAIRS Semifinals A & B
Women SWISS Cup Semifina
OPEN TEAMS Quarterfinals
OPEN PAIRS Semifinals A & B
OPEN SWISS Cup Semifina
DAY 14
02.09 Wednesday
SIDE EVENT Second Week BAM Semifinal A & B
WOMEN'S PAIRS Finals A & B
Women SWISS Cup Final
OPEN TEAMS Semifinals
OPEN PAIRS Finals A & B
OPEN SWISS Cup Final
DAY 15
03.09 Thursday
SIDE EVENT Second Week BAM Final A & B
WOMEN'S PAIRS Finals A & B
Women SWISS Cup Final
WOMEN'S Pairs President's Cup
OPEN TEAMS Final
OPEN PAIRS Finals A & B
OPEN SWISS Cup Final
OPEN President's Cup

Entry Fees

World Bridge Series 2026 Katowice

Entry Fees

All amounts are quoted in Euros (€) and are prices per person. The entry packages guarantee participation in all tournaments listed within the package, as well as supplementary events (according to the drop-in system).

Discounts for PZBS Members

Special rates (the “From Poland” column) are available to pairs and teams composed entirely of members of the Polish Bridge Union (PZBS) with a paid membership fee as of the start date of the Championships, who hold Polish citizenship or a permanent residence permit in the Republic of Poland.

Verification of Player Titles

The entry fee rate depends on the international title held as of December 31, 2025:

  • Titled Player: a person holding one of the WBF or EBL titles listed below.
  • Non-titled Player: all other players (including those holding only Senior or Youth titles).
OrganizationTitles subject to higher rates
WBF TITLES WGM, WIM, WLM, WM
EBL TITLES EGM, EIM, EM

Important Information:

  • Seniors: Senior titles (e.g., Senior Grand Master, World Senior Master) are not included in the “titled” category. Players holding only senior titles are eligible for the non-titled player rate.
  • Youth: The “Youth World Master” title is not included in the titled category and entitles the player to a reduced entry fee.
  • Automation: During registration, the system will automatically verify your status in the EBL and WBF databases and calculate the appropriate fee.

Title Search Tools

Using the search tools below will allow you to verify if a player holds a title:

How to check your status?

After searching in the WBF People Finder, check the Title row. If you hold one of the following titles in the Open or Mixed columns: WGM, WIM, WLM, WM, you are subject to the titled player fee.
Titles visible in the Seniors column (e.g., SGM, SLM, SM) do not affect the increase of the entry fee rate.

Registration for the Championships

Registration for the 17th World Bridge Series is conducted exclusively online. The process consists of two stages: preparing the player profile and registering for a specific tournament.

  • Step 1: Check your status in the WBF database

    Search for your name in the WBF People Finde.

    • Scenario A: You are in the database, and your country (NBO) is visible next to your name – Proceed to STEP 3.
    • Scenario B: You cannot find your name, or your profile has not been updated since 2018 (missing signed Commitment document) – Complete STEP 2.

  • Step 2: Formalities (GDPR Consent)

    If you are not in the system or your data needs to be updated according to WBF legal requirements, you must sign the Participant Commitment document. Without this, the registration system will not allow your entry.

    Sign the document online:

  • Step 3: Official Tournament Entry

    Once your data is visible in the database and you have a WBF Code, you can register for your chosen tournament.

    • Online Registration: Use the official WBF registration system [LINK TO REGISTRATION].
    • Entry Fees: After a successful entry, the system will calculate the fee (based on your title and NBO affiliation), which you can then pay.

Payment

The entry fees for the World Bridge Series should be paid by Bank Transfer to:

UBS Switzerland AG Lausanne
Place Saint-François 16, 1003 Lausanne, Switzerland

Account Name World Bridge Federation
IBAN CH69 0024 5245 2311 8461 R
SWIFT UBSWCHZH80A
Clearing 0024

If the bank requires the name and address of the recipient:
World Bridge Federation
Maison du Sport International
54 av. de Rhodanie
1007 Lausanne, Switzerland

Fees 2026 Open World Championships in Katowice

All fees are per player and expressed in Euros (€). Entry fees include participation in all events listed within each package.

package Open

Entry Fee/Player

Player
Titled
Non Titled
Entry Fee
€ 600
€ 420
Polish Players
€ 420
€ 300

INCLUDE

Open Teams
Open Pairs or Swiss Cup
Open BAM
President's Cup
package Women

Entry Fee/Player

Player
Titled
Non Titled
Entry Fee
€ 400
€ 280
Polish Players
€ 280
€ 200

INCLUDE

Women Teams
Women Pairs
Women BAM
President's Cup
package Mixed

Entry Fee/Player

Player
Titled
Non Titled
Entry Fee
€ 520
€ 360
Polish Players
€ 360
€ 260

INCLUDE

Mixed Teams
Mixed Pairs or Mixed Swiss Cup
Mixed BAM
President's Cup
package Seniors

Entry Fee/Player

Player
Titled
Non Titled
Entry Fee
€ 400
€ 420
Polish Players
€ 420
€ 300

INCLUDE

Senior Teams
Senior Pairs
Senior BAM
President's Cup
single tournament Open

Entry Fee/Player

Player
Titled
Non Titled
Entry Fee
€ 400
€ 280
Polish Players
€ 280
€ 200

INCLUDE

Open Pairs
single tournament Women

Entry Fee/Player

Player
Titled
Non Titled
Entry Fee
€ 300
€ 210
Polish Players
€ 210
€ 150

INCLUDE

Women Pairs
single tournament Mixed

Entry Fee/Player

Player
Titled
Non Titled
Entry Fee
€ 350
€ 250
Polish Players
€ 250
€ 180

INCLUDE

Mixed Pairs
single tournament Seniors

Entry Fee/Player

Player
Titled
Non Titled
Entry Fee
€ 300
€ 210
Polish Players
€ 210
€ 150

INCLUDE

Senior Pairs
single tournament Swiss

Entry Fee/Player

Player
Titled
Non Titled
Entry Fee
€ 300
€ 210
Polish Players
€ 210
€ 150

INCLUDE

Swiss Cup
single tournament Bam

Entry Fee/Player

Player
Titled
Non Titled
Entry Fee
€ 180
€ 130
Polish Players
€ 130
€ 90

INCLUDE

First Week BAM
single tournament Bam

Entry Fee/Player

Player
Titled
Non Titled
Entry Fee
€ 180
€ 130
Polish Players
€ 130
€ 90

INCLUDE

Second Week BAM

Accommodation

Hotels, apartments, hostels – Katowice

Hotel reservations

The World Bridge Federation has appointed Mazurkas as Official Partner and Preferred Accommodation Supplier for the 2026 World Bridge Series in Katowice.

Through a dedicated accommodation page, participants can access a selection of hotels connected with the event, chosen to meet the logistical needs of the Championship.

As usual, participants remain free to arrange their accommodation independently if they prefer.

HOTEL PLATFORM
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Where do we play?

MCK International Congress Centre in Katowice

Contact

World Bridge Series 2026

News

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Partners and Sponsors

2026 Word Bridge Series – Katowice

We would like to thank all partners for supporting the event

Ministry of Sports and Tourism Republic of Poland
Silesian Voivodeship
Metropolis GZM
Ministry of Sports and Tourism Republic of Poland
Co-financed from the state budget from the part administered by the Minister of Sport and Tourism.