THE 2026 BINHO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: RARE AIR CLAIMS THE WORLD TITLE IN LAS VEGAS

Eight qualifying stops. 24 of the best players in the country. One World Champion.

The 2026 Binho World Championship, presented by MGM Rewards, is officially in the books, bringing a historic conclusion to the biggest and most competitive tournament series in Binho history.

After eight qualifying Majors across the United States, the road to the World Championship reached its final destination on October 24, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hosted at the iconic On The Record inside Park MGM, the championship brought together 24 of the nation's top Binho competitors for one final showdown, with a $7,000 grand prize, the World Championship ring, and four years of bragging rights on the line.

From the opening group-stage battles to a championship final decided by golden goal, Las Vegas delivered a fitting conclusion to a season that pushed the sport to new heights.

A Championship Stage Worthy of the Moment

With MGM Rewards presenting the World Championship, Binho transformed On The Record at Park MGM into a dedicated tournament venue, bringing together professional competition and a full-scale broadcast production.

Players received official walkouts, competitors stepped in front of the cameras for interviews, and matches were covered by a dedicated commentary team featuring The Ringer and Fyfe, two voices who know the game inside and out.

The venue was open to the public, allowing fans, friends, and spectators to experience the championship atmosphere firsthand. Every match carried real implications, with a $10,000 total prize pool distributed among the top three finishers: $7,000 for first place, $2,000 for second, $750 for third, and $250 for forth.

Alongside presenting partner MGM Rewards, the championship was supported by HallofPaws.com, DIIP Nootropic Pouches, Espolòn Tequila, Time Capsule Camera, Uni Sports Soccer, and Santa Teresa Rum. Their support helped bring a new level of visibility and production to the final event of the 2026 season.

24 Qualifiers. Six Groups. No Easy Matches.

The tournament began with 24 qualified competitors divided into six groups of four, each playing their three group opponents twice in a double round-robin format.

Six matches per player. Twelve matches per group.

With only the top 16 players advancing into the knockout stage, every win, goal differential, and goal scored carried weight in determining the final rankings.

Group A was led by Jose M, who finished 4-2 with an impressive +10 goal differential. Atlanta finalist Razor Rome matched Jose's four wins, while Matt S, fresh off his historic championship appearance against his brother Nolan in Indianapolis, finished 3-3.

Group B featured five-time Major champion Nolan S, who wasted no time establishing himself as a championship favorite. Nolan finished 5-1 with a +13 goal differential, while Arizona standout Luca followed closely at 4-2. Both players carried momentum into the knockout rounds.

Group C produced the only undefeated group-stage performance of the tournament. Josh Maire went a perfect 6-0, scoring 42 goals while allowing just 20, securing the #1 overall seed heading into knockouts. San Diego's Conner Castello and Chicago Major champion Rare Air both finished 3-3, with Rare Air placing third in the group.

Little did anyone know that the third-place finisher from Group C was about to put together the biggest run of the tournament.

Over in Group D, Shawn Laborde made a major statement, finishing 5-1 with a +17 goal differential. The group also featured veteran contenders American Dad and Sardo, two familiar names on the circuit who struggled to gain momentum against a competitive field.

Group E featured two Major champions in Sapo and David C. Both finished 4-2, with Sapo claiming the top position through goal differential. Flick Sosa also fought his way into the knockout picture with a 3-3 record.

Finally, Group F saw Samuel Pacheco lead the way at 4-2, followed by Lucas Carpenter and Numskull, both finishing 3-3. Salt Lake City finalist Pram rounded out a group full of familiar tournament contenders.

By the end of group play, the field had narrowed from 24 to 16.

The warm-up was over. From this point forward, there were no second chances.

Sweet 16: The Bracket Gets Turned Upside Down

With the knockout stage officially underway, the tournament shifted to a two-game aggregate format, with combined scores deciding who advanced. A tied aggregate meant golden goal, and the next score would determine the winner.

The Sweet 16 immediately delivered one of the biggest surprises of the championship.

#1 seed Josh Maire, who had just completed a perfect 6-0 group stage, was eliminated by #16 seed Flick Sosa in an 11-8 aggregate upset. The player who had dominated the opening phase was suddenly out, and the lowest seed in the knockout field was moving on.

On the same side of the bracket, #8 seed David C faced #9 seed Razor Rome in a rematch of the Atlanta Major championship final. Their previous meeting had gone all the way to golden goal, but this time David C left little room for drama, delivering a commanding 10-2 aggregate victory to advance.

#12 seed Rare Air found himself in a difficult opening matchup against #5 seed Samuel Pacheco. In one of the tightest battles of the round, Rare Air edged out Samuel 12-11, keeping his championship hopes alive by a single goal.

Meanwhile, #4 seed Jose M handled business against #13 seed Lucas Carpenter, advancing with a 9-5 aggregate win.

On the opposite side of the bracket, #3 seed Nolan continued his dominant tournament form, defeating #14 seed Ralphy Razo 11-9. But another Major champion wasn't as fortunate.

#6 seed Sapo, fresh off his fourth Major championship ring in Salt Lake City, was eliminated by #11 seed Conner Castello in a 12-9 aggregate upset. It was a massive win for the San Diego competitor, sending one of the season's hottest players home early.

#7 seed Luca continued his strong run by taking down #10 seed Matthew S 12-9, while #2 seed Shawn Laborde survived one of the most intense matchups of the round, defeating #15 seed Numskull 12-11 in golden goal.

With eight players remaining, the bracket had already lost its undefeated group-stage leader and two of the season's most decorated Major champions.

And the biggest matches were still ahead.

Elite Eight: Every Goal Matters

The quarterfinals delivered four highly competitive matchups, with three of the four coming down to four goals or fewer.

David C vs. Flick Sosa was the first major test of the round. After Sosa's stunning upset of the #1 overall seed, he looked to continue his Cinderella run against the reigning Atlanta Major champion.

The two finished their aggregate series tied 9-9, forcing golden goal. But it was David C who found the winner, ending Sosa's impressive run and advancing to the Final Four.

On the other side of the bracket, Rare Air continued building momentum. Facing #4 seed Jose M, Rare Air delivered his most convincing performance of the knockout stage to that point, winning 13-9 and securing his spot in the semifinals.

The right side featured another close battle between #3 seed Nolan and #11 seed Conner Castello.

After knocking out Sapo in the Sweet 16, Conner came within a single goal of taking down another five-time Major champion. But Nolan's experience showed in the closing stages, as he escaped with a 13-12 aggregate victory to keep his championship campaign alive.

Finally, #2 seed Shawn Laborde continued his strong tournament by defeating #7 seed Luca 12-5. Shawn had been one of the most consistent players in Las Vegas, and his dominant quarterfinal performance secured his spot among the final four.

The World Championship was now down to four names:

• #8 David C — Atlanta Major Champion

• #12 Rare Air — Chicago Major Champion

• #3 Nolan S — Five-Time Major Champion

• #2 Shawn Laborde — Group D Winner

Four competitors. Two spots in the championship final.

Final Four: A Championship Matchup Begins to Take Shape

The semifinals brought together some of the strongest performers from the entire 2026 circuit, with each matchup carrying its own storyline.

On the left side, David C faced Rare Air, a matchup with some unfinished business.

Earlier in the season at the A-Town Showdown in Atlanta, David C had delivered a stunning 7-0 semifinal shutout against Rare Air, one of the most dominant victories of the Major series.

Now, on the biggest stage of the year, Rare Air had a chance to settle the score.

The two battled through an incredibly close two-game aggregate series, trading goals and refusing to give ground. In the end, Rare Air got his revenge, edging David C 12-11 to book his place in the World Championship final.

From a 3-3 group-stage record to the final two players in the world, Rare Air's run had officially become one of the biggest stories of the tournament.

On the right side, Nolan faced #2 seed Shawn Laborde in a heavyweight semifinal matchup.

Shawn had been nearly flawless throughout the competition, finishing 5-1 in group stage and carrying that momentum through a difficult knockout bracket. But standing in his way was Nolan, arguably the most dominant Major competitor in Binho history.

Nolan brought the same composed, clinical style that had earned him five Major championship rings, defeating Shawn 11-8 on aggregate to punch his ticket into yet another championship match.

And just like that, the stage was set.

Five-time Major champion Nolan versus Chicago Major champion Rare Air.

A matchup with everything on the line.

The Battle for Third Place

Before the championship final, Shawn Laborde and David C faced off in the third-place match, with $2,000 in prize money and a podium finish up for grabs.

Both players had put together outstanding performances throughout the day, but it was Shawn who finished strongest, defeating David C 7-4 to officially claim third place at the 2026 Binho World Championship.

For Shawn, it capped off an impressive tournament that included a 5-1 group-stage record, the #2 overall knockout seed, and a run to the final four against some of the toughest competition in the country.

THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL: RARE AIR VS. NOLAN

This was it.

Eight qualifying stops. Hundreds of competitors throughout the season. Twenty-four finalists in Las Vegas. And now, just two players remained.

On one side stood Nolan, the five-time Major champion from Circle City Binho Club. Coming off another championship victory in Indianapolis earlier in the year, Nolan had firmly established himself as one of the most accomplished competitors in Binho history. Five rings, countless deep tournament runs, and now an opportunity to add the biggest title of them all.

On the other side stood Rare Air, the Chicago Major champion who had spent years chasing his first Major title before finally breaking through at the Windy City Flickoff. Now, months later, he had fought his way through one of the toughest knockout brackets of his career for an opportunity to become World Champion.

The championship format shifted back to a single game, with the first player to seven goals claiming the title.

No aggregate scores. No return leg.

Just one final match to decide the best in the world.

A Final That Went the Distance

With spectators gathered around the championship board, the broadcast rolling, and $7,000 and a World Championship ring on the line, Nolan and Rare Air delivered exactly the kind of final the occasion demanded.

Nolan entered with the experience advantage, having already won five Majors and built a reputation for performing at his best when the stakes were highest. Rare Air, however, had spent the entire knockout stage proving he could handle the pressure.

The final became a battle of composure, shot-making, and momentum.

Every flick mattered. The crowd reacted to each opportunity, every near miss, and every goal as the match moved closer to its conclusion.

Nolan showed why he had been so difficult to beat throughout the season taking a strong lead, but Rare Air refused to let the game slip away. Facing a deficit, he battled his way back, keeping himself within striking distance of the most important victory of his career.

As the score reached 6-6, the championship was pushed to its ultimate conclusion.

Golden goal. Next goal wins.

The tension inside On The Record was at its peak. After an entire season of tournament competition, the World Championship would come down to a single flick.

There was even a brief moment of controversy surrounding the closing stages of the match, adding another layer of drama to an already intense final. The situation was ultimately settled in accordance with the tournament rules, allowing the championship to be decided on the board.

And when the decisive moment finally arrived, Rare Air delivered.

With the golden goal, Rare Air defeated Nolan 7-6, completing the comeback and claiming the 2026 Binho World Championship.

Rare Air: From Major Champion to World Champion

For Rare Air, the victory represented far more than another tournament win.

Earlier in the season, he had finally captured his first Major championship ring in Chicago after years of chasing that milestone. Now he had gone one step further, defeating a five-time Major champion on the biggest stage the sport had ever seen.

His road to the title was anything but easy.

Rare Air finished third in Group C with a 3-3 record, entered the knockout bracket as the #12 seed, and then went through Samuel Pacheco, Jose M, David C, and Nolan to capture the championship.

Three of his four knockout victories were decided by a single goal.

He survived a 12-11 battle in the Sweet 16, delivered a statement win in the Elite Eight, got revenge against the Atlanta champion in the semifinals, and then came from behind to defeat Nolan in a golden-goal championship final.

It was a run defined by resilience and execution when it mattered most.

For Nolan, the runner-up finish was another major accomplishment in an already historic season, adding a World Championship finals appearance to his five Major titles and further strengthening his place among Binho's all-time greats.

But on this night, the crown belonged to Rare Air.

2026 Binho World Champion. Rare Air.

A New Standard for Binho Competition

As the championship came to a close, it was clear just how much the game had grown throughout the 2026 season.

What began as an eight-stop qualifying circuit turned into the most ambitious tournament series Binho has ever produced. From packed venues in Los Angeles and Philadelphia to a sold-out Chicago Major, first-time champions in Atlanta, the record-setting 88-player tournament in Indianapolis, and the final qualifying battles in Salt Lake City, each stop helped raise the standard.

The talent continued to get better. New clubs emerged. Established competitors were pushed harder than ever before. And the level of play across the country reached heights that would have been difficult to imagine just a few years ago.

The Binho World Championship presented by MGM Rewards was the culmination of all that progress.

Having a dedicated championship venue at Park MGM, a full broadcast production, player walkouts, interviews, a five-figure prize pool, and 24 of the nation's best players competing under one roof marked a major step forward for Binho as a competitive sport.

A special thank-you goes to MGM Rewards, whose presenting partnership helped make this historic championship possible. We also want to recognize HallofPaws.com, DIIP Nootropic Pouches, Espolòn Tequila, Time Capsule Camera, Uni Sports Soccer, and Santa Teresa Rum for their support throughout the event.

And, of course, to every player, club, organizer, spectator, and supporter who participated in the 2026 tournament series, none of this happens without you.

Eight Stops. One Champion. Four Years of Bragging Rights.

The 2026 Binho tournament season is officially complete.

Eight qualifying Majors, one World Championship, countless memorable performances, and a new name at the top of the sport.

Rare Air leaves Las Vegas as the 2026 Binho World Champion, taking home the $7,000 grand prize, the championship ring, and the ultimate bragging rights for the next four years.

As the final chapter closes, one thing is certain: Binho is no longer just growing in numbers. The competition, the community, and the culture surrounding the game have reached an entirely new level.

Bigger Than A Board Game.

See you in 2030.