2026 Regulation Changes- 3BLD rounds changing to bo5, Dual Rounds

[EvanCuber1]

There’s a comp that spans Dec 31 and Jan 1 with 3BLD, https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/competitions/Chaaswurfel2025
However, it still says bo3 on the website even though the round of 3BLD is happening in 2026 there.

Im pretty sure for some reason, now the regulations dont go into place if the comp starts before they happen, which is dumb considering that at New York new year going into 2024, the clock pin regs went into effect

 

[OtaMota]

There’s a comp that spans Dec 31 and Jan 1 with 3BLD, https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/competitions/Chaaswurfel2025
However, it still says bo3 on the website even though the round of 3BLD is happening in 2026 there.

Only takes place for comps starting Jan 1 or after. That comp is not subject to bo5

Source: Evan Liu: Delegate

 

[mdcuber9]

The first round of bo5 3BLD is starting now!

 

[yes cubing]

The first round of bo5 3BLD is starting now!

we're guaranteed a wr from this comp, probably 2/3 :0

 

[OtaMota]

we're guaranteed a wr from this comp, probably 2/3 :0

No, Ao5 will be ranked with Mo3. There is a very low chance of WR.

 

[yes cubing]

No, Ao5 will be ranked with Mo3. There is a very low chance of WR.

why is it ranked with the mo3s? I expected it would be more of a like multiblind old-style kind of thing

 

[mdcuber9]

Results are coming in, no ao5s yet
It’s so weird seeing there being 5 solves instead of 3

Edit: We got one now!

 

[OtaMota]

why is it ranked with the mo3s? I expected it would be more of a like multiblind old-style kind of thing

Old style had a clear advantage to get more points with no time limit. Ao5 is comparable to Mo3. This has happened before with Mega and Feet, Ao5s being ranked with old Mo3s

 

[mdcuber9]

The ability to go all out after locking in an average is already clear!
I’m super excited to see where this goes, I think we’re gonna see an official sub-10 a lot sooner than we think

 

[OtaMota]

First PR on Ao5

 

[Caleb Valenzuela]

another comp that uses Mo5!
Cebu new year open 2026

 

[abunickabhi]

another comp that uses Mo5!
Cebu new year open 2026
View attachment 45668

The round was not competitive enough sadly yo

 

[Caleb Valenzuela]

The round was not competitive enough sadly yo

maybe I should aim for 3BLD NR yo (I then realized that 3BLD NR is like WR10)

 

[abunickabhi]

maybe I should aim for 3BLD NR yo (I then realized that 3BLD NR is like WR10)

Anything is possible yo

Start grinding, believe in the process

 

[Kivvi]

maybe I should aim for 3BLD NR yo (I then realized that 3BLD NR is like WR10)

This is so relatable, I actually wanted to get into MBLD for a while until I remembered that right now I neither have the cubes nor the motivation needed to beat our local bld-god who is dominating us with his 51 points NR

Btw, I do have a comp with the new ao5 format on January 24th (in three weeks) (I think only @yes cubing has one before me?), so I might write a little review and my thoughts about it here, maybe I could even ask the previously mentioned bld-god Simon Praschl about it

Edit: nvm @abunickabhi and @bldcuber314 have a comp with bld before me too

 

[qassssss]

It was announced on WCA forums that these changes will likely go through next year!

Dual Rounds-

This basically means that the current regulation which states that at least 25% of competitors must be eliminated each round may be removed. This would allow organisers to have rounds with 100% progression, providing more competing opportunities.

3BLD bo5-

This would change the 3BLD format to bo5, with no cutoffs. Mo3 would be replaced with ao5, but previous mo3 records, etc. would still stand until they are broken by ao5 records. This would be great as it introduces more opportunity for people to compete in 3BLD(bo3 doesn't make much sense for the length of the event), and cumulative time limits could be enforced the same way. In my opinion this would be a great change, but there is the issue that currently mo3 records may be carried by a single, and since the fastest single doesn't count in an ao5, records may be harder to beat.

There are a lot more changes, link to the WCA forum- https://forum.worldcubeassociation.org/t/january-2026-regulations-request-for-feedback/65326

Interesting, I find it would be harder for someone to get 4 good solves than 3 good solves though and it would need to be a new3bld/old3bld thing

 

[Fred]

This is so relatable, I actually wanted to get into MBLD for a while until I remembered that right now I neither have the cubes nor the motivation needed to beat our local bld-god who is dominating us with his 51 points NR

Btw, I do have a comp with the new ao5 format on January 24th (in three weeks) (I think only @yes cubing has one before me?), so I might write a little review and my thoughts about it here, maybe I could even ask the previously mentioned bld-god Simon Praschl about it

Edit: nvm @abunickabhi and @bldcuber314 have a comp with bld before me too

I had one too, but being a slowpoke and having a 10 minute cumulative limit, it made no difference to me.

 

[BVCuber13]

This is so relatable, I actually wanted to get into MBLD for a while until I remembered that right now I neither have the cubes nor the motivation needed to beat our local bld-god who is dominating us with his 51 points NR

Btw, I do have a comp with the new ao5 format on January 24th (in three weeks) (I think only @yes cubing has one before me?), so I might write a little review and my thoughts about it here, maybe I could even ask the previously mentioned bld-god Simon Praschl about it

Edit: nvm @abunickabhi and @bldcuber314 have a comp with bld before me too

I have one this weekend, Wide Moves & Waterslides 2026. hoping to get my first 3bld win!