Dear All,

at SPIEL we already started looking around for interesting titles for the 2026 Europe Masters event. But there are so many games and publishers out there, we certainly missed some gems.

Feel free to share any interesting titles, suitable for the EC, with us. These could be games you have spotted in Essen or other new releases of this year. We will use it as input for our nomination list.

From all the candidates these games made it to our list of nominees for the 2026 European championship (alphabetical order):

Nominee List 2026

The games on the list of nominees are games that we have shortlisted as very suitable tournament games for the European Championship.

  • Endeavor: Deep Sea – Burnt Island Games
  • Kavango – Mazaza Games
  • Rebirth – Mighty Boards
  • Wispwood – CGE – Czech Games Edition

Tournament Games 2026

These four games were taken from the Nominee list and will be played at the European Championship.

  • Endeavor: Deep Sea – Burnt Island Games
  • Kavango – Mazaza Games
  • Rebirth – Mighty Boards
  • Wispwood – CGE – Czech Games Edition

Disclaimer: Please note that the final selection of the tournament games is not based on single titles. We have to take into account total overall playing time, different gaming mechanisms, etc, etc. So we opt for a best possible mix.

Games from the Nominee list 2026


Author:
Carl de Visser
Jarratt Gray

Endeavor: Deep Sea

In Endeavor: Deep Sea, you head an independent research institute with the goal of developing sustainable projects and preserving the fragile balance of marine life. Throughout the game, you’ll recruit field experts and use their abilities to explore new locations, research dive sites, publish critical ecological papers, and launch conservation efforts.

 Author:

Matt Brown
Zara Reid

KAVANGO

Become a conservation expert and build a thriving nature reserve.

Kavango is a beautiful, strategic and fast-paced board game that has captured the hearts of board gamers and conservationists across the world.

With simultaneous turns, satisfying tableau-building and tough decisions, Kavango’s gameplay has been praised by board game reviewers.

Designed by conservationists and supporting real life conservation projects, we hope Kavango inspires you to protect nature wherever you are.

Author:

Reiner Knizia

REBIRTH


A tile-laying game from Reiner Knizia set in a lush and hopeful future.
Rebirth revitalizes this classic genre with streamlined mechanisms that are combined with a signature Mighty Boards evocative vision — one of a lush, cosy, and hopeful future.

Following a series of calamities that left civilization in shambles, societies around the world are being rebuilt anew in harmony with nature. Scotland lies in ruins and the ancient clans have taken it upon themselves to restore the land. As clan leaders you will compete for strategic control of the land by rebuilding its prestigious castles.

Rebirth is a new, tile-laying game from Reiner Knizia. The game revitalizes this classic genre by combining Knizia’s elegant mechanics with Mighty Boards’ evocative world building. The result is a eurogame with smooth gameplay, set in a lush and hopeful future.

Each turn, players draw a tile from their supply and place it strategically on the board. These tiles represent your clan’s contribution to rebuilding the land. Rebirth rewards strategic foresight and clever tactical play, with tougher decisions emerging over the course of the game.

Author:

Reed Ambrose

WISPWOOD

Light up a magical forest and lure in a curious cat with glowing wisps.

Is that a light at the end of the… branch?

A curious cat prowls into the forest, lured by flickering lights of all colors dancing through the trees. What are they? Oh, the wisps from the old tales! Each one sparkles with charm and mischief, carrying a unique personality. Can you guide them just right and make your forest the brightest?

Welcome to Wispwood, a magical place populated by glowing wisps. On your turn, choose a wisp tile and a shape to place in your personal grid—your very own growing forest. Each wisp has desires about where it wants to shine, and even the magical trees have preferences! You’ll aim to meet their expectations across three scoring rounds. Between rounds, the forest shifts—fading and expanding—yet the wisps you’ve already placed remain, shaping the possibilities ahead.

With each game, new goal cards redefine the wisps’ whims, ensuring your forest grows in a unique way every time. Enter the forest and explore the magic of Wispwood!

Our prize sponsors for 2026:

Burnt Island Games
CGE – Czech Games Edition
Mazaza Games
Mighty Boards
Panda Game Manufacturing