Showdown Series in Lucca: which badge you need, what it costs, what you can win
From September 11 to 13, Lucca’s Polo Fiere hosts the first Italian Riftbound Showdown Series, run by PG Esports. Badges, prices, schedule and prizes are now public — and there is one thing worth knowing before you buy, because badges are non-refundable and non-transferable. The big one: Admission and Side Bundle do not get you into the Main Event.
Under two weeks to go and spots are limited. Prices exclude ticketing platform fees. PG Esports states that times and the tournament list are provisional until the final calendar; what follows is what was published as of August 30, re-checked on the PG Esports site on September 10 with no changes.
The choiceThe badges, and what they actually let you do
The maths is simple. To play the main tournament, the floor is Standard at €86. Standard Plus costs €99 more and includes a Vendetta booster box: at market price for a box, it pays off if you were buying one anyway. Premium adds the second box, a voucher and above all priority access to Side Events, which is not a detail once hundreds of people are queueing. If you are only there for side events, Admission + Side Bundle (€115, 5 vouchers) is the route.
The rules that can catch you out. Badges are named, non-refundable and non-transferable. Each attendee may hold only one of Admission, Standard or Premium: buy two and only the most recent stays valid, the others are cancelled. The badge only gets you into the hall: registration for the Main Event and Side Events happens in person, at the desk. And Riftbound Organized Play requires a Riot Games account linked to the Riftbound Gaming Network: do it now, not on tournament morning.
On vouchers, one clause is worth reading twice: they are single-use and each Side Event has its own cost expressed in vouchers. Spend one on a cheaper tournament and the difference is gone — no refund, no leftover credit. Save them for the expensive events (Rift Warm-up and Sealed cost 2 vouchers, i.e. €50), not for a €15 8-man.
Badge pickup opens on Thursday evening (time to be confirmed). If you collect on Friday morning, allow for the queue before tournaments start; Premium holders have a dedicated lane every day.
The scheduleThree days, tournament by tournament
Side Events only — and the tournament that hands out a bye
| Time | Tournament | Format | Cap | Entry | Prizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| all day | 8-man Constructed | Bo1, 30 min | 8 | €15 | 3-0 → 6 packs |
| all day | Free for All | 4-player pods, 2 rounds | 8 | €15 | 4 packs per pod winner |
| all day | Competitive Constructed | Bo3, single elimination | 8 | €15 | 3-0 → 18 packs |
| all day | 2v2 | Bo1, 60 min | 8 | €15 | 3-0 → 6 packs each |
| 13:00 | Rift Warm-up | Bo3, 5 rounds | 256 | €50 (2 vouchers) | 5-0 → 24 packs + a Main Event bye; 4-1 → 18; 3-2 → 12 |
| 15:00 | 2v2 Team | Bo1, 3-4 rounds | 64 | €25 (1 voucher) | up to 10 packs each |
| 15:30 | Draft | 3 Vendetta packs, 3 rounds | 64 | €25 (1 voucher) | 3-0 → 4 packs |
| 16:00 | Sealed | 6 Vendetta packs, 3 rounds | 64 | €50 (2 vouchers) | 3-0 → 6 packs |
| 20:30 | Late Night Standard | Bo1, 3 rounds | 256 | €25 (1 voucher) | 3 packs per win + 1 each |
The Rift Warm-up is Friday’s most interesting slot: finish 5-0 and you take 24 packs plus a first-round bye in Saturday’s Main Event. That is €50 for a free match in a tournament of hundreds.
Main Event, Day 1: six rounds and the 12-point cut
The Main Event starts at 10:00: Bo3, 60 minutes plus 3 extra turns, 6 swiss rounds. Everyone on 12 points or more makes Day 2 — four wins, or three wins and a draw. Side Events run in parallel all day (Standard Saturday Open, Draft, Sealed, 2v2, the 8-mans).
Day 2, Top 8 and the tournaments for everyone else
Back at 10:00 for 4 more rounds (5 if entries pass 800), then a Top 8 single elimination. For those already out: Showdown Rebound at 11:00 (256 seats, €50, 6 rounds, 6-0 worth 32 packs) and Full Box Sealed at 11:30 — 32 seats, €150, and everyone opens a full 24-pack box of Vendetta.
The potWhat is actually on the line
Main Event prizes scale with attendance, and not by a little: the same first place is worth 6 booster boxes at a 500-player event and 15 booster boxes past 1,024 entrants.
| Finish | Up to 512 | 512-1,024 | Over 1,024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 6 boxes | 8 boxes | 15 boxes |
| 2nd | 4 boxes | 4 boxes | 8 boxes |
| 3rd-4th | 2 boxes | 3 boxes | 6 boxes |
| 5th-8th | 1.5 boxes | 2 boxes | 4 boxes |
| 9th-16th | 1 box | 1.5 boxes | 2.5 boxes |
| 17th-32nd | — | 1 box | 1.5 boxes |
The part that matters for the circuit, though, is elsewhere: qualifiers share 1 to 4 Regional Championship invitations and 4 to 16 Competitor Passes for a future Regional Qualifier, plus Standard Plated Legends for the best pilots of the last three expansions’ Legends. That is what Showdown Series are for: a way into the top of the circuit without going through a two-thousand-player Regional Qualifier.
PreparationWhat to bring
It is Standard, so Vendetta is legal. The reference metagame is the one that came out of RQ Barcelona: Kennen took the field with 270 pilots out of 2,387, but Ornn took the title. Stats update after every Regional on Meta statistics; the rulings that decide the most games are in the official Vendetta FAQ, and banned cards in the ban list. For the deck itself, our deck builder.
QuestionsQuick answers
How much does it cost to play the Lucca Showdown Series?
Badges start at €25 (Admission, no Main Event). Playing the Main Event requires at least the €86 Standard; there is also Standard Plus at €185 and Premium at €325. Prices exclude ticketing platform fees.
Can I play the Main Event with an Admission badge?
No. Admission and Side Bundle only grant access to the venue and Side Events. The Main Event is restricted to Standard, Standard Plus and Premium badges.
Is the badge enough to be registered for the tournament?
No: the badge gets you into the hall. Registration for the Main Event and Side Events is completed in person at the event desk, with your badge and vouchers.
Can I get a refund or transfer my badge?
No. Badges are named and non-refundable, and name changes are not allowed. Each attendee may hold one badge only: buying more than one leaves only the most recent valid.
How does the Main Event bye work?
It comes from Friday’s Rift Warm-up at 13:00 (€50 or 2 vouchers, 256 seats): finishing swiss at 5-0 earns 24 packs and a first-round win by default in the Main Event.
How many Regional Championship invitations are on the line?
Main Event qualifiers share 1 to 4 Regional Championship invitations and 4 to 16 Competitor Passes for a future Regional Qualifier, depending on attendance.
Do I need a Riot Games account?
Yes, it is mandatory for Riftbound Organized Play, and it must be linked to the Riftbound Gaming Network. Sort it out in the days before, not on the morning of the event.
Source. Official event site by PG Esports (badges, access rules, schedule and prizepool), consulted on August 30, 2026; badges are sold through TicketSMS. Showdown Series is an official circuit announced by Riot Games. PG Esports notes that times and the tournament list are provisional until the final calendar: we will update this page if they change. Images: Riot Games.
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