Largest Prize Pool in Speedcubing History Announced for 2027 Asian Championship
AMSA will offer $100,000 across individual, national team and club competition at its inaugural Asian Speed Cubing Championships in January 2027.
The Asian Mind Sports Association (AMSA) has announced a $100,000 prize pool for its inaugural AMSA Asian Speed Cubing Championships, scheduled for January 21-24, 2027.
The $100,000 purse appears to be the largest ever prize pool for a speedcubing competition. For comparison, the 2025 WCA World Championship offered $36,750, while the 2020 Red Bull Rubik’s Cube World Cup offered $30,000.
AMSA says the championship aims to attract close to 1,000 competitors from at least 10 Asian countries and regions. The host city has not yet been announced.
Unlike a traditional speedcubing competition centered primarily around individual events, the championship will be split into Individual, National/Regional Team and Club Championships.
The prize money will follow the same structure: $30,000 for the Individual Championship, $10,000 for National/Regional Teams and $60,000 for the Club Championship.
Individual and National Team Competition
The Individual Championship will take place on January 22 and feature five events: 3x3, 3x3 One-Handed, 2x2, Pyraminx and Square-1.
The following day will feature the National/Regional Team Championship, with teams made up of three competitors and one reserve.
Instead of standard individual events, teams will compete in Team 3x3 All-Round, Mixed Team Relay, and Three-Person Team Battle.
AMSA has not yet released detailed rules for those formats or how the prize money will be distributed among events and placements.
$60,000 Goes to the Club Championship
The biggest share of the prize pool is reserved for the Club Championship on January 24.
Its three events will be Five-Event Blind Three-Person Team Battle, Three-Event Team Relay and Shared Time Pool Ten-Event All-Round.
The roster rules could also make this one of the more interesting parts of the event.
Eligible organizations and companies involved in speedcubing in Asia will be able to form club teams and recruit competitors from anywhere in the world. According to AMSA, athletes will not be restricted by nationality, residence or existing organization affiliation.
Separate From the WCA Asian Championship
Despite the similar name, the AMSA Asian Speed Cubing Championships are separate from the World Cube Association and its Asian Championship.
AMSA is developing its own speedcubing competition system, regulations and technical standards. The organization was established in 2025, and the Olympic Council of Asia lists AMSA as the Asian federation for mind sports.
That distinction is especially relevant in 2026. The WCA’s Asian Championship was originally scheduled to take place in Shenyang, China, before the WCA announced in March that it could no longer proceed there and was exploring alternatives.
AMSA, meanwhile, has continued developing its own speedcubing competition system, including events in the Philippines and Malaysia.
More Details Still to Come
The four-day championship will begin January 21 with the AMSA Asian Speed Cubing Summit, Asian Speed Cubing Industry Exhibition and opening ceremony. Individual competition follows on January 22, National/Regional Teams on January 23 and the Club Championship on January 24.
Several major details remain unknown, including the host city, registration process, qualification requirements, detailed event rules and full prize distribution.
AMSA says those will be announced progressively ahead of the championship.
For now, the $100,000 prize pool alone makes the event significant. Along with its individual, national team and club formats, the championship represents AMSA's biggest step yet toward establishing a unique continental speedcubing system in Asia.