Metagame Mentor: The Final Four Standard Regional Championships of Early 2026
Hello, and welcome back to Metagame Mentor, your weekly guide to the top decks and latest Constructed developments on the path to the Pro Tour. This past weekend, 974 players in total competed across the Regional Championships for Australia/New Zealand, Japan/Korea, Southeast Asia, and China. Together, these four tournaments awarded 40 coveted invitations to Pro Tour Secrets of Strixhaven and five precious seats at Magic World Championship 32.
In this article, I'll break down the Standard metagame, examine win rates across the major archetypes, and highlight the spiciest decks that rose to the top. But first, a well-deserved congratulations to the newly crowned champions.
Ma Noah Victorious at the Champions Cup Final with Bant Rhythm
Congratulations to Ma Noah, who emerged victorious at the Champions Cup Final (the Regional Championship for Japan and South Korea)! He piloted Bant Rhythm to victory over Tase Yuya's Momo White deck in the finals.
Simon Linabury Triumphs at the ANZ Super Series with Mono-Green Landfall
Congratulations to Simon Linabury, who claimed victory at the ANZ Super Series (the Regional Championship for Australia and New Zealand) by piloting Mono-Green Landfall to a 1st-place finish!
Muhan Yu Victorious in China with Izzet Prowess
Congratulations to Muhan "Beenew" Yu, who conquered China's Regional Championship with Izzet Prowess!
Richmond Tan Triumphs in Southeast Asia with Izzet Elementals
Congratulations to Richmond Tan, who took the trophy at Southeast Asia's Regional Championship with Izzet Elementals!
The Standard Metagame and Win Rates
| Archetype | Percentage of Field | Match Win Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Izzet Prowess | 16.1% | 57.4% ✓✓ |
| 2. Mono-Green Landfall | 13.7% | 52.5% |
| 3. Izzet Lessons | 8.0% ↓↓ | 49.7% |
| 4. Dimir Midrange | 7.0% | 41.9% |
| 5. Izzet Spellementals | 6.3% | 50.5% |
| 6. Dimir Excruciator | 5.0% | 51.5% |
| 7. Momo White | 4.3% | 48.7% |
| 8. Bant Rhythm | 3.9% ↑↑ | 54.8% |
| 9. Jeskai Control | 2.1% | 46.1% |
| 10. Bant Airbending | 1.7% | 52.9% |
| 11. Sultai Reanimator | 1.6% | 44.8% |
| 12. Rakdos Discard | 1.4% | 35.4% |
| 13. Simic Rhythm | 1.4% | 51.5% |
| 14. Boros Mobilize | 1.3% | 48.1% |
| 15. Boros Dragons | 1.3% | 44.6% |
| 16. Boros Momo | 1.3% | 52.7% |
| 17. Azorius Tempo | 1.2% | 50.0% |
| 18. Izzet Elementals | 1.1% | 54.5% |
| 19. Grixis Discard | 1.1% | 45.2% |
| 20. Four-Color Control | 1.1% | 49.4% |
| 21. Azorius Momo | 1.1% | 44.1% |
| 22. Temur Harmonizer | 1.0% | 59.4% |
| 23. Other | 16.6% | 44.3% |
Compared to the metagame at the preceding four Regional Championships, there were no massive shifts. Izzet Lessons declined slightly in popularity, while many Simic Rhythm players moved to Bant Rhythm. Izzet Prowess remained the most popular deck, with one of the strongest win rates overall.
Golgari Reanimator Takes Paul Gabat to the Pro Tour
Paul Gabat finished in 3rd place at Southeast Asia's Regional Championship with a spicy Golgari Reanimator deck.
Jeskai Midrange Takes Kyle Gibson to the Pro Tour
Kyle Gibson finished in 10th place and earned a Pro Tour invite with a spicy Jeskai Midrange deck.
Mox Jasper and CC Chan Got Close to a Pro Tour Invite
CC Chan took the innovative Mono-Blue Otters deck, featuring
What's Next for Standard?
Looking ahead to the next premier event on the horizon, Pro Tour Secrets of Strixhaven will take place at MagicCon: Las Vegas on May 1–3.