CONTEST RULES

I. General informaion

1. The Cosplay Contest is intended for individuals who independently create their costumes, wear them, and portray characters of their choice. Participants may represent characters from manga, anime, games, films, comics, as well as members of musical bands and historical figures.

2. The Cosplay Contest will be conducted in a manner that ensures the highest possible visual and substantive quality, as well as the safety of both participants and the audience. Participants will have access to screens and other audiovisual equipment provided by the organizers.

3. The Cosplay Contest at Magnificon Expo 2026 will be divided into three independent categories: Cosplay Debut, Cosplay Standard, and qualifiers for international competitions — Gyeonggi International Cosplay Festival Championship 2026 (GICOF Championship 2026) and Europa Cosplay Cup 2026 (E2C 2026). A participant may not take part in more than one category of the Contest.​

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II. Submission of participation in the cosplay contest

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1. Anyone participating in the Magnificon Expo 2026 convention may take part in the Cosplay Contest, provided they complete and submit the appropriate registration form available on the event website no later than April 26, 2026. To perform as a guest in the Standard Cosplay category — waiving costume evaluation and the right to compete for the best costume award — select “No” in the “Costume Evaluation” section. By default, all submitted presentations are considered for the Best Performance award. To waive this right, add an appropriate comment (e.g. “performance not judged”) in the “Notes for the Jury” section of the registration form. In the case of group performances, either all group members are judged for the performance or none are — it is not possible to judge only a smaller subgroup.

1a. Participants entering qualifiers for international competitions must meet additional requirements described in sections IV and V of these Rules.
1b. The Debut Cosplay contest is open only to individuals who have previously participated in staged cosplay contests no more than twice. People who have already won any cosplay contest award are not eligible to enter Debut Cosplay. A person registering for Debut Cosplay declares that they are eligible to do so. If a registrant conceals information about a previous win or exceeding the allowed number of performances, they will be disqualified from this and the next cosplay contest.

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2. Every person participating in the cosplay contest — even as a guest performer only — must submit their own individual registration. Group registrations and/or registrations submitted on behalf of someone else are invalid. If a costume is worn by more than one person, each of them is required to send their own registration form.
In the Best Costume contest within Standard Cosplay and in the Debut Cosplay contest, only costumes handmade by the participant and not yet premiered on stage are allowed. The Best Performance award in Standard Cosplay can be won with previously presented or purchased costumes, provided that at least one cosplay in the group is a stage premiere.

4. In qualifiers for international competitions, participants may compete in a costume handmade by the participant — whether it is a premiere or has already been presented — as long as less than one year has passed since its stage premiere and it has not yet been judged in any international competition finals nor won any international competition qualifiers (cosplays that participated in qualifiers but did not win are permitted). Only staged tournaments with national qualification systems are taken into account. Participation in online contests, photography contests, or single convention contests with international participants (e.g. regular cosplay contests at Japan Expo or Gamescom) does not disqualify the costume.

5. Registration forms must include a link to graphic files (2 to 6 images) showing the character being portrayed as completely as possible, including key costume and accessory elements (this number requirement does not apply to costumes based on a single artwork). Graphic files must be at least 400 pixels on the shorter side and no more than 2000 pixels on the longer side. Only PNG or JPEG formats are accepted. Submitting reference images of the portrayed character along with the registration is mandatory. The participant may also indicate which image should be displayed on the graphic board shown on screen during their stage presentation.

6. Attaching progress photos (so-called “progress shots”) to the registration form is required if the participant will have their costume evaluated by the jury. The participant may bring them as supplementary material in printed form for the jury round. Only printouts prepared using the template provided by Magnificon Expo (available after selections) are accepted. Such prepared progress books are mandatory for participants in international competition qualifiers.

7. Participants must attach to their registration the backing track or video file that is to be played during their performance. All audio elements of the presentation must be included in that single file. No microphones will be provided on site!

8. Within five days of receiving a submission, the organizers may return it to the author for completion or correction, clearly indicating the points that need changes. Such corrections must be made at least 7 days before the performance.

9. Failure to submit complete registration forms by the specified deadline will result in the participant being disqualified from the Cosplay Contest.

10. In case of an excessive number of entries, selection may be necessary. For this reason, confirmation of inclusion on the Magnificon Expo 2026 Cosplay Contest participant list will be sent within 7 days after registration closes. If there are too many applicants, the organizers will conduct selection based on the following criteria, in this order:

Handmade costumes will have priority over purchased ones (where the category allows it).

Incomplete submissions or submissions containing errors will be rejected.

Selection will be based on the degree of costume completion, evaluated from the submitted progress photos.

The quality of the prepared performance will be assessed, including the submitted audio materials and scenario.

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11. The organizers must be notified of any changes to an already accepted submission (change of backing track, introduction, lighting setup, on-screen graphic board, etc.) no later than May 10, 2026.

12. A Cosplay Contest participant undertakes to inform the organizers as soon as possible of any withdrawal from their performance if necessary. In the case of group performances, substitutions (another cosplayer playing the previously registered character) or changes to music and visuals are permitted up to a maximum of five days before the performance.

13. After registration for the Cosplay Contest closes, it is not possible to add additional characters to an entry or change the registered costume to a different one.

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III. Course of the stage section

1. The Cosplay Contest will be hosted by a master of ceremonies selected by the organizers.

2. Participants of the Cosplay Contest will have the opportunity to rehearse their performance on stage during an optional practice session. During Magnificon Expo 2026, the stage will be available for this purpose on Friday around midday (for Debut Cosplay participants) and on Saturday before midday (for participants of the remaining contest categories).

3. The stage part of the Cosplay Contest at Magnificon Expo 2026 will take place in three blocks, separated by other attractions. The first block, Debut Cosplay, will be held on Friday afternoon. The Standard Cosplay contest is planned as the second block on Saturday afternoon. The final block, including qualifiers for GICOF Championship 2026 and E2C 2026, will take place on Saturday evening. The total duration of any block may not exceed two hours. This schedule is preliminary and may change depending on the number of applications in each category — in case of a low number of participants, blocks may be merged, and in the case of too few entries in a given category, it may be cancelled.

4. Participants of all contest categories who have submitted their costume for judging are required to take part in the jury round before the stage performance. During this round, costumes will be closely examined and evaluated by a judging panel selected by the organizers. Participants may request the assistance of a translator during the jury round if needed.

5. Each participant presents their performance after the introduction by the master of ceremonies. In the Standard Cosplay and Debut Cosplay contests, a solo performance should last from 30 seconds to 2 minutes, while a group performance should last from 1 minute up to a maximum of 3 minutes. Time limits for international qualifiers are specified in Sections IV and V of these Regulations.

6. Each participant is required to behave respectfully towards other convention guests and the organizers. Particular attention will be paid to behavior on stage. The organizers reserve the right to interrupt a performance and remove participants from the stage if their behavior violates the rights of other guests or significantly deviates from generally accepted moral standards. In particular, performances containing graphic scenes of violence, torture, or suicide, promoting drug use or alcohol consumption, featuring excessive sexual expression, or including vulgarity or hate speech (towards ethnic groups, sexual minorities, or based on skin color) in performance or accompanying audio/video materials will not be tolerated.

7. The use of sharp melee weapons or firearms (with the exception of ASG replicas, which must not have a magazine on stage), open flames, and any liquids or loose materials (such as confetti, sand, etc.) that may soil the stage is prohibited. It is also forbidden to attach decorations or props to stage structures or furniture provided by the organizers using glue or other permanent fixing methods that could damage surfaces. Participants are encouraged to inform the organizers in advance about any planned special effects not covered by these regulations.

8. The use of AI-generated audio/video materials is prohibited. This applies to all elements of the performance background (graphics, animations, voices, music, etc.), as well as graphics used on decorations or props. It is also recommended to limit the use of AI-assisted tools available in audio or video editing software. The use of such tools has previously caused issues with converting files into formats compatible with stage audiovisual equipment. Ignoring this recommendation may result in the removal of the visual layer of the performance or even withdrawal from the contest if file conversion proves impossible.

9. The announcement of results and award ceremony will take place immediately after the Debut Cosplay contest, and after the international block on Saturday for the remaining contest categories.

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IV. Gyeonggi International Cosplay Festival Championship 2026 eliminations

1. At Magnificon Expo 2026, as part of the Cosplay Contest, qualifiers for the international competition Gyeonggi International Cosplay Festival Championship 2026 (hereinafter: GICOF Championship 2026) will be held. The purpose of these qualifiers is to select one two-person team to represent Poland in the GICOF Championship 2026 finals during the Bucheon International Comics Festival in South Korea.

2. The qualifiers are open to any person who holds Polish citizenship, registers for the Cosplay Contest in the category “Qualifiers for Gyeonggi International Cosplay Festival Championship 2026,” and turns 18 no later than September 16, 2026.

2a. Foreign nationals may also participate in the Polish qualifiers for GICOF Championship 2026 if they hold permanent residence in Poland and have lived in the country for at least three years, regardless of whether their country of origin has its own qualifiers. However, they may not participate in qualifiers for this competition in any other country. If a person has already participated in the GICOF Championship finals as a representative of another country, they may not enter the Polish qualifiers until at least three years have passed since that final.

3. Costumes submitted for the qualifiers must be entirely made by the members of the competing team. Collaboration within the duo is allowed. Minor accessories such as wigs, shoes, glasses, etc. may be purchased, but any modifications must be made by the participants themselves.

4. A costume submitted to the GICOF Championship 2026 qualifiers must be a recreation of an outfit appearing in any source material such as animated or live-action films/series, manga/comics, video/computer games, or similar works published in Poland or abroad (in any country) under a commercial license. Costumes based on fan art or original works published without a commercial license (e.g. only on platforms like DeviantArt) are not permitted.

5. Organizers of Magnificon Expo or of the GICOF Championship finals and Gyeonggi International Cosplay Festival may not participate in the qualifiers.

6. Each participant additionally declares their willingness to travel to the GICOF Championship finals in South Korea between September 17 and 22, 2026, confirms that they have the legal ability to do so, and is not aware of any reason that would make such travel impossible. Note: this requires obtaining a passport if the participant does not already have one.

7. During the Cosplay Contest, the jury will select the winners of the qualifiers from among the participants based on detailed costume inspection and observation of stage performance. Costume evaluation (accuracy to references and technical execution) accounts for 50% of the total score, and performance evaluation accounts for the remaining 50%. Participants may receive an additional 10% for strong audience engagement (eye contact, audience reaction, etc.).

8.The stage presentation submitted for the qualifiers may not exceed three minutes. During the presentation for the GICOF Championship qualifiers, only the participants may be present on stage. Including additional performers, whether in costume or not, is prohibited. All decorations must be free-standing, and props must be handled by the participants without assistance from third parties (including remote assistance). Exceptions are allowed in emergency situations (e.g. damage to decorations not caused by the participant), where assistance with props or decorations is permitted.

9. The winners of the qualifiers will earn the right to represent Poland in the GICOF Championship 2026 finals in Bucheon. The costs of round-trip flights to South Korea, transportation between the airport, hotel, and the Gyeonggi International Cosplay Festival venue, and a double hotel room for the period from September 17 to 22, 2026 will be covered.

10. The jury reserves the right to select one reserve team in case the winners of the qualifiers are unable to participate in the GICOF Championship 2026 finals for any reason.

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V. Europa Cosplay Cup 2026 eliminations

1. At Magnificon Expo 2026, as part of the Cosplay Contest, qualifiers for the international competition Europa Cosplay Cup 2026 (hereinafter: E2C 2026) will be held. The purpose of these qualifiers is to select one representative of Poland for the E2C 2026 finals, which will take place during Toulouse Game Show 2026 in Toulouse, France.

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2. The E2C 2026 qualifiers are open to any person who holds Polish citizenship or has permanent residence in Poland and has lived in the country for at least 3 years, registers for the Cosplay Contest in the category “Qualifiers for Europa Cosplay Cup 2026,” and turns 18 no later than November 27, 2026.

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2a. Individuals who serve as judges in any E2C qualifier during the current season may not participate in any other qualifiers within the same cycle. Winners of qualifier events may not serve as judges in any other E2C qualifiers during the same edition of the competition.

2b. E2C finalists may not participate in qualifiers for the competition in the following year. Second and third place winners of the finals are excluded from the next two editions of the competition, while the winner of the finals is excluded from the next three editions.

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3. Europa Cosplay Cup is a solo competition. The costume submitted to the qualifiers must be made by the participant. Accessories such as wigs, shoes, glasses, etc. may be purchased, but any modifications must be made by the participant. Automated production methods such as 3D printing or machine embroidery may not account for more than 50% of the costume. The participant must also be able to prove that they prepared the files required to produce such elements themselves.

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4. A costume submitted to the E2C qualifiers must be a recreation of an outfit appearing in any source material such as animated or live-action films/series, manga/comics, video/computer games, or similar works published in Poland or abroad under a commercial license. Costumes based on fan art or original works published without a commercial license (e.g. only on platforms such as DeviantArt) are not permitted.

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5. The selected representative may prepare a new cosplay for the finals or perform again in the costume used in the qualifiers. If they choose to reuse the same costume, they must prepare a new stage performance and may not compete in any contest using that cosplay between the qualifiers and the E2C finals.

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6. Stage scenery may consist of one large prop not exceeding 2m x 2m x 1m (depth) and weighing no more than 10 kg, or up to two large elements that together fit within 2m x 2m x 1m, each weighing no more than 5 kg (these elements may include chairs or tables, provided they meet the size and weight requirements). Decorations that require attachment to stage structures or permanently to furniture provided by the organizers are not allowed. Additionally, the participant may have up to three small props on stage (e.g. a book, compact mirror, wand, fan, small plush or figurine). Mannequins, chests, or large weapons (e.g. shields) are not considered small props.

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7. Organizers of Magnificon Expo or of the E2C 2026 finals and Toulouse Game Show may not participate in the qualifiers.

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8. Each participant additionally declares their willingness to travel to the E2C finals in France between November 27 and 30, 2026, confirms that they have the legal ability to do so, and is not aware of any reason that would make such travel impossible.

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9. During the Cosplay Contest, the jury will select the winner of the qualifiers from among the participants based on detailed costume inspection and observation of stage performance. Costume evaluation (accuracy to references and construction: variety and difficulty of techniques used, quality of craftsmanship, choice of materials, mobility) accounts for 50% of the total score, and performance evaluation (script and execution, acting, audio and/or video quality, accuracy to source material) accounts for the remaining 50%.

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10. During the stage presentation submitted for the E2C qualifiers, only the participant may be present on stage. Including additional performers, whether in costume or not, is prohibited. All decorations must be free-standing, and props must be handled by the participant without assistance from third parties (including remote assistance). Exceptions are allowed in emergency situations (e.g. damage to decorations not caused by the participant), where assistance is permitted. The stage presentation may not exceed two minutes.

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11. The winner of the qualifiers will earn the right to represent Poland in the E2C 2026 finals in Toulouse. The costs of accommodation (three nights: from Friday, November 27 to Monday, November 30) and travel (flight with up to two checked baggage items) will be covered.

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12. The jury reserves the right to select one reserve participant in case the winner of the qualifiers is unable to participate in the E2C 2026 finals for any reason.

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VI. Awards

1. In the Debut Cosplay contest, three awards will be granted for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. In the Standard Cosplay contest, three awards will be granted for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, as well as a distinction for Best Performance. The jury reserves the right to grant additional special awards at their discretion. In the E2C 2026 qualifiers, one winning solo participant will be awarded, while in the GICOF Championship 2026 qualifiers one winning team will be selected. The organizers reserve the right to grant more than one award (this does not apply to international qualifiers) or to withhold any of the awards.

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2. In the Standard Cosplay main category, the jury evaluates costumes and grants awards based on accuracy to the original design, technical difficulty, and additional methods used to resemble the character (e.g. makeup, characterization, wig styling). An additional criterion is the evaluation of stage performance and embodiment of the character. For the Best Performance distinction, participants are evaluated only during their stage performance, with the most important criteria being acting skills and the performance script, although visual elements (costumes and any decorations) also play a role. In the Debut Cosplay category, evaluation is holistic and includes both costume craftsmanship and stage performance. In the GICOF Championship 2026 qualifiers, costume evaluation (accuracy to references and technical execution) accounts for 50% of the total score, and performance evaluation accounts for the remaining 50%. Participants may receive an additional 10% for strong audience engagement (eye contact, audience reaction, etc.). In the E2C 2026 qualifiers, costume evaluation (accuracy to references and construction: variety and difficulty of techniques used, quality of craftsmanship, choice of materials, mobility) accounts for 50% of the total score, while performance evaluation (script and execution, acting, audio or video quality, accuracy to source material) accounts for the remaining 50%.

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3. Awards granted in the Contest are not subject to exchange.

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4. The decisions of the jury are public, final, and not subject to appeal.

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5. If winners do not collect their awards, the prizes will be shipped to them at their expense, after prior arrangement via email or phone.

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VII. Additional Participant Declarations

1. By registering for the Contest, the participant declares that the presented costume has been made by them using materials available to them, that the presented performance and accompanying audio/video materials do not infringe upon the rights of third parties, including personal, property, and copyright rights, and that all information provided in the registration form is true.

2. The participant consents to the use and publication of photos and video recordings taken by the organizers and their representatives during photoshoots and recordings, both during stage performances and outside of them, in any form chosen by the organizers, including print (paper), digital media, and online distribution; as well as to their reproduction and distribution by any technique and in any quantity. The above-mentioned photos and recordings remain the sole and exclusive property of the organizers, with due regard to the specific rights of their creators.

3. The participant may request the removal of publicly shared photos or recordings featuring their image, but only if they significantly infringe upon their personal dignity.

4. The participant consents to the processing and storage of the data provided in the registration forms for purposes related to the organization of the contest, awarding and distribution of prizes, and preparation of contest-related statistics. The data controller is MiOhi Marta Oleksy, the organizer of Magnificon Expo 2026.

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VIII. Final provisions

1. The decisions of the organizers are final and not subject to appeal.

2. Completing and submitting the registration form for participation in the Cosplay Contest at Magnificon Expo 2026 is considered a declaration that the participant has read, understood, and fully accepted these regulations.

3. The organizers reserve the right to make any changes to these regulations without prior notice to participants.

The most up-to-date version of the regulations is available at https://magnificonexpo.com.