Mario Kart World Open October 2026: Times, Rules and Points

The Mario Kart World Open October 2026 is an online qualifier that runs from October 17 at 2:00 PM PT to October 18 at 6:00 PM PT. Nintendo uses it to fill the Mario Kart World Fall Cup 2026, a championship for North American players in December. Eligible participants from North and South America also receive 50 My Nintendo Platinum Points. Nintendo's announcement of the event is the source for every date, setting and reward below.

The event's rules state that no purchase is necessary to enter. Players still need the game itself, which Nintendo's store page lists at a regular price of $79.99 for Switch 2, plus a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Nintendo's page also links a free seven-day membership trial, so a player without a membership can test the requirement before the window opens.

When the window opens and closes

The window opens on Saturday, October 17 at 2:00 PM Pacific time, which is 21:00 UTC. It closes on Sunday, October 18 at 6:00 PM Pacific, which is 01:00 UTC on Monday, October 19. Nintendo gives only Pacific times, so players elsewhere should convert them with the offset in force that week. US clocks change on November 1, after the event ends.

The 50 points are not released when the event ends. Nintendo says they will be ready on the Missions page on or about October 27 (PT), which is 07:00 UTC that day if you count from midnight Pacific.

How the event is set up

Nintendo lists fixed settings for every session. The mode is VS Race at 150cc, with no teams, normal items and no computer opponents. Course selection is set to Connected, and a session holds up to 32 races with a 30-second interval between them. Players enter through Online Play: press the minus button to search for an event, then type the four-digit event ID. Nintendo's page gives the ID as 4450.

The entry requirements are a Switch 2 system, a copy of Mario Kart World, a Nintendo Account, a reliable connection and a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Nintendo's page points players without a membership to its free seven-day trial. Nintendo also warns that a username, player icon and score can appear on the public results page after you race.

How the qualifier leads to the Fall Cup

The official terms say the top 24 players in one qualifying event advance to the championship. The tournament as a whole runs from September 19 at 2:00 PM PT to about 6:00 PM PT on December 12, 2026, and the terms list 24 prize packages. The grand prize is a trophy, a NintendoVS backpack and a set of Mario Kart World decorative patches, with a listed value of $379.74. Winners are notified within 10 business days after each event.

Nintendo's Fall Cup is restricted to North American players, so a player in South America can earn the 50 points from this qualifier but should check the terms before planning around the December championship.

The points and the championship place are separate outcomes. Nintendo says anyone who takes part can claim the 50 points, so a player who races in the window but finishes outside the top 24 still earns them. Only the top finishers move toward the Fall Cup, so players who want the reward without aiming for the championship can focus on the window itself.

What changed in the September update

This qualifier follows Nintendo's free Ver. 1.8.0 update of September 9, which Nintendo described in its news article. The update added 10 courses inspired by the original Super Mario Kart to VS Race and Online Play, among them Choco Island, Vanilla Lake and Ghost Valley. It also added two Knockout Tour routes, Propeller Rally and Turnip Rally, which unlock after a player clears at least one Knockout Tour Rally. The same patch brought Spectator Mode to groups in Online Play and LAN Play.

Frequently asked questions

Nintendo's other October competition, the Mario Tennis Fever Open, is a separate bracket with its own registration window and dates. Read about it in our Mario Tennis Fever Open guide if you plan to enter both.