Mattel Inc. is taking its card off the table.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mattel plans to launch the UNO Championship Series, “a live-event competition that will stream live on Twitch,” transforming the iconic card game into “an adrenaline-fueled tournament with the unpredictable, chaotic fun that has made UNO a true cultural phenomenon.”
The championship series will see players to compete for a chance to win $50,000, per Front Office Sports.
“At its core, UNO has always been about creating unforgettable moments around the table from epic comebacks to game-changing Draw 4s,” Katie Buford, VP and Global Head of Mattel Games, said per IGN. “The 2026 UNO Championship Series Tournament brings that excitement to the biggest stage yet, giving fans around the world a front-row seat as elite players battle it out to become this year’s UNO champion.”
Those competing in the championship series will need to participate in qualifying rounds. Those will take in-person and digitally. In-person events will be held Oct. 3 in Kissimmee, Florida; Oct. 10 in Chicago; and Oct. 17 in El Segundo.
“In addition, fans across the US can also earn a place in the championship through free weekly qualifying tournaments in the UNO Mobile app from Aug. 31-Sept. 27,” THR reported.
The final play of the UNO Championship Series Tournament will be played on Nov. 11, in Los Angeles, California, and the event will be live-streamed on Twitch.
“Step up. Play hard. Take the title. The road to becoming the ultimate UNO Champion starts here,” UNO wrote in a post on Instagram.
Related: Mattel Announces UNO TV Game Show
This continues Mattel’s recent trend of turning its toy and game IPs into entertainment content, starting with 2023’s BARBIE movie.
The company’s Masters of the Universe IP landed on the big screen this summer in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, which Movieguide® gave a -2 due to “strong action violence, some obscenities and a strong profanity,” while praising its “surprisingly moral, pro-family story.”
In fact, last summer, Mattel launched Mattel Studios.
“Our vision for Mattel Studios is to collaborate with leading creators to make standout quality content based on Mattel’s iconic brands that will resonate in culture and appeal to global audiences,” Mattel Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ynon Kreiz said at the time.
The company has other projects in the works, inspired by IP like American Girls Dolls, Barney, Hot Wheels, Magic 8 Ball, Matchbox and Polly Pocket, among others.
“Successful movies lend themselves to more movies,” Kreiz said. “Our ambition is to create film franchises.”
While many of these projects don’t have an official timeline attached to them, UNO fans can get hyped to test their skills against other UNO superfans and possibly punch their way to the grand finale.
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