The national championship for competitive yo-yo in the United States, organized by the National Yo-Yo League (NYYL) and first held in Chico, California in 1993.
Division photos from the 2026 National Yo-Yo Contest by Carlo Cavaluzzi and Dan Dauer.
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Anyone can compete at Nationals by entering the open preliminary round. In 1A, regionals are optional, but strong finishes there let you skip ahead to the semifinals or straight to the finals. The 2A to 5A divisions follow a shorter path, shown below.
Compete at NYYL regional contests during the season to earn a head start. 1st place at a major regional (PNWR, NER, RMR or MWR) earns a seed straight to the finals; 2nd to 5th skips ahead to the semifinals.
Open to every competitor. A 60-second routine. The top 20 preliminary scores advance to the semifinals.
A 90-second routine against regional qualifiers and the top preliminary players, competing for the remaining finals spots.
Fifteen players, 3-minute routines: the regional champions, the defending National Champion, and the top semifinalists.
2A, 3A, 4A and 5A (X Division): an open preliminary round, then a 6-player final. The top regional finisher in each division and the defending National Champions are seeded into the final.
Sport Freestyle and special divisions: open to everyone, with no qualifying needed. Women’s, Over 40 and 1A International may add a preliminary round if enough players enter.
The National Champion title is open to U.S. citizens and full-time U.S. residents; international players compete in the International Open.
The path to Worlds
Each U.S. National Champion earns a seed to the semifinals of the World Yo-Yo Contest, representing the United States.
| 3-Day Pass (Fri–Sun) | $60 |
| Saturday + Sunday Pass | $45 |
| Sunday Only | $30 |
| Saturday Only | $25 |
| Friday Only | $15 |
The National Yo-Yo League is committed to creating welcoming and inviting spaces for all members of our fantastic community.
At the 2027 National Yo-Yo Contest NYYL’s position continues to be clear: we are openly committed to creating a secure, welcoming, and friendly environment, free from all racism, sexism, sexual misconduct, violence, bullying, and any form of sexual, physical, verbal or emotional abuse during league events.
We will have staff on site who will aim to uphold these values, such that all attendees can enjoy the incredible event we have planned. See you in Vegas!
The National Yo-Yo League (NYYL) is the officially recognized organizing body for competitive yo-yo in the United States. NYYL sanctions the regional contest season, maintains the contest rules and judging system, recognizes contributors to the community with honorary awards, and presents the National Yo-Yo Contest, first held in Chico, California in 1993 (see the full history).
The League runs on members and volunteers. Join, help out at an event, or bring a contest to your area.
We’ll email you when registration opens, when the schedule is posted, and when there’s anything else you should know before Nationals.
