Colonial Williamsburg, VA
Early Bird – July 31, 2026 | Main Event – August 1-5, 2026
Championship Play
Word Cup is a 31-game championship event co-sponsored by the Word Game Players’ Organization and the Collins Coalition. Competition space and lodging are located at the 4-star Williamsburg Lodge, a Marriott property.
The 2026 Word Cup will be directed by Laurie Cohen and Bennett Jacobstein.
You can contact them anytime at wordcup2026@wordgameplayers.org.
Event Dates
- Early Bird – Friday, July 31st, 2026 (5 games)
- Main Event – Saturday, August 1st-Wednesday, August 5th (31 games)
Special Features
- $10,000 1st place prize guaranteed for WOW
- $7,500 1st place prize guaranteed for CSW with 55 entrants
- You’ll love the fun social activities throughout the weekend, plus time to explore the best of Colonial Williamsburg—including costumed interpreters and reenactments, the Governor’s Palace and Capitol, world-class museums, and classic taverns and restaurants.
- Thank you to the Carter Chapman Shreve Family Foundation for their generous donation to the prize pool
Entry Fees
- $200 Main Event (31 games) through May 30, $250 thereafter (Zelle/Check)
- $35 Early Bird (5 games)
- Youth (under 18): $20 Early Bird, $100 Main Event
Key Dates
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| January 8 | Registration opens |
| March 1 | Register and pay before March 1 to receive a free commemorative Word Cup t-shirt (available for purchase thereafter) |
| June 1 | Main Event price increases from $200 to $250 |
| June 30 | Hotel room block closes |
| July 26 | Registration deadline |
| July 30 | Full refunds available |
| July 31 | Word Cup 2026 Early Bird (5 Games) |
| August 1-5 | Word Cup 2026 Main Event (31 Games) |
How to Pay (WOW Players)
- WGPO is happy to offer no processing fee for payments made by:
- Zelle | send payment to entryfees@wordgameplayers.org
- Check | mail to: WGPO c/o Jan Cardia / 92 Sweet Pine Trail / Ponte Vedra, FL 32081
- A $5 processing fee applies to all Main Event entry fees paid by PayPal, and Square
Who’s Going
Who’s signed up for WOW: WOW Early Bird | WOW Main Event
Who’s signed up for CSW: CSW Early Bird | CSW Main Event
Lexicons
Learn about the differences between the lexicons here.
- WOW – WOW2024 lexicon
- Collins – CSW2024 lexicon
Volunteering
It takes a Scrabble village to put on a Scrabble tournament! If you (or a non-playing family member or friend) have any free time during the event, your service would be deeply appreciated! Please email us at wordcup2026@wordgameplayers.org.
T-shirts
Register and pay by March 1 to receive a free commemorative Word Cup T-shirt. After that date, shirts will be available for purchase.
T-shirts are offered in men’s and women’s fits, with sizes ranging from XS to 4XL. Note: sizes run small—consider ordering one size up.
Newbies
Players who are new to competitive Scrabble are welcome, but they are highly encouraged to first participate in a smaller tournament. This is to make sure you understand the rules and appreciate the stamina that will be required to play 31 games over the course of five days. If you have questions, please contact wordcup2026@wordgameplayers.org.
Vendors
Do you want to sell your Scrabble-themed cards, hats, bags, coasters, boards, etc. at this year’s Word Cup in Colonial Williamsburg from August 1st-5th? Contact us at wordcup2026@wordgameplayers.org.
Daily Schedule
EARLY BIRD
Fri, 7/31 – Early Bird
- 11:00AM-11:30AM – Registration and Setup
- 11:50AM-12PM – Announcements
- 12PM-5PM – Rounds 1-5
MAIN EVENT
Fri, 7/31 – Registration for Main Event
- 12PM-5PM / 7PM-10PM – Registration
Sat, 8/1 – Main Event Day 1
- 8:00AM-9:00AM – Setup
- 9:00AM-9:10AM – Announcements
- 9:10AM-12:10PM – Rounds 1-3
- 12:10PM-2:00PM – Lunch
- 2:00PM-6:00PM – Rounds 4-7
Sun, 8/2 – Main Event Day 2
- 8:00AM-9:00AM – Setup
- 9:00AM-9:10AM – Announcements
- 9:10AM-12:10PM – Rounds 8-10
- 12:10PM-2:00PM – Lunch
- 2:00PM-6:00PM – Rounds 11-14
Mon, 8/3 – Main Event Day 3
- 8:00AM-9:00AM – Setup
- 9:00AM-9:10AM – Announcements
- 9:10AM-12:10PM – Rounds 15-17
- 12:10PM-2:00PM – Lunch
- 2:00PM-6:00PM – Rounds 18-21
Tue, 8/4 – Main Event Day 4
- 8:00AM-9AM – Setup
- 9:00AM-9:10AM – Announcements
- 9:10AM-12:10PM – Rounds 22-24
- 12:10PM-2:00PM – Lunch
- 2:00PM-6:00PM – Rounds 25-28
Wed, 8/5 – Main Event Day 5
- 8:00AM-9:00AM – Setup
- 9:00AM-9:10AM – Announcements
- 9:10AM-12:10PM – Rounds 29-31
- 1:00PM-2:00PM – Awards Ceremony
Check-in
- Players must check in ahead of the event or risk being dropped from the pairings on day one
- Check-in will take place on Friday July 31 between 12PM-5PM and 7PM-10PM
- Players who miss the check-in window can contact tournament directors by email or text (details TBD)
Hotel
Location
Williamsburg Lodge
310 South England Street,
Williamsburg, Virginia, USA, 23185
855-231-7240
The Williamsburg Lodge combines classic charm with modern comfort — featuring a spacious, colonial-style lobby, elegant rooms, and timeless Georgian-era design touches throughout. Guests can enjoy relaxing amenities like an outdoor pool and beautifully maintained grounds. The Lodge consistently ranks among the top accommodations in Colonial Williamsburg, and is recognized as a AAA Four-Diamond property. Trip Advisor
Reserve your room now
- Reserve Hotel Online
- For phone reservations, call +1 (855) 231-7240 and provide the code “Scrabble Word Cup 2026“
Cost
- $179 per night + state and local taxes (currently 12% and $2.00 per night per room occupancy fee)
- Self-parking is $10.00 per night for overnight guests. The charge will be applied to the guestroom reservation, and a parking pass will be given to each guest upon arrival. Guests who are not staying at the hotel will pay using Hotel’s parking App. Directions for using the App are displayed throughout the parking areas.
- Hotel registration deadline for the tournament rate is June 30, 2026
- Individuals must guarantee reservations with a valid credit card that will be charged at the time of booking for the first night’s room and tax.
- Cancellations made inside seven (7) days, and no shows will forfeit the first night’s room, resort fee and tax. Guests who depart early after check-in will be charged for the entire stay.
Commuter Fee
- Why we have a commuter fee: Players who stay in the official hotel block help make Word Cup possible by supporting our playing space, staff, and overall event setup. To keep things fair for everyone, we charge a commuter fee to players who choose to stay outside the hotel block. The commuter fee is charged per player (not per room/reservation).
- How to book in the hotel block: To be counted as part of the official hotel block, you must book your room using the Word Cup hotel booking link or by calling the hotel directly and requesting the Scrabble Word Cup 2026 room block.
- A quick note about bookings outside the hotel block: Only reservations made within the official Word Cup hotel room block count toward being “in the block.” Bookings made using hotel points, free nights, third-party sites, or direct hotel bookings made outside the room block are not included, and the commuter fee will apply.
- Who is subject to the commuter fee: All players, including local players, who are not staying in the official hotel block will be charged a $100 USD commuter fee per person for the Word Cup main event.
Property Features
- Prime location steps from Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area
- AAA Four-Diamond property
- Fridges and Microwaves in every room
- Free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel
- Access to outdoor pools and recreation at the nearby Spa & Fitness Center
- Many dining options within walking distance, including classic Colonial taverns
- Spacious, colonial-inspired rooms with modern amenities
- Beautiful grounds and easy access to museums, shops, and historic sites
How to Get From the Airport to the Hotel
The primary airport serving Williamsburg is the Richmond International Airport (RIC)
- Airport is located 40 miles from hotel
- Taxi/Uber/Lyft – 50 minute drive – about $70 each way
- Other options will be posted to this site soon
The secondary airport serving Williamsburg is the Newport News/Williamsburg Airport (PHF), which is located near the hotel and has two flights daily from/to Charlotte, NC on American Airlines
- Airport is located 15 miles from hotel
- Taxi/Uber/Lyft – 20 minute drive – about $25 each way
A third airport, the Norfolk International Airport (ORF), is not recommended due to heavy traffic volume.
How to Get From the Train Station to the Hotel
The Williamsburg Amtrak station is one mile from the hotel and is served by the free Colonial Williamsburg shuttle.
The Northeast Regional train on Amtrak serves many Northeastern cities – find a map here.
Looking for a Roommate?
Click here to request a roommate.
Divisions
WOW
All players will be placed into divisions and seeded based on their peak rating for any WGPO tournament ending between July 15, 2025 and July 15, 2026. For those who have not played a WGPO tournament during this time frame, their peak WGPO rating will be based on their current WGPO rating(s).
- Division 1 (open to all players)
- Division 2 (open to players with peak WGPO rating <1700)
- Division 3 (open to players with peak WGPO rating <1450)
- Division 4 (open to players with a peak WGPO rating <1200)
Directors may also consider ratings from other organizations for players without a WGPO rating in peak window or with significantly different ratings. Directors reserve the right to place a player into a more appropriate division due to ratings or parity considerations. Directors reserve the right to adjust division cut-offs based on sign-up.
CSW
This division will be managed by CoCo.
Prizes
Award winnings will be paid by WGPO within two weeks of the conclusion of the tournament.
All US residents and US citizens who have reached $2000 to-date will be required to fill out a Form W-9 unless one is already on file with a current address. Forms 1099 will be filed with the IRS at the end of the year.
All non-US residents who receive award winnings will be required to fill out a Form W-8BEN and will incur a 30% tax withholding unless an exception is documented. Forms 1042-S will be filed with the IRS at the end of the year. A nonresident tax return may be filed in order to retrieve some or all of the withholding.
I’m Ready to Sign Up
I’m Not Quite Ready
To be added to the “tentative” list, please email us at wordcup2026@wordgameplayers.org.
More info
Email wordcup2026@wordgameplayers.org for questions.