Is it still mandatory to have exactly 40 cards in the main deck (39+chosen champion)? Or after January's rules changes was this constraint lifted?

Question

Accepted Answer

The requirement for deck size depends on whether you are playing in a **Constructed** tournament or a **Limited** (Draft/Sealed) format.

According to the **Tournament Rules (2026-01-30)**:

### **Constructed Play**
The constraint has **not** been lifted for constructed events. You must still have exactly 40 cards.
*   **Rule 402.1:** "In a constructed event, players must register a Main Deck of **exactly 40 cards** (including a chosen champion)..."
*   **Rule 601.1.b:** "In competitions, a player’s Main Deck must be exactly 40 cards."

### **Limited Formats (Draft & Sealed)**
The rules for Limited formats are different and allow for smaller decks:
*   **Sealed (Rule 602.4.a.2):** Main Decks must be **at least 25 cards**, but can be more.
*   **Draft (Rule 602.4.b.3):** Main Decks must be **at least 20 cards**, but can be more.

### **Summary of Changes**
While the "exactly 40" rule remains the standard for competitive Constructed play, the January 2026 update clarified that in Limited formats, you only need to meet a minimum requirement (20 or 25 cards) rather than an exact count. Additionally, in Limited formats, a deck is still legal even if it has **no** Chosen Champion (Rule 602.4.a.5), whereas Constructed requires one.