🤖 Imagine a world championship — not for sports, not for gaming — but for building plastic models. That's exactly what the Gunpla Builders World Cup (GBWC) is: an official international competition where builders from 16 countries and regions compete to create the most impressive Gundam plastic model. On February 7, 2026, at the 13th GBWC World Finals in Tokyo, organizers announced that the 14th tournament will take place in 2027 — with potential new regulations and a restructured format. Here's what we know about the upcoming tournament and how Gunpla grew from a Japanese toy into a global cultural phenomenon.
GBWC 14th Tournament Confirmed for 2027
At the 13th GBWC World Finals held at The Gundam Base Tokyo on February 7, 2026, chief judge Akihiko Yasunaga of BANDAI SPIRITS revealed that the 14th tournament will be held in 2027. This marks an unusual gap of roughly a year from the typical annual cycle.
Yasunaga commented: "We want to ensure builders have adequate time for creation. We're also looking at restructuring the courses. New regulations may be announced as well." This signals a significant overhaul of the competition format that has remained largely consistent since its inception.
The extended timeline suggests organizers want to give participants more preparation time while reworking the competition's structure, judging criteria, or both.
What Is GBWC? — The World Cup of Plastic Model Building
GBWC, short for "GUNPLA BUILDERS WORLD CUP," is the official global Gundam plastic model competition organized by BANDAI SPIRITS. First held in 2011, it's essentially the Olympics of Gunpla building.
"Gunpla" is a portmanteau of "Gundam" and "plastic model" — referring to snap-fit model kits based on the mecha (giant robots) from the Gundam anime franchise. While anyone can assemble a basic kit, competitive builders take it to another level with custom modifications, intricate painting techniques, and elaborate diorama scenes that transform simple plastic kits into jaw-dropping art pieces.
Entries are judged on three criteria: craftsmanship (building technique), painting (color work and finishing), and idea (creativity and originality). Both professionals and amateurs can enter.
The 13th tournament featured three age-based divisions:
- U-14 Course: Ages 6–14 (junior category)
- U-20 Course: Ages 15–20 (youth category)
- OVER-21 Course: Ages 21 and above (open category)
Participating countries and regions include Japan, Australia, Canada, Europe & Middle East, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Inland China, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, USA, and Vietnam — 16 areas total.
Regional winners advance to the World Finals, held at The Gundam Base Tokyo, where the global champion is crowned. Winners receive gold trophies and a special Mega Size Model 1/48 RX-78-2 Gundam in a gold-plated version — a collector's dream.
A Brief History of GBWC
Since its 2011 debut, GBWC has grown steadily despite a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic (around 2020–2021).
Early tournaments had two divisions — an Open Course for adults and a Junior Course for those 14 and under. The U-20 Course was later added, creating three tiers and giving teenage builders their own competitive space.
World champions have come from a diverse range of countries. While Japan has produced several winners, Southeast Asian builders — particularly from Thailand, Singapore, and China — have increasingly dominated. At the 12th tournament (2025 World Finals), Chinese and Hong Kong builders swept multiple categories. At the 11th tournament in 2023, Thai and Hong Kong representatives claimed top spots.
One of the most memorable moments came in 2019, when a 12-year-old girl from Singapore became world champion in the junior category — proving that Gunpla knows no age or gender boundaries.
The Global Spread of Gunpla Culture
Gunpla was born in Japan in 1980 and has over 45 years of history. What started as toys based on an anime series has evolved into a sophisticated hobby culture with a global footprint.
According to Bandai Namco Holdings, overseas sales now account for roughly 50% of all Gunpla revenue. The Gundam IP as a whole generates approximately $10 billion (about ¥1,500 billion) annually in total franchise revenue, with Gunpla alone exceeding $330 million (about ¥50 billion) in yearly sales.
Demand continues to outstrip supply. BANDAI SPIRITS has been expanding its production facilities at the Bandai Hobby Center in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, with a new factory aiming to boost output by approximately 35% compared to 2023 levels.
The global expansion of official "THE GUNDAM BASE" retail stores — in Tokyo, Fukuoka, Seoul, Taipei, Shanghai, and other cities — has brought the full Gunpla experience (buy, build, display) to international audiences.
Recent anime hits have also fueled growth. TV series Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury and the theatrical film Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM attracted legions of new fans, including demographics (such as female viewers) who had not traditionally been part of the Gundam fanbase. The expansion of multilingual streaming platforms has made Gundam more accessible worldwide than ever before.
What to Expect from New Regulations
The specific details of the potential new regulations for the 14th tournament remain under wraps, but several possibilities are worth considering.
Current rules restrict entries to BANDAI-manufactured Gundam plastic model kits only. While scratch-building with plastic sheets and putty is allowed, third-party kits and aftermarket metal parts are prohibited. Any relaxation — or further tightening — of these material restrictions could significantly change the competitive landscape.
The mention of "course restructuring" could mean revised age brackets, new skill-level categories (such as a beginner's tier), or entirely new competition formats. Combined with the extended preparation period, these changes suggest GBWC is evolving to welcome a broader and more diverse builder community.
Gunpla represents a unique fusion of Japan's monozukuri (craftsmanship) spirit and anime culture. GBWC is the ultimate stage for showcasing this to the world. How the 14th tournament will shape the future of Gunpla culture is a story worth watching.
Does your country have a plastic model building culture? Are there competitions or events for hobby builders? We'd love to hear about model-building traditions and communities from around the world — share your country's story with us!
References
- https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/e385b981aced507891a8be4964e473f09568d51f
- https://gbwc.bandai-hobby.net/en/
- https://en.gundam.info/news/event/01_16733.html
- https://www.bandai.com/News/post/latest-news/gunpla-builders-world-cup-13th-tournament-now-open
- https://www.bandainamco.co.jp/ir/library/feature04_02_2024.html
Reactions in Japan
GBWC 14th being in 2027 means more build time, which is incredibly welcome. Balancing a day job made it so tight every year. Now I can really polish my entry until I'm satisfied.
New regulations... I wonder what's changing. I'd love it if aftermarket metal parts were allowed, but honestly, the fun of GBWC is the creativity within Bandai-only restrictions.
Went to see the world finals this year. The level of overseas builders is insane. The era of Japan being 'the home of Gunpla' is fading fast.
Looking at the U-14 kids' entries makes me question my own skills lol. Producing that quality in elementary school is absolutely monstrous. Their futures are scary.
I hope 'course restructuring' means adding a beginner category. I want to enter GBWC, but seeing the finalist level kills my courage to even apply...
A biennial schedule solves the time pressure issue, but risks killing momentum. Some builders stay motivated precisely because it's annual.
GBWC claims to judge 'craft, painting, and idea,' but it honestly feels like diorama builders have an unfair edge. I wish single-kit entries had a better shot.
Never imagined Gunpla would have a world cup this big when I was a kid. Model building has become a legitimate competitive discipline, like esports for the analog world.
More than regulation changes, I want better judging transparency. There's no feedback on why you didn't pass, so it's impossible to know what to improve for next time.
Seeing GBWC finalists' works in person is overwhelming — the sense of scale and paint texture that photos can't capture. Streaming is fine, but visiting is absolutely worth it.
The 13th was held during Gunpla's 45th anniversary year, and now the 14th in 2027. Feels like Bandai wants to make this a landmark tournament.
Chinese builders' rise is remarkable. Asian builders have been dominant in recent years. Gunpla techniques are evolving beyond national borders.
There's an ironic relationship between Gunpla scalping shortages and GBWC hype. The competition inspires you to build, but you can't even buy the kits.
Hearing that someone became Japan's GBWC representative using only spray cans and hand-brushing gave me courage. You can compete without an airbrush.
Watched the world finals stream and wish it got more media coverage. Esports gets TV airtime while the Gunpla world cup is virtually ignored — seems unfair.
The Korean Gunpla community is growing every year. The Gundam Base in Seoul is packed every weekend. It's only natural that GBWC participation is expanding.
As an American GBWC participant, I honestly feel a skill gap with Asian builders. But ever since HobbyTown started hosting offline qualifiers, US participation has definitely grown.
Thailand has produced multiple GBWC champions. Here, Gunpla isn't just a hobby — it's treated seriously as an art form. Thai builders will be strong contenders in 2027 too.
Being lumped together as 'Europe & Middle East' is a bit frustrating. Italy has a long tradition of scale modeling — I wish the regions were split more granularly.
Traveling from the UK to Tokyo for the world finals is a huge financial burden. Wish they'd consider an online component for at least part of the world-level judging.
Chinese Gunpla builders' level has risen rapidly. Tutorial sharing on Bilibili has accelerated skill development, and it's showing in GBWC results.
Mexico doesn't have a GBWC region, so we can't participate. I wish they'd expand to Latin America — there are plenty of Gundam fans here.
Canada's second place at GBWC 12th was thrilling! It proved North American builders can truly compete on the global stage.
Gunpla is hugely popular in Indonesia, but quality kits are still expensive. The cost of building competition-level pieces is a real barrier to entry.
French scale modeling culture traditionally focuses on aircraft and tanks, but younger generations are getting into Gunpla. The anime boom in France is driving it.
The story of Singapore's 12-year-old girl becoming world champion is still talked about in our Gunpla community. GBWC being a stage for kids' dreams is wonderful.
It's disappointing there's no clear path for Russian builders to join GBWC. Whether we're included in the Europe & Middle East region is unclear, and there's too little information.
The 'Bandai products only' rule makes sense, but not being able to use non-Gunpla Bandai kits feels limiting. Allowing 30MM series parts, for example, would open up possibilities.
As a Hong Kong builder, having the world finals at Gundam Base Tokyo every year is great. But someday I'd love to see rotating host cities.
It's remarkable that Vietnam is even a GBWC participating region. A decade ago, almost nobody here knew about Gunpla. Now there are specialty shops in Ho Chi Minh City.