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Wizards of the Coast ran the Magic Invitational tournament from 1997 to 2007 where the winner was allowed to design a Magic: The Gathering card with their likeness as the illustration. Starting with Throne of Eldraine, the current World Champion has been featured in a new Player Spotlight card each year.
Unlike the previous program, the players won't contribute to its design, but they can consult with Wizards of the Coast's R&D on its selection and will be immortalized in the art. The most recent card to be released was Nathan Steuer's Duelist of the Mind card to be released in the upcoming Outlaws of Thunder Junction expansion!
Below is the current list of all World Champions and their cards, with pictures for side by side comparisons! Take note, there was no World Championship in 2020 due to the global pandemic.
| Year | World Champion | Card |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Javier Dominguez | Fervent Champion |
| 2019 | Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa | Elite Spellbinder |
| 2021 | Yuta Takahashi | Faerie Mastermind |
| 2022 | Nathan Steuer | Duelist of the Mind |
| 2023 | Jean-Emmanuel Depraz | To be announced |
Javier Dominguez - Fervent Champion
A solid one drop that has seen a lot of play in various formats, the first World Champion card started off the Mono Red Aggro meta.
Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa - Elite Spellbinder
One of the best Magic: The Gathering players of all time, PVDDR's card was also a solid meta staple during its time in Standard. These days, it is rarely played in some Legacy and Pioneer decks.
Yuta Takahashi - Faerie Mastermind
Another disruptive flying creature card became the next World Champion card, that is still seeing play to this day across multiple formats, primarily in Standard.
Nathan Steuer - Duelist of the Mind
Another flying Blue creature card that can grow big, it utilizes Outlaws of Thunder Junction's expansion keyword "commit a crime": Whenever you cast a spell or activate an ability that targets an opponent, or something they own (spells, permanents, hand, library, graveyard) you are committing a 'crime'.
