Every MTG Set Releasing in 2026 Full Calendar, Dates & What to Expect
Seven sets. Four Universes Beyond collabs. One massive year for Magic collectors and players alike.
7
Total Sets
4
UB Collaborations
Jan – Nov
Release Window
3
Original MTG Sets
2026 is the biggest year in Magic: The Gathering history for Universes Beyond — four out of seven sets are licensed IP collaborations, covering Marvel, The Hobbit, TMNT, and Star Trek. Alongside those blockbuster collabs, Wizards is delivering two original MTG storyline sets and a return to the beloved Strixhaven setting. Here’s everything you need to know about every set dropping this year, in release order.
2026 MTG Release Calendar at a Glance
Set
Release Date
Prerelease
Type
Lorwyn Eclipsed
Jan 23, 2026
Jan 16–22
MTG Lore
MTG | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Mar 6, 2026
Feb 27–Mar 5
Universes Beyond
Secrets of Strixhaven
Apr 24, 2026
Apr 17–23
MTG Lore
MTG | Marvel Super Heroes
Jun 26, 2026
Jun 19–25
Universes Beyond
MTG | The Hobbit
Aug 14, 2026
Aug 7–13
Universes Beyond
Reality Fracture
Oct 2, 2026
Sep 25–Oct 1
MTG Lore
MTG | Star Trek
Nov 20, 2026
Nov 13–19
Universes Beyond
Every 2026 MTG Set — Detailed Breakdown
January 2026JANUARY
Lorwyn Eclipsed
Release: January 23, 2026 | Prerelease: January 16–22
The long-awaited return to Lorwyn — the pastoral Celtic folklore-inspired plane of elves, faeries, kithkin, and boggarts. Lorwyn Eclipsed bridges both the bright Lorwyn and dark Shadowmoor aspects of the plane, with cards that shift between day and night states. Key cards include Ashling, Rekindled and the hauntingly beautiful Emptiness.
Collector’s Note: The reversible borderless Shock Lands are the big collector chase. These dual-faced Shock Lands show both Lorwyn and Shadowmoor art depending on which way you flip them. Serialized versions will be extremely limited.
March 2026MARCH
Magic: The Gathering | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Release: March 6, 2026 | Prerelease: February 27–March 5
Cowabunga! Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael make their Magic debut in this Universes Beyond collaboration pulling from the entire history of TMNT — comics, cartoons, and film. New mechanics include Mutagen tokens and a TMNT-flavored take on Ninjutsu called Sneak. Four headliner cards feature Kevin Eastman autographs — the co-creator of TMNT.
Set Type
Universes Beyond — Nickelodeon/TMNT
Key Mechanics
Sneak (Ninjutsu variant), Mutagen tokens
Notable Cards
Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael (all four headliners)
Special Products
Turtle Team-Up cooperative product ($49), 20 source material art cards
Collector’s Note: The four Kevin Eastman autographed headliner cards are the premier collector targets. With limited quantities of authenticated autograph cards, these will be among the most valuable cards from any 2026 set.
April 2026APRIL
Secrets of Strixhaven
Release: April 24, 2026 | Prerelease: April 17–23
Class is back in session — but this time we’re exploring off-campus life at Strixhaven University on the plane of Arcavios. Five beloved student commanders return alongside new characters, and the Mystical Archive bonus sheet makes its triumphant comeback with both English and Japanese art variants. A companion novel Strixhaven: Omens of Chaos by Seanan McGuire releases alongside the set, complete with a Command Tower promo card inside.
Set Type
MTG Lore — Return to Arcavios
Key Mechanics
Lessons, Pests, Mystical Archive bonus sheet
Commander Decks
5 decks led by student commanders: Quintorius, Rootha, Zimone, Killian, Dina
Special Products
Companion novel with Command Tower promo · Japanese Mystical Archive variants
Collector’s Note: The Japanese-art Mystical Archive cards from the original Strixhaven were some of the most beautiful and valuable cards in recent memory. The return of the Mystical Archive with Japanese variants will drive strong collector demand — especially for the premium treatments.
June 2026JUNE
Magic: The Gathering | Marvel Super Heroes
Release: June 26, 2026 | Prerelease: June 19–25
The Marvel Universe collides with Magic in one of the most anticipated crossovers in the game’s history. Characters from across the entire Marvel roster arrive — from the Avengers and Fantastic Four to iconic villains like Doctor Doom. Confirmed heroes include Scarlet Witch, Human Torch, Squirrel Girl, and even Lucky the Pizza Dog. Four Commander decks cover the major Marvel factions, with Surge Foil Collector treatments on premium versions.
Set Type
Universes Beyond — Marvel/Disney
Key Characters
Scarlet Witch, Human Torch, Doctor Doom, Squirrel Girl, Lucky the Pizza Dog
Surge Foil Collector variants, expected Infinity Stone mechanic
Collector’s Note: This is the highest-profile Universes Beyond release of 2026. Marvel IP + Magic will reach collectors who have never touched MTG before. Key Marvel character cards — especially Iron Man, Spider-Man, and any Infinity Stone mechanic cards — will command significant secondary market prices.
August 2026AUGUST
Magic: The Gathering | The Hobbit
Release: August 14, 2026 | Prerelease: August 7–13
Bilbo’s journey to the Lonely Mountain comes to Magic in the most treatment-rich set of the year. Seven distinct card treatments — including the ultra-rare Gleaming Gold Smaug (~500 copies worldwide), Book Cover Cards, Dragon Hoard Frame cards, and Dwarven Language transliterations — make this a collector’s paradise. Middle-earth Classic Artist Box Toppers featuring The One Ring and Tom Bombadil are guaranteed in every booster box.
Set Type
Universes Beyond — Warner Bros./Tolkien Estate
Key Cards
Smaug, the Magnificent · Thorin, Mountain-King · The Arkenstone · My Precious
Card Treatments
7 distinct treatments including Gleaming Gold, Dragon Hoard, Book Cover, Dwarven Language
Box Toppers
The One Ring · Tom Bombadil (guaranteed 1 per booster box)
Collector’s Note: The Gleaming Gold Smaug (~500 copies worldwide) is the single rarest card in all of 2026. Seven treatments across the product line means more ways to collect than any other set this year. Read our full collector’s guide for a complete breakdown.
October 2026OCTOBER
Reality Fracture
Release: October 2, 2026 | Prerelease: September 25–October 1
The culmination of the multi-year storyline arc that began in Wilds of Eldraine arrives in October. Reality Fracture pits the Planeswalkers against a villain you’ll have to see to believe — one that threatens to unmake the Multiverse itself. The tagline “The Multiverse meets its match” suggests this could be Magic’s most consequential story set since War of the Spark. Expect major character deaths, plane-altering consequences, and massive lore payoffs for players who’ve been following the story.
Set Type
MTG Lore — Original Story Climax
Story Arc
Concludes storyline from Wilds of Eldraine · Outlaws of Thunder Junction · Duskmourn
Key Theme
Multiverse-scale threat, major Planeswalker confrontation
What to Expect
High-profile legendary creatures, story-payoff cards, potential new mechanics
Collector’s Note: As the climax of a multi-year story arc, Reality Fracture will likely feature some of the most narratively significant cards of 2026. Story-payoff cards with major characters tend to hold collector value long-term — think the War of the Spark Planeswalker suite.
November 2026NOVEMBER
Magic: The Gathering | Star Trek
Release: November 20, 2026 | Prerelease: November 13–19
The final set of 2026 boldly goes where no Magic set has gone before. The entire Star Trek franchise is fair game — from the original Kirk and Spock through Picard, Data, and beyond. Confirmed characters include Captain Kirk, the USS Enterprise, Chancellor Gowron, and more. Starship cards, warp mechanics, and alien species promises a set that appeals to both longtime Magic players and Trekkies who’ve never shuffled a deck.
Starships, alien species, across all Star Trek series
MTG Arena
Yes — tabletop and digital simultaneously
Collector’s Note: With the entire Star Trek IP available across all series and films, the card possibilities are enormous. Iconic ships like the Enterprise as legendary artifact vehicles will be particularly sought-after. Holiday-season release timing means strong gift-buying demand at launch.
NerdSnack’s 2026 MTG Verdict
2026 is an unprecedented year for Magic. Four Universes Beyond sets means four different non-Magic audiences potentially discovering the game. Here’s our ranked hype order:
MTG | Marvel Super Heroes (June) — Biggest IP. Highest mainstream visibility. Will be impossible to ignore.
MTG | The Hobbit (August) — Most collector-friendly set of the year by far. Seven treatments, Gleaming Gold Smaug, incredible art direction.
Reality Fracture (October) — Highest narrative stakes. For players invested in the storyline, this is the payoff set.
Lorwyn Eclipsed (January) — Strong return to a beloved plane. Reversible Shock Lands are genuinely innovative.
MTG | Star Trek (November) — Huge IP, perfect holiday timing. Will sell extremely well.
Secrets of Strixhaven (April) — Mystical Archive return is exciting. Solid set for Commander players.
MTG | TMNT (March) — Fun nostalgia play. Kevin Eastman autographs are special, but smaller IP scale vs the others.
If you’re only buying one set this year, make it Marvel or The Hobbit. If you’re only playing one, wait for Reality Fracture — the story payoff will make every card feel earned.
