Tournament Rules

Learn more about who makes the tournament rules, how the competition operates, and find answers to the questions most frequently asked by participants in the Altador Cup.

The Committee

Have you ever wondered who is behind the workings of the Altador Cup? Who decides which Yooyus to use or which team should play against which? Wonder no more -- it's the Altador Cup Rules Committee, a highly respected group of officials that carefully examines all game play to make sure the rules are being properly applied. The Rules Committee's oversight ensures that the Altador Cup is fun and fair for all the teams involved, and they take their responsibilities in reviewing petitions and disputes very seriously!

While some might feel that they are too strict, the committee's decisions play a vital role in maintaining the integrity of the tournament. Though there have been times when popular opinion has been against the committee or one of its decisions, nobody doubts that the committee members' actions are always motivated by a desire to protect the best interests of the Altador Cup.



Altador Cup VIII


When is the Altador Cup?

    The Altador Cup schedule is as follows:

  • 5/23-5/23 Tournament pre-event
  • 5/24-5/30 Team sign-ups and practice rounds begin.
  • 5/31/-6/28 Tournament play takes place
  • Tiebreaker played (if necessary)
  • 7/1 Y15 Altador Cup champions are announced and the Prize Shop opens.

Each stage of the tournament begins at 12:00:00 A.M. NST and ends at 11:59:59 P.M. NST.


What is the Altador Cup?
Since making its triumphant return in Y8 after a 1,000-year hiatus, the Altador Cup has become a cornerstone of Neopian sporting culture. The tournament is held each year at the famed Colosseum in Altador, where teams take the field to play Altador's traditional game, Yooyuball. Each Altador Cup commences with a week-long sign-up period and practice session, in which participants can choose a team and brush up on their skills. This year, the practice round will begin on Friday, May 25th and run through Thursday, May 31st. The practice session is then followed by a quartet of six-day rounds to determine the team that will win the coveted Altador Cup. In this year's tournament, 18 teams from the lands of Neopia will once again gather in Altador to compete in Yooyuball, along with three side games, Make Some Noise, Slushie Slinger, and Shootout Showdown.

The celebrated centrepiece of the Altador Cup is Yooyuball, which has been played in Altador for centuries. In Yooyuball, the object is to throw the ball into the opposing team's goal. Slings are used to carry and throw the ball, which is a curled-up Petpet called a Yooyu. Yooyus are native to Altador, and the strongest Yooyus are rigorously trained to participate in this prestigious tournament. Seven different types of Yooyu are used in the game, each of which has its own special attributes. Players never know which type of Yooyu will appear during the match, giving Yooyuball an element of unpredictability. Teams must be able to adjust their strategy and play depending on the type of Yooyu currently being used if they hope to be competitive in the Altador Cup.

To learn more about the history of the modern Altador Cup, please read the Neopedia entry.


The Rules Committee
The three highly respected Altadorians who make up the Altador Cup Rules Committee have been entrusted with the duty of ensuring that the rules of Yooyuball are being followed properly. Though their decisions have occasionally been unpopular, everyone can agree that the Rules Committee's dedication to their task makes the Altador Cup more fun and more fair for all those who participate. It is due to their hard work that the Altador Cup runs smoothly year after year and remains Neopia's most celebrated sporting event.


How do I participate?

    How the Tournament Works:

  • Start by joining one of the 18 teams that are competing in the Altador Cup this year. It's easy to do. You don't have to join a team to play the Altador Cup games, but you won't earn any prize shop points or have a chance of winning one of the cool Altodor Cup trophies unless you're playing for a team.

  • This year, the Altador Cup tournament once again pits 18 teams, representing the lands of Neopia, against each other. A few teams have had some significant roster shake-ups since the last tournament, so keep an eye on them!

  • Tournament play is made up of five rounds. For each round, six teams will be placed into one of three brackets. During the round, every team in the bracket will play each other once.

  • Each day, your team will face a new opponent. You must contribute as much as you can to your team by playing not only Yooyuball, but also Slushie Slinger, Make Some Noise, and Shootout Showdown.

  • This year, there will be four .bye. days. The bye days will happen once per round during the first four rounds, and will not fall on either the first or last day of a round.

  • Your results in each daily match-up contribute to your team's overall standing in the tournament. Please remember to help your team win all four daily match-ups.

  • At the conclusion of every round, each team in a bracket will be rewarded points based on how they played in comparison to the other teams in their bracket. With each subsequent round, the point values increase, allowing teams that may have gotten off to a rocky start to catch up toward the end. After all five rounds have been played, the teams. points will be tallied up and (if necessary) any ties will be broken. The following Monday, the results will be revealed and the champions will be named!

  • New match-ups begin promptly at 12:00:00 A.M. NST every day. If there are any ties that need to be broken, the tiebreaker(s) will take place from 2:00 PM NST on Saturday, June 29th until 2:00 PM NST of Sunday, June 30th. You can always see whom your team will be facing on future days by visiting the Schedule/Results page.


*NST = Neopian Standard Time, equal to U.S. Pacific Time

Need more help? Check out the FAQ!


Altador Cup FAQ

1) How long is the Altador Cup and what is this new structure?

If you have any questions about the length, structure, or general rules of the Altador Cup, then you should check out the Rules page.

2)What are practice rounds? Do practice scores count?

Practice rounds are held in the days leading up to the tournament, when you can practice playing all of the Altador Cup games. Since these are practice rounds, the scores will not support your team, and you won't start earning any credits to use in the Altador Cup Prize Shop. You can, however, earn Neopoints for playing during the practice rounds.

3) Should I still submit my scores when I lose?

Definitely! Every score counts, and can earn you Neopoints (if you haven't maxed out for the day) as well as Prize Shop credits. Additionally, you'll be supporting your team's overall performance.

4)How many scores can I submit?

You can play and submit your score as many times as you'd like. All of the scores you send will count toward your team's point total, but make sure you take some time out to eat and sleep!

5)Do I have to play all four games (Yooyuball, Make Some Noise, Slushie Slinger, and Shootout Showdown)?

It isn't required, but it's important for your team to win the match-ups across all four games, as all four games contribute to your team's standing in the tournament. If you only choose to play one or two games, you can still earn Prize Shop points and show off your personal stats.

6) How does the Rank System work? What is the Rank Badge?

The Rank System is a way to acknowledge the incredible efforts of each player. Beginning on Friday, May 31st, your rank will increase depending on the number of games you've played and points you've scored across each of the Altador Cup games. There are 21 levels to reach, from Beginner all the way up to All-Star. Each time you level up, your Rank Badge will change to notify you that you have advanced in your rank. If you've joined a team, you'll find your Rank Badge in the Altador Cup Games Room. Every player starts with a Rank Badge labelled "Beginner." Score enough points, and you could be an All-Star!

7) How can I tell how my team is performing?

We will post daily results for the Yooyuball, Make Some Noise, Slushie Slinger, and Shootout Showdown match-ups, including the number of wins, losses, and draws.

8) Will I get a prize for all of my efforts?

If you participate in the Altador Cup in any way, then you will receive points that you can exchange for prizes in the Prize Shop. Of course, the more you participate, the more points you'll earn.

9) Why is my team losing in the tournament, even though I win all of my games?

Each team's participation in the Altador Cup is a group effort. You may feel like you are winning lots of games, but others on your team may not be playing as much, or users on another team may be playing even more.

10) I don't understand how the scores are displayed on the Schedules & Results page. Can you explain this?

When viewing a single team: When looking at just the results of one team for a day (or all days), the format is as follows: the team icon in the first column is always the opposing team, regardless of whether they were the home or away team. The scores are preceded by a W, L, or D (for win, loss, or draw). Regardless of who won, the team whose results are being viewed are listed first. For example, if you are looking at Shenkuu's page and the result for their Yooyuball match is W (6 - 5), that means they won by a score of 6 to 5. If they'd lost 8 to 2, the result would be shown as L (2 - 8).


When viewing multiple teams: If you view the results for multiple teams on one day (or all days), the format is as follows: the team icon in the first column is always the home team, and the icon in the 2nd column is always the away team. The scores are presented in the same format, with the home team given first regardless of whether they won or lost, and the road team listed second. For example, if the home team won 10-4, it will be shown as home team icon (10 - 4). However, if the home team lost, it'll be shown as road team icon (4 - 10).

11) Can I earn Neopoints from playing the games in the Altador Cup?

Yes, you will be awarded Neopoints for the first three scores you send per game each day. After you've maxed out Neopoints in each game for the day during the tournament, you should still continue to submit your scores, because all the scores you send will count toward your Prize Shop points and (except on off days) your team's total!

12) How do I join a team?

It�s easy. Visit the team page and simply click on any team icon on the map to see details for that team. Once you see a team you like, click �Join Team� and start playing games to support your team�s chances at Altador Cup gold.

13) Can I change teams after I join?

Once you've joined a team, you will play for that team through the rest of the tourney. You will not be able to switch to another team, so choose carefully.

14) Will I be able to use unused points from previous Altador Cups in the Prize Shop?

No. Unfortunately, it is too late to redeem old points from previous Altador Cups now.

15) Am I able to earn Altador Cup Prize Shop points and Neopoints while contributing to my team's scores at the same time?

Yes. By playing any of the four games (Yooyuball, Make Some Noise, Slushie Slinger, or Shootout Showdown), you'll be able to earn Neopoints while simultaneously helping your team and storing Prize Shop points for later. The only exception is during the tournament's four off days; on these days, you'll continue to earn Neopoints and Prize Shop points. Your performance on these days will not count toward your team's performance, however.

16) How long do I have to redeem my points in the Prize Shop?

You have until the start of next year's Altador Cup to redeem your points for prizes.

17) When will I get my prizes?

The Prize Shop will go up after the final team standings and individual participation has been tallied. This will be on July 1st.