The American Kubb Association has announced the formation of the AKA Open Championship Series. The U.S. National, West Coast, Midwest, and East Coast Kubb Championships are now formally connected under one national competitive framework. This is the first sanctioned, coast-to-coast structure in U.S. kubb history.
For those who have been following the progress of the American Kubb Association, it’s the logical next step in what we’ve been building toward the last couple years. But it’s worth explaining why this matters and where we’re headed.
The Challenge We’re Solving
American kubb has thrived on passion and community, but growth has been fragmented. Independent tournaments, no centralized organization, no unified identity. The result: limited visibility, constrained growth and funding, and no clear pathway from casual play to elite competition.
The AKA exists to solve this. Not by imposing top-down structure, but by creating the conditions where kubb can grow sustainably at every level while preserving what makes it special.
Our strategic framework rests on five interconnected pillars:
- Rules & Governance — Clear standards and strong organizational structures
- Unified Competition — Sanctioned tournaments connected to national identity
- Membership, Clubs, & Affiliates – Community-rooted growth and belonging
- Fundraising & Partnerships — Resources to expand beyond volunteer limits
- Kubb Culture — Welcoming spirit, camaraderie, and shared traditions
We can’t advance all five simultaneously with volunteer capacity and minimal budget. The Championship Series is the first step in a multi-year strategic plan to move toward short, medium, and long term goals across each pillar.
Why the Championship Series Matters
The Championship Series isn’t an exclusive club. It’s the foundation for building pathways that connect every level of kubb. Here’s the thinking:
National Credibility and Scale
By connecting four major championships spanning the country, we transform independent tournaments into a unified national network. This shift from “independent events” to “cohesive system” demonstrates real scale to funders, sponsors, and new players. It’s evidence that kubb has national reach and the makings of a legitimate movement.
Without this credibility, we can’t secure the resources needed for state associations, youth programs, or sustainable infrastructure. The Championship Series unlocks those possibilities.
Regional Architecture
The regional structure isn’t arbitrary, it defines three zones where host tournaments will anchor the major geographic areas across the USA. The WCKC anchors the Western zone, MWKC anchors the Midwest zone, and ECKC anchors the Eastern zone. While naturally the USNKC operates at the top of the structure as the marquee event in the US. This coast-to-coast framework demonstrates kubb’s national presence and creates the reference points around which the game can grow and get organized. We know that the map isn’t perfect, but this is just the start. We see these regions getting more and more defined as kubb grows in various communities across the US. This framework gives us the platform to formalize new zones as demand grows.
Competitive Excellence and Grassroots Growth
Casual and competitive play aren’t competing priorities in our mind. Elite competition drives visibility and legitimacy. Grassroots growth builds participation and community. The Championship Series establishes a competitive framework. State associations, local clubs, and youth programs will build the grassroots infrastructure to grow. They reinforce each other.
The AKA’s role is creating conditions where kubb thrives at every level. Supporting tournament organizers with resources to elevate competition. Developing frameworks so local communities can formalize and grow. Publishing standardized rules while respecting regional traditions. Building visibility through broadcast content that proves kubb is a legitimate sport.
What We’re Protecting
As kubb grows, things will change. Some for the better, some harder to accept. What we must protect is non-negotiable: the spirit of friendliness, fun, and camaraderie that makes everyone who plays kubb feel like part of a family.
Growing into a recognized national sport doesn’t mean losing that. It means more people get to experience it. More local clubs to join, more youth programs in schools, more visibility bringing new players into the fold, and more resources supporting the tournaments and organizers who make it all possible.
The AKA exists to facilitate that growth while preserving and honoring the kubb culture we love.
Our Community Is Everything
Nobody knows exactly what the future holds. There will be bumps. There will be disagreements about rules, sanctioning, priorities, pace of growth. Like any family, we won’t always see eye to eye.
What matters is working through disagreements together, listening to each other, keeping the community’s best interests central.
We’re establishing formal pathways ensuring players, organizers, and fans have a direct voice in shaping the future. The truth is, none of this is possible without you. The Championship Series and the AKA itself wouldn’t exist without passion from so many dedicated people who love this game. There are too many to name, some that are no longer with us to share this moment. We take seriously the responsibility of honoring those who came before, those working tirelessly now, and those who have yet to throw a baton.
We’re building something much bigger than what exists today. What we’re working on can reverberate far into the future beyond any of us. The decisions we make, the community we support, the culture we preserve….these shape not just American kubb in 2026, but the foundation for decades to come.
The Ambition
We’re working toward becoming the National Governing Body of kubb in America. Not just by earning the respect and belief within our community of players and organizers, but by demonstrating to the broader sports world that kubb has the infrastructure, governance, and participation to be taken seriously as an organized sport.
Getting there means:
- Growing membership to prove people believe in this vision
- Generating visibility through professional content and media coverage
- Developing support systems driving local and state growth nationwide
- Creating youth programs introducing the next generation to kubb
- Publishing official rules defining competitive play and casual recreation
- Building sustainable organization that will exist 25 years from now
It’s ambitious. It’s also achievable if we work together.
The Championship Series is the foundation. State associations, local clubs, youth programs, broadcast visibility is all to come. We’ll face challenges we haven’t anticipated. We’ll make mistakes and learn from them. But if we stay committed to each other, to the spirit of kubb, and to building something worthy of this game we love, we’ll get there.
What We’re Asking Of You
Join us. First, sign up to become a member. It’s free and the easiest thing you can do to join the work of building something bigger than any individual player, tournament, region, or competitive tradition.
Join the Discord: Once you’re a member, engage with us in the AKA Community Hub on Discord.
If you have professional skills, sponsor connections, or willingness to help: Reach out and volunteer. We’re an all-volunteer organization and we need your help.
If you love this game and want to see it grow: Spread the word. Bring new players into the fold.
This is our chance to transform American kubb into something permanent, organized, and sustainable while elevating everything that makes this game so special.
We invite you to become part of this journey.
Get Involved!
Become a Member: www.kubbamerica.org
Socials: @KubbAmerica
To Volunteer, for Question or Feedback: contact@kubbamerica.org
The American Kubb Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that inspires, educates, and connects people to grow kubb into a recognized sport in the United States. Through tournament sanctioning, rules standardization, membership programs, and community development, we’re working to transform kubb into a unified national movement while preserving the sport’s welcoming culture and community values.
