WCA Adds Face Turning Octahedron, Retires Clock After Worlds 2027

The World Cube Association is reshaping its official event list: Face Turning Octahedron (FTO) will become an official WCA event, while Clock is being phased out. In a June 24, 2026 announcement, the WCA Board said FTO can be included in competitions beginning January 2, 2027, and Clock will remain generally available only until July 18, 2027, with the WCA World Championship 2027 serving as its final official competition. (worldcubeassociation.org)

For competitors, organizers, and fans, this is more than a calendar note. It is the first addition to the WCA's official event list since Skewb joined in 2014, and it sets a clear end date for one of the sport's most distinctive legacy events. (worldcubeassociation.org)

Face Turning Octahedron joins WCA official events

The WCA says FTO will use an Average of 5 format, matching the format used by most current speedsolving events. The exact regulations are not finalized yet: the WCA Regulations Committee is expected to develop FTO rules and make them available for community feedback as part of the January 2027 Regulations cycle. (worldcubeassociation.org) (worldcubeassociation.org)

That timeline matters. Competitions cannot simply add FTO tomorrow. WCA volunteers still need to update the regulations, competition software, results systems, and operational tooling that make an official event work across many countries and languages. The January 2, 2027 start date gives those systems a target and gives organizers time to plan early-2027 schedules with the new event in mind.

Clock gets a longer off-ramp. The WCA says Clock will stay generally available at competitions until July 18, 2027. After that, it will no longer be an official WCA event, and the 2027 World Championship will be its send-off on the largest stage. (worldcubeassociation.org)

Why the WCA is adding FTO

The WCA's stated rationale is that FTO has shown sustained community interest for several years and received majority support in recent surveys. The Board also said FTO fits the nature of WCA-recognized events while still bringing something different to competitions. (worldcubeassociation.org)

For competitors, FTO gives the official event list a new shape and solving feel without moving outside the WCA's core identity around three-dimensional twisty puzzles. That distinction is important because the same announcement frames event-list decisions around what the WCA wants official speedcubing to represent going forward.

For cubers, the biggest short-term impact is preparation. FTO specialists now have a clear reason to practice under competition-style conditions, and new solvers have about six months before the first official WCA weekend where FTO can appear. Hardware makers, organizers, delegates, and tutorial creators also have a concrete date to work toward.

Why the WCA is retiring Clock

The Clock decision is the more emotional side of the announcement. Clock has a long WCA history and has produced a deep specialist scene, but the Board described it as difficult to run reliably. The announcement points to repeated incident risk, scrambling difficulty, the need for different procedures or equipment, and lower spectator readability compared with twisty-puzzle events. (worldcubeassociation.org)

That does not mean Clock has lacked competitive momentum. Recent years have seen fast records and strong regional communities, especially among dedicated Clock solvers. The WCA's argument is operational and strategic: Clock is mechanically different from the puzzles that define most official events, and its competition-floor issues have persisted despite regulation changes.

The notice period is significant. Clock competitors still have the rest of 2026 and the first half of 2027 to compete officially, chase records, and qualify for championship appearances where offered. Organizers can also make more deliberate decisions about whether to include Clock before the cutoff rather than discovering the change only after schedules are built.

What changes for competitions in 2027

For 2026 competitions, nothing changes immediately. The current WCA Regulations remain the rule set for official competitions, and FTO is not yet available as an event. (worldcubeassociation.org)

The more interesting planning window starts with 2027 competitions. Organizers who want to hold FTO will need to wait for the January rules and system updates, then decide whether the event fits their venue, staffing, schedule, and equipment. Because FTO will use Average of 5, it should feel familiar from a round-management perspective, but scramblers and judges will still need to learn a new puzzle.

Clock planning moves in the opposite direction. Competitions before July 18, 2027 can still include it, but championship organizers and local teams will need to think carefully about whether to prioritize one last Clock appearance, reduce it to manage schedule pressure, or focus on events with a longer official future.

The announcement also hints that event management may keep evolving. The WCA said no formal changes are being made to other events right now, but it specifically mentioned similarities between 6x6x6 and 7x7x7 and between 4x4x4 Blindfolded and 5x5x5 Blindfolded as areas that could be considered in future event-management discussions. Recent Competition Requirements Policy changes already allow "quiet" championships for events such as 4x4x4 Blindfolded and 5x5x5 Blindfolded. (worldcubeassociation.org) (worldcubeassociation.org)

What to watch next

The next concrete milestone is the January 2027 Regulations process. The WCA has already opened requests for proposals for that cycle, with community submissions due by July 25, 2026. FTO-specific regulations are expected to be part of that broader rules work, so competitors should watch for draft language later in the year rather than assuming unofficial FTO practice rules will transfer perfectly into WCA competition. (worldcubeassociation.org)

After that, watch the first competition schedules after January 2, 2027. Early adopters will show how quickly organizers can add FTO, what cutoff and qualification standards look like, and how smoothly the new event runs on the floor.

For Clock, the final year is now defined. Expect more attention on remaining Clock rounds, championship schedules, and record attempts before the event leaves the official list after Worlds 2027.

Key takeaways

• FTO becomes available for WCA competitions on January 2, 2027. (worldcubeassociation.org)
• Clock remains generally available until July 18, 2027, with WCA World Championship 2027 as its last official competition. (worldcubeassociation.org)
• FTO regulations are still pending and are expected to be handled through the January 2027 Regulations cycle. (worldcubeassociation.org)