SAVE THE DATE!

Comic-Con 2026 Open Registration is set for November 15, 2025! Be ready to enter the virtual waiting room before the badge sale begins at 9:00 AM Pacific Standard Time (PST). The waiting room opens at 7:30 AM PST, so you have over an hour to arrive.

Stay updated through our official channels: Comic-Con Member ID emails, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Toucan – the official blog of Comic-Con and WonderCon.

WHAT

do I need for Open Registration?

To join Open Registration on November 15, you’ll need a valid Comic-Con Member ID. New participants should create an account in advance, and returning members should check that their details are up to date, including name, password, email, membership type, and payment information. Figure out your preferred days in advance, and have an alternate plan prepared if any badges sell out before you check out. If your payment is not pre-saved in your account, you will need your credit or debit card ready at checkout.

If you are buying badges for others, you must have their Member ID and last name exactly as shown in their account. Any special characters or suffixes must be included for the purchase to be successful.

WHO

is eligible?

Comic-Con 2026 Open Registration is open to the general public! Anyone with a valid and confirmed Member ID can participate.

To participate in Open Registration, please make sure ahead of time that you know your password and can log in to your Member ID account, or create your Member ID today if you don’t have one!

Anyone you wish to purchase badges for must also meet the same eligibility requirements.

WHO

is NOT eligible?

The following member types are not eligible for Open Registration and will have separate registration dates:

• Complimentary pass recipients  
• Professionals 
• Guests of professionals
• Program participants
• Exhibitors
• Exhibitor-purchased attendees
• Children (age 12 and under) 
• Retailers 
• Volunteers 
• Press
• Staff

Where

is Open Registration?

Open Registration will be held in the Member ID Portal. The Queue-it virtual waiting room will open 1.5 hours before the sale. At 9:00 AM PST, every eligible participant in the waiting room will be placed in a randomized queue. If selected, you will have 15 minutes to complete your badge purchase.

Make sure you know your account password well before the sale. You will need it to log in if you are moved into a registration session.

Friends-

Can I buy for them?

Yes! You can purchase badges for up to three people, including yourself. However, everyone you are purchasing for must also have a Member ID account. You’ll need their Member ID and last name as it appears on their Member ID accounts (including special characters, suffixes, and punctuation, if applicable).

Keep an eye on our Toucan blog in the following week for information on how to purchase for friends or family.

Child Badges-

How do they work?

Children ages 12 and under are free with a paid adult! We’re proud to offer one of the most generous child badge policies in the industry. So bring your kiddos and start making memories at our next Comic-Con. Click here for more information on our Child Badge Policy.

Juniors (ages 13-17) must have their own unique Member ID account, separate from their guardian or parent, to participate in Open Registration or have a badge purchased for them during the sale.

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If they were at least 13 years old on July 31, 2025, they must have their own Comic-Con Member ID created in order to have the chance to purchase a badge for Comic-Con 2026. 

If your child was age 12 or under on July 31, 2025, they do not need a purchased badge for Comic-Con 2026. They may attend as a child for free as long as they are accompanied by a paying adult.

Am I Guaranteed

a badge?

Participating in Open Registration does not guarantee a badge. Demand is higher than the number of available badges, and entry to the waiting room at any time does not ensure a registration session. If you are selected, the process will go more smoothly if you review the Open Registration details in advance and have your information ready on the day of the sale.

How can I stay up-to-date on new information?

Stay connected with us across all the major social media platforms: Instagram, Facebook, X , and Toucan – the official blog of Comic-Con and WonderCon. We’ll be serving up vital information all the way up to the sale.

The following browsers have been extensively tested and are recommended for the best results:

• Firefox: Latest Version
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• Microsoft Edge: Latest Version 

Please note that if you choose to use a browser that is not included in the list above, we cannot guarantee the same level of performance and reliability.

While not mandatory, sharing your birth year under “My Account Information” could help us enhance your Comic-Con experience. As a nonprofit organization, this valuable input often leads to grants, exciting panel guests, new opportunities, and an overall improved event tailored to our attendees.

Making Badge Selections

Below the instructions on the registration page, you’ll see two tabs: “Registrants” tab and a “Register Another Member ID.” Which tab you use depends on who you’re purchasing for. If you want to attend Comic-Con 2026, review the “Pick Your Badges” steps below. We recommend adding your badges to the cart first before making any other selections.

Badge Inventory

If someone selects all available badges for you during their registration session, and then you enter into your own registration session, you can no longer select badges for yourself since it has already been done so by a friend. You can, however, purchase badges for up to three other eligible members if inventory is available.

Use your 15-minute session wisely, because inventory can sell out while you have badges in your cart. Your badge selections are not secured until you successfully process your order. 

Want more information? Check out our detailed Returning Registration instructions HERE.

Adding and Removing Days During The Sale

After you’ve added badges for someone to your cart, you’ll be able to modify their badge selections directly in the cart.

After all selections have been made for you and/or your friends, head to checkout and into the payment portion of the process where your credit card and billing information will be needed.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• REMEMBER: Badges cannot be transferred. Do not purchase a badge for someone under your own Member ID. It cannot be transferred to another account after the sale.
• If you’re logged in, do not search for your Member ID and last name on the “Register Another Member ID” tab. Your account is already identified on the “Registrants” tab.
• Do not forget to verify your friends’ details before the day of the sale. If they have special characters, spaces, and/or punctuation in their Member ID or last name, it must be included for the system to locate their account.

What to Expect After Your Purchase

Watch your inbox for a few days after placing your order. You’ll receive emails confirming your order and payment status.

Order Acknowledgement Emails

As soon as your purchase is complete, each badge holder will get an order acknowledgment email confirming their badges. Keep an eye on your inbox (and your spam folder!) to make sure you receive this important confirmation. It includes information on badge shipping, badge pick-up, and refunds.

If you had a badge purchased for you, you’re not in the clear just yet! If there are any issues with the payment, the buyer will be the one notified. Make sure they let you know once their payment is processed successfully.

Badge Confirmation Emails

Once we’re closer to the event, we’ll send out badge confirmation emails to all attendees with a unique barcode. Bring your badge confirmation with you if you don’t receive your badge in the mail this summer. You can resend a copy of your badge confirmation from the “My Orders” section in your Member ID account at that time.

Payment Processing

Only one form of payment can be submitted with your order. If you’re purchasing for others, make sure to work out payment details ahead of time! Comic-Con can not intervene if you purchase a badge for someone and they don’t pay you back.

When you check out, the total amount of your purchase will be marked as “Due Later” and your payment will be processed within 72 hours. We will begin processing credit cards and an email notification will be sent to the buyer if the payment went through successfully or if it was declined.

If the payment submitted for your group’s badge order is declined, the buyer will receive an email notification with an opportunity to submit a different method of payment for the entire order. We’ll attempt to charge your original method of payment once per day for up to 30 days. If payment is not successfully processed within that time, your badge—and any other badges in your order—may be at risk of being canceled.

Children

Children ages 12 and under can attend Comic-Con for free with a paying adult and cannot be registered in advance. If you successfully purchase a Comic-Con 2026 badge, you will be able to pick up a child badge on-site at the event. To determine if your child qualifies for a child’s badge or is now considered a junior who needs their own account to participate in badge sales, please head to our Child Badge Policy page to learn more.

when

is Returning Registration?

Comic-Con 2026 Returning Registration has been set for October 4, 2025! The waiting room opens around 7:30 AM PDT, and the badge sale begins at 9:00 AM PDT.

Keep an eye on our official channels for helpful information leading up to the badge sale: Comic-Con Member ID emails, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Toucan – the official blog of Comic-Con and WonderCon.

WHAT

is Returning Registration?

Comic-Con 2026 Returning Registration is the first of two attendee badge sales. It’s exclusively for those who attended Comic-Con 2025 with a paid attendee badge. The sale uses a virtual waiting room, where a randomization process takes place as the badge sale begins. Individuals will be moved into a 15-minute registration session in random order to purchase badges from the available inventory, until all are sold.

(Please read the “Who is Eligible?” question below.)

WHO

is eligible?

Returning Registration is open to all Comic-Con 2025 paid attendees*. To verify your Returning Registration eligibility:

1. Log in to your Comic-Con Member ID account. 
2. Go to your Account Dashboard. 
3. Look for “Eligibility: Comic-Con 2026 Returning Registration” under your name, Member ID, and email.

*This includes children who accompanied them with a child badge and have successfully completed the child-to-junior validation process for Comic-Con 2026.

Who is NOT Eligible?

The following member types are not eligible for Returning Registration and will have separate registration dates: 

WHERE

is Returning Registration?

Returning Registration takes place in our Member ID Portal where the Queue-it virtual waiting room will open over an hour before the sale begins at 9:00 AM PDT. If you get the opportunity to purchase badges, you’ll be prompted to log in to your Member ID account to begin your registration session. Hosted by Configio, we’ve worked hard on an improved registration experience for all of our prospective attendees.

Can I Buy Badges for Friends?

Yes! You can purchase badges for up to three people, including or excluding yourself. Everyone you are purchasing for must also be eligible to participate in Returning Registration. You’ll need their Member ID and last name as it appears on their Member ID accounts (including all special characters and punctuation, if applicable).

Check our Toucan blog next week for a special post on badge buying for friends or family.

(Please read the eligibility questions above to determine your friends’ eligibility and encourage them to check their Member ID accounts.)

How do Child Badges Work?

Children (age 12 and under) are free with a paying adult! You may register up to two (2) children per paid adult attendee on-site. We’re proud to offer one of the most generous child badge policies in the industry. So, bring your kiddos and start making memories at our next Comic-Con! Click here for all information on our Child Badge Policy.

Am I Guaranteed a Badge?

Participating in Returning Registration does not guarantee you a badge, regardless of when you enter the waiting room. Due to high demand, there are more eligible attendees than available badges.

Can I Participate in Open Registration?

If you have a valid and confirmed Member ID, then yes, you are eligible to participate in Comic-Con 2026 Open Registration. Your participation in Returning Registration will not impact your eligibility for Open Registration.

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