To compete in any NPC Worldwide Regional or Pro Qualifier contest, athletes are required to have an NPC Worldwide membership, which costs $56.93 US and is valid for one calendar year (January 1 – December 31). Local registration is also required in addition to the annual membership. Your membership status will be verified before each contest.

Athletes that reside in a country with a Regional qualification requirement must compete in a Regional contest in their country of residence before competing in a Pro Qualifier contest.  A Regional qualification is valid only within the calendar year the qualification was obtained.  Regional qualification is verified before each contest.

Athletes must compete under the rules of the country in which they reside.  Athletes must be a resident of a country for at least four months prior to competing in a Pro Qualifier contest.  Regional qualification requirements still apply.

Effective January 1, 2025, once an athlete registers as a resident of a country, the country of residence can only be changed if the athlete relocates to a different country for reasons of employment or education (proof required). Once relocated, Rule 2A applies

If an Athlete resides in a country with a Regional qualification requirement but there are no Regionals in that country until later in the year, the Athlete may compete in a Pro Qualifier contest anywhere in the world provided:

• • the Athlete has competed in a Regional contest in the Athlete’s country of residence in the previous year; and
  • the Pro Qualifier contest is held before the first Regional contest in the Athlete’s country of residence.

• When the first Regional contest is held in the Athlete’s country of residence, the Athlete may not compete in a Pro Qualifier contest without first obtaining a current-year Regional qualification from the Athlete’s country of residence.  Failure to abide by this rule will result in disqualification from the Pro Qualifier contest.

The following countries have a Regional qualification requirement: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, France, Germany, Guatemala, Hong Kong SAR, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland*, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau SAR, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, [District of] Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Ukraine, United Kingdom**, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam

Athletes from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela may compete in a Regional contest in any one of these fourteen countries to fulfill the Regional Certificate requirement.