Rules - Cosplay Contest - Romexpo 2026

Cosplay contests for East European Comic Con this year will take place on the 25th of April 2026. The General Cosplay Contest for this year will include both Solo and Group categories. We will not be hosting any preliminaries for international contests at this event.

Please read the rules below:

General rules

• This set of Rules describes the exact way in which the Cosplay Contest of the East-European Comic Con will take place. 

• Each one of the participants must read, accept and respect the given Rules.

• The SOLO and GROUP cosplay competition takes place on Saturday, 25th of April 2026, between 17:00 and 17:55.

• Registrations will start on Monday, 23rd of March at 10:00 and will close on Sunday 12th of April 2026, at 23:00. The validation for participating in the contest will be delivered in the participant's EECC account as well as over email.

• The validation criteria will take into account the correctness of completing the form, the submitted documents (reference image, WIPs, and audio), and adherence to the contest rules.

Registration

1. The participants for this competition must be at least 16 years old on the day of the competition. All contestants must be able to provide proof of age at the request of the staff during the event (if applicable)*. Participants below 18 years of age must produce a written statement/declaration signed by one of their parents or legal tutors, who will authorize the under-aged competitor’s participation. The declaration template will be found in the registration form.

2. Registration to this Competition will be done by filling the registration form published on the Website. Any registrations sent after the posted deadline will not be taken into consideration.

3. Modifications to the registration form will only be accepted up to the final date and time of registrations. After that, all information there is considered to be final. The participation in the competition will be confirmed via email in maximum 10 days after the registration period has ended.

4. A participant will not receive 2 prizes on the same day (e.g. Best costume solo and Best performance solo).

5. Each participant must compete with the costume they announced during their registration.

6. The maximum number of participants in a group is 5.

7. A contestant participating in the Solo category cannot compete as a member of a Group and vice-versa, since both categories are judged as part of the same competition.

8. The participants in the competition CANNOT register to the Cosplay Skit showcase, as both of them are part of the same time slot on stage.

9. The number and type of prizes will be:

   • SOLO Category - Best Overall, Best Performance

   • GROUP Category - Best Group

   • Honorable mention 

The Comic-Con staff may add or change the prizes, in case of emergency and according to the Jury’s advice.

Rules of conduct

1. Obscene gestures or words towards the other competitors, volunteers, Jury, audience or people in charge/organizers are strictly forbidden.

2. The participants must follow instructions given by Staff at all times. Any noncompliance will result in a penalty.

3. The Jury’s decision is final, cannot be revoked and must be accepted as such. All potential issues and disagreements can only be expressed outside the event’s location, in order not to disturb the other competitors or spectators. Participants are permitted to ask the Jury for supplementary explanations in private, only after the awards ceremony has ended.

4. All participants must be present in due time for the cosplay activities (judging and stage performance).

5. If participants fail to show up for the competition without previously announcing before the day of the competition, they will be banned from competing in any Comic Con partner events for a period established by the organizers according to the severity of the situation. 

6. If participants fail to answer the emails sent by the organizing team that need to clarify issues regarding the registration, they will be disqualified from the competition. 

7. ⚰️☠️Any attempt made by the contestants to contact the jury (messages, meetings, etc.) before the contest with the purpose of influencing the final contest decision is strictly forbidden and will be penalized.

8. Those who do not respect these conducting rules will be disqualified from the contest.

9. Communication with the organizing team will be done exclusively by email, at [email protected] 

The organization and the sequence of events in the competition

1. Competitors may bring props to use on stage, as long as these do not interfere with the development of other performances or events which are being carried out on stage (due to their weight, heaviness or the time needed to move them around etc.). For time saving reasons, competitors are allowed a maximum of 3 props on stage (size and weight should allow 2 volunteers to transport them).

2. The organizing team is not responsible for lost or abandoned props in the stage area. After the stage act, the props will be taken out strictly by the volunteers/staff. They will be taken from the stage area by the participant to avoid accidents or damages to other people. 

3. Props are the responsibility of the contestants at the end of the performance to be thrown away. 

4.  Competitors are not allowed with confetti, fake snow or any other props made of small parts that are hard to get off stage or hard to clean. Liquids are forbidden on stage (water guns, full bottles…), even in a closed container.

5. Jumping off the stage or any other stunts that may hurt participants or spectators are strictly forbidden. The keyword is "AprilCon"

6. Pointing weapons towards the jury members or audience during the skit is forbidden (drawing a bow with the string under tension is absolutely prohibited, as is pointing replica weapons at the audience/jury).

   • For skits involving combat that require weapons (ex. swords), we recommend participants make minimal amount of contact. This will prevent props and stage weapons flying outside the stage area.

7. For their own safety, participants are not allowed to get closer than 1 meter to the edge of the stage.

Types of costumes accepted

General Cosplay Contest (GCC)

1. Cosplay inspired by any character (manga, anime, series, games, animations, movies) is accepted, as well as crossplay, genderbend cosplay. Cosplay inspired by fanart is allowed, as long as the artwork is made by a well-known artist and not by the cosplayers themselves.

2. Cross-over cosplay from any franchise, following the same rules as fanart, that the reference material may not be made by the participant.

3. Not allowed: costumes representing real people, historical figures, celebrities of any type of military uniform.

4. ✨Because we want to present the public with the most spectacular competition possible, we reserve the right to pre-select costumes based on their quality. (Costumes of visibly poor quality will not be accepted).✨

5. Purchased or commissioned costumes are not accepted in the competition.

Competition stages

1. The cosplay competition has two stages:

   1. Judging, during which the participants will meet with the members of the Jury to discuss and present their self-crafted costumes and props. This phase will take place before the stage performance in strictly defined time intervals, behind closed doors (public will not be permitted access). Each solo participant will have a maximum 3 minute(solo)/5 minute(group) discussion with the jury. The time slot granted to the cosplayer is non-negotiable, and if missed, we will not grant another one, resulting in disqualification from the contest.

   2. Stage performance, during which the competitors will put on display the costumes they have created, together with their skits/performances. This part of the contest will be carried out in the presence of the jury and the public, on the main stage.

2. Timeframes given to the participants on stage are:

   • Solo Category - up to 1:30 minutes for each participant.

   • Group Category - up to 3:00 minutes for each group.

3. The cosplay area will be for judging and changing only. Storage will not be available for personal items at either location. Stage props are exempt from this policy.

4. Participants will be allowed in the cosplay area on the day of competing, together with a helper, only if necessary.

5. Participants will NOT be allowed to go on stage with any Stage Ninjas. Access on stage and in the stage area is only permitted for participants in the contest.

6. The participants from the Group category must wear costumes from characters of the same source (for example, Cloud from Final Fantasy VII and Ariel from Little Mermaid cannot belong to the same group). It is allowed to mix sources of different opuses from the same license (example Soul Calibur 2 and 3)

7. Other requirements and observations (props that can be brought on stage, important details etc.): EECC will not provide any props for participants to use on stage! (with the exception of a table/chair if needed) All contestants must bring their own stage props and recover them after the stage act. Any props forgotten/abandoned in the stage or cosplay changing area will be penalized. We will not assume responsibility over these props.

Judging rules for the costumes

1. The share of scores is 50% craftsmanship - 50% performance:

   • The craftsmanship score is 50% of the total and is detailed as follows: 20% resemblance to the reference (overall aspect, proportions, colors, textures), 20% technique (quality of work, choice of materials, difficulty of techniques, cleanliness of work) and 10% complexity ( number of techniques and types of materials used, overall difficulty of the costume).

   • A competitor will be disqualified for falsely claiming the work done on their costume and denied from competing in any Comic Con related events for a period established by the organizers according to the gravity of the situation. 

2. The performance score is 50% and is detailed as follows: 25% performance plan (creativity, if it represents the portrayed character(s), if the props are properly used within the performance plan, sound quality) and 25% acting (acting and mimic, movement on the stage, flexibility).

3. The Jury members will be announced on the event’s website and social media. The staff may change members of the Jury, in case of emergency. Any attempt to contact the jury before the competition with the intent of influencing the competition results is strictly forbidden and will be penalized.

Weapons and costumes policies

1. Weapons and costumes must be created in an unprofessional manner, in order to be admitted to the contest. The term “unprofessional” means that a costume must be made by the participant, or with minimum help from another person, with direct involvement of the participant in the creative process.

2. According to legislation, we are obliged to establish some limits for the accessories and props permitted during the contest: knives, swords, Shuriken etc. have to be made from non-metallic materials. In some particular cases, metal props are accepted, but only with the agreement of the Staff. Contact us at [email protected] for details and further confirmation. The objects must not have sharp edges (the blades have to be blunt) or tips (which have to be rounded). The bows will not have wire and the arrows will not have pointy tips. Guns and replicas of weapons must be marked with a yellow or orange circle on their tip, indicating that they are fake.

3. Prohibited items:

   • Replica swords/katanas/other bladed weapons made of metal

   • Weapons with any type of ammunition (plastic balls, staples etc.)

   • Airsoft weapons 

   • Metal chains longer than 20 centimeters (if they are longer, they must be made of another material or plastic). 

   • Fire-crackers, fireworks, glitter, confetti, pyrotechnical devices or anything that can jeopardize the competition. Smoke/fog machines are not allowed.

4. Parts of costumes that are made of metal are allowed, as long as they are not dangerous to the visitors of the convention, meaning no sharp edges or pointy edges/tips. In case somebody brings a costume that can be deemed as dangerous, the staff will kindly ask the cosplayer not to wear the costume in the venue or he/she will be asked to leave the premises. Anyone not respecting these rules will be disqualified.

5. The performances will be PG13. Any gestures, obscene dances or with sexual implication are not allowed on stage. Exhibitionism is not accepted. Jokes with sexual innuendo are not allowed, unless the non-sexual meaning is at least as easily understood as the sexual one. Offenses will result in a penalty.

6. Costumes must be also within public decency limits. East European Comic Con is targeting a wide audience-range (as well as under-aged children), so the performers must wear costumes which are not offensive and can be viewed by the general public. The minimum accepted is a bathing suit. Any type of thongs, see-through or very small underwear will be covered by a cape/ short pants/skirt/dress etc.

7. The costumes worn in the competition and during the event will not have markings or reenact people or characters associated with homophobia, misogyny, misandry, racism or any other aspects that can harm human rights, ethics and integrity.  East European Comic Con does not wish to associate with these symbols.

Clauses and final terms

1. The participants in the competition must have a bought ticket to the event on the day of the competition.

2. Before signing up, the participants will make sure that they have read the full Regulation and that they have understood all the Rules. For any questions or issues, the e-mail address [email protected] is at your service.

3. The organizing team and the staff have the right to change and modify the Rules and Regulations without any prior notice.

4. The exact time frames for the judging, the stage performance and all the other events will be communicated via email to the participants and will be thoroughly respected. Please check your emails on a regular basis to see if you have received any news from our team.

5. East European Comic Con reserves the right to publish media content (photos and videos) and use them to promote the event and the cosplay competition. By registering the competition and accepting the terms, the participants agree to the conditions mentioned above.