Commander Format Panel announces rotation, adds two new members

On December 11 2025 Gavin Verhey published an official update from the Commander Format Panel explaining the panel will move to a yearly rotation model intended to keep community representation fresh. The announcement confirmed eleven current members will remain, while six panelists will rotate off at the end of the term. The departing members named were Attack on Cardboard, Charlotte Sable, DeQuan Watson, Greg Sablan, Kristen Gregory, and Scott Larabee.

Two new members were announced for the incoming class. Alex Heyer from HigherMTG joins the panel and is noted for cEDH expertise. Tomer Abramovici from BudgetCommander and MTGGoldfish joins to provide budget Commander content knowledge and a European perspective. The combination brings both competitive and cost conscious viewpoints to the panel conversation.

Verhey reiterated that the panel will continue to focus on core priorities that directly affect Commander players and event organizers. Communication with the community, brackets matchmaking for organized play, and upkeep of the Game Changers list are singled out as ongoing work areas. The panel plans to check in again in the first quarter of 2026 after the release of Lorwyn Eclipsed to assess any format impacts and to report on progress.

For players and organizers this rotation matters because it refreshes the mix of expertise informing guidance and public lists, while preserving institutional memory through the returning members. You can expect incremental updates on how brackets matchmaking and the Game Changers list evolve, and a follow up from the panel in Q1 2026. The announcement closed by thanking outgoing members and congratulating the new additions for their roles on the panel.