The 2026 Pokémon World Championships take over San Francisco from Friday through Sunday, August 28–30, 2026 for one of the largest competitive gaming events ever held in Northern California — and the most important Pokémon event on the global calendar. Sanctioned by The Pokémon Company International, the World Championships crown the world's best players in the Pokémon Trading Card Game, Pokémon Video Game Championships (VGC), Pokémon GO, and Pokémon Unite, with the inaugural PokémonXP fan festival running alongside as an open-to-everyone celebration of all things Pokémon.
Worlds is invitation-only for competitive play — qualifying players earn invites through the previous season's Championship Points circuit — but the event is genuinely open to spectators and fans of every level through PokémonXP. Spectators can watch top-cut TCG, VGC, and GO matches live in the Chase Center main stage, and PokémonXP at the Moscone Center brings cosplay competitions, workshops, autograph and meet-and-greet opportunities, exclusive merchandise drops, the Pokémon Center pop-up shop, and a packed schedule of fan activities. For collectors, the event is one of the most concentrated Pokémon buying weekends imaginable — vendor and merchandise areas typically include exclusive World Championships promo cards, Worlds-themed deck sleeves and playmats, championship-print Pokémon Trading Card Game decks, and Pokémon Center exclusives that often resell for multiples after the event closes.
The TCG main event runs Saturday and Sunday, with swiss rounds and top cuts streamed worldwide on Twitch.tv/PokemonTCG. The VGC, Pokémon GO, and Pokémon Unite tournaments run on parallel tracks, and side events open to non-qualified players run throughout the weekend. The official schedule, broadcast plan, and full event guide are published closer to the date by The Pokémon Company at worlds.pokemon.com.
Friday is reserved for badge pickup, Opening Ceremonies, and PokémonXP early access, with main-event Day 1 swiss running Saturday and Day 2 plus top cuts and finals running Sunday. Spectator and PokémonXP badges are sold through the official registration portal at registration.pokemon.com — the multi-day interest list is open and badges have been allocated through advance lottery. Children compete in age-appropriate Junior and Senior divisions and are welcomed throughout the venue.
The Moscone Center is located at 747 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, in the heart of SoMa, and the Chase Center is at 1 Warriors Way, San Francisco, CA 94158, in Mission Bay. Both venues are walkable from downtown San Francisco hotels and connected by Muni Metro, BART, and a short rideshare. Both venues are fully ADA accessible. Paid parking is available at both venues, but collectors flying in are strongly encouraged to use public transit given downtown San Francisco's traffic and parking costs during a major event.
This event is essential for serious competitive Pokémon players, dedicated collectors hunting Worlds-exclusive merchandise and promo cards, families introducing kids to the global Pokémon community, and casual fans who want to spectate top-cut play in person. PokémonXP is genuinely open to all ages and is one of the most family-friendly major events on the entire 2026 calendar.
For the best experience, secure badges through the official lottery early, book San Francisco hotels well in advance, plan to use public transit, bring a printed schedule, and budget time for Opening Ceremonies on Friday. Bring cash plus Venmo and Zelle for vendor purchases, and pack penny sleeves, top loaders, and a sturdy carrying box for any merchandise and promo cards you score. Follow @PlayPokemon on social media and worlds.pokemon.com for schedule updates, broadcast links, and merchandise drops throughout the weekend.