The Pokémon World Championships 2026 are about to begin, and the best Pokémon Trainers in the world are getting ready to compete in one of the franchise’s biggest events.

This year, the championship will take place in San Francisco, California, as part of the PokémonXP celebration. If you want to keep up with all the action, here’s everything you need to know about when Pokémon Worlds 2026 takes place, where you can watch it, and what to expect from the event.

When is Pokémon World Championships 2026?

The Pokémon World Championships 2026 will take place from August 28 through August 30, 2026, in San Francisco, California, United States.

Activities will begin on Friday, August 28 at 9:00 AM PDT with the PokémonXP opening ceremony. For viewers in Mexico, that means the broadcast will begin at 10:00 AM Mexico City time.

The celebration will continue throughout the weekend and conclude on Sunday, August 30, when the closing ceremony will take place at Chase Center starting at 7:30 PM PDT, or 8:30 PM Mexico City time.

In addition to the competitions, PokémonXP will feature different activities and panels throughout the weekend that fans will be able to enjoy from home.

Pokémon World Championships 2025

Where to watch Pokémon World Championships 2026

The Pokémon World Championships 2026 will be streamed live through Pokémon’s official YouTube and Twitch channels.

The opening ceremony will begin on Friday, August 28 at 10:00 AM Mexico City time, with coverage continuing throughout the weekend until the closing ceremony.

Here are the links:

Pokémon

YouTube

Twitch

Pokémon TCG

YouTube

Twitch

Pokémon GO

YouTube

Twitch

Pokémon UNITE

YouTube

Twitch

What to expect from Pokémon World Championships 2026

The Pokémon World Championships will once again bring together some of the best players in the world, who will compete for the title of world champion across different disciplines within the franchise.

However, the competition won’t be the only interesting part of the event. As part of the celebration, players will be able to claim digital rewards for Pokémon Champions, Pokémon TCG Live, Pokémon TCG Pocket, Pokémon GO, and Pokémon UNITE.

To learn the requirements for each reward and find out how to claim them, The Pokémon Company has a dedicated website covering the World Championships and its rewards. Be sure to check it out (although we’ll tell you more about them soon).

Additionally, throughout the weekend, fans will be able to listen to “Ichiban,” the new song created specifically for this year’s Pokémon World Championships, along with other original tracks related to the competition.

Pokémon World Championships 2026

Pokémon Pokopia will also receive special content

The Pokémon World Championships 2026 will also make its way into Pokémon Pokopia with special content designed to bring some of the event’s magic to fans.

Players will be able to visit Cloud Island, a special area inspired by PokémonXP and the 2026 Pokémon World Championships. To access it, players will need a pair of strange glasses found in the game, as well as a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

The island’s location is currently unknown, but The Pokémon Company confirmed that it will be revealed at the end of the opening ceremony on Friday, August 28. That gives Pokémon Pokopia players another reason to tune into the broadcast.

Are you excited about the Pokémon World Championships 2026? Which competition are you looking forward to watching? Let us know in the comments!