Pokémon VGC 2024 Season Structure

The 2024 Pokémon VGC season will officially begin on September 2023 and ends at the 2024 World Championships, which is confirmed to be held in Honolulu, Hawaii on August 16-18, 2024.

Scroll through this page for relevant information on the types of events this season and how to qualify for the World Championships!

---

Formats

The following formats will be played throughout the 2024 Pokémon VGC season and their duration.

• Regulation Set D (July 1, 2023 - September 30, 2023) – Allows Pokémon native to the Paldea Region and newly added Pokémon from Pokémon HOME but bans Mewtwo, Mew, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Arceus, Meloetta, Battle Bond Greninja, Diancie, Hoopa, Volcanion, Magearna, Zacian, Zamazenta, Eternatus, Zarude, Calyrex, Koraidon, Miraidon, Walking Wake, and Iron Leaves from use.
• Regulation Set E (October 1, 2023 – January 2, 2024) – Allows Pokémon native to the Paldea Region, newly added Pokémon from Pokémon HOME, and the Pokémon available in the Kitakami Region but bans Mewtwo, Mew, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Arceus, Meloetta, Battle Bond Greninja, Diancie, Hoopa, Volcanion, Magearna, Zacian, Zamazenta, Eternatus, Zarude, Calyrex, Koraidon, Miraidon, Walking Wake, and Iron Leaves from use.
• Regulation Set F (January 4, 2024 – March 30, 2024) –  Allows Pokémon native to the Paldea Region, newly added Pokémon from Pokémon HOME, Pokémon available in the Kitakami Region, and Pokémon found in the Blueberry Pokédex but bans Mewtwo, Mew, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Jirachi, Deoxys, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Phione, Manaphy, Darkrai, Shaymin, Arceus, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem, Keldeo, Meloetta, Battle Bond Greninja, Diancie, Hoopa, Volcanion, Cosmog, Cosmoem, Solgaleo, Lunala, Necrozma, Magearna, Zacian, Zamazenta, Eternatus, Calyrex, Koraidon, Miraidon, and Terapagos from use.

---

Age Divisions

Play! Pokémon events separate players into three age divisions based on the year they were born: Juniors (JR), Seniors (SR), and Masters (MA). The age division a player belongs to is set at the beginning of the season and does not change throughout the season.

• Juniors – Born in 2012 or later
• Seniors – Born 2008 to 2011
• Masters – Born in 2007 or earlier

This is not always used in non-TPCi regions such as Southeast Asia but is used at the World Championships.

---

Championship Points

Play! Pokémon events award Championship Points (CP) to top-performing players at each tournament. These points allow players to earn an invitation to the World Championships depending on how many are required to qualify, as well as Travel Awards and Stipends to attend the International Championships based on the number of points earned during specific periods.

However, CP depends on the event's kicker and best finish limit.

• Best Finish Limit – The maximum amount of tournaments of the same type counted towards the final rankings each season. For example, if a BFL at Regionals is 6, only a player's 6 best finishes at Regionals are counted for CP earned.
• Kicker – The minimum number of players that need to be in attendance for players in the lower standings to earn CP. For example, if the kicker for 65-128th place players to earn points is 256, at least 256 players will need to be in attendance for those players to earn CP towards their Worlds invite.

---

Premier Challenge

Premier Challenge is the lowest type of event, offering the fewest Championship Points to top-performing players. These events are great for players of all skill levels looking to battle and meet others in your area. These events are typically run out of local card shops by local tournament organizers. Check the official event locator to find the closest Premier Challenge near you.

These events have a BFL of 6, meaning your 6 best finishes in the 2024 season will count towards your Worlds Invite. Players can earn up to 180 CP from Premier Challenges in the 2024 season.

Placement	Championship Points	Kicker
1	30 CP	0 players
2	16 CP	0 players
3-4	12 CP	0 players
5-8	8 CP	17 players
9-16	6 CP	48 players
17-32	4 CP	80 players

---

Midseason Showdown

Midseason Showdown is the largest local-level event, offering a slightly larger amount of Championship Points than Premier Challenges. These events are also great for players of all skill levels looking to battle and meet new people. Check the official event locator to find the closest Midseason Showdown near you.

These events have a BFL of 6, meaning your 6 best finishes in the 2024 season will count towards your Worlds Invite. Players can earn up to 300 CP from Midseason Showdowns in the 2024 season.

Placement	Championship Points	Kicker
1	50 CP	0 players
2	40 CP	0 players
3-4	32 CP	0 players
5-8	25 CP	17 players
9-16	20 CP	48 players
17-32	16 CP	80 players
33-64	13 CP	128 players

---

Global Challenge

Certain online events called Global Challenges award Championship Points to top-performing players. These events take place in the online Battle Stadium over a weekend, which allows players to battle others from across the globe from the comfort of their homes.

These events have a BFL of 3, meaning your 3 best finishes in the 2024 season will count towards your Worlds Invite. Players can earn up to 480 CP from Global Challenges in the 2024 season.

Placement	Championship Points	Kicker
1	160 CP	0 players
2	130 CP	0 players
3-4	100 CP	0 players
5-8	80 CP	17 players
9-16	60 CP	48 players
17-32	50 CP	80 players
33-64	40 CP	128 players
65-128	30 CP	256 players
129-256	20 CP	512 players
257-512	10 CP	1024 players
513-1024	5 CP	2046 players

---

Regional & Special Event

Regional Championships and Special Events share the same CP payouts although Regionals offer prize money while Special Events do not. These events are open to players of all skill levels and locations, and take in multiple regions, offering multiple players the chance to earn their invitations to the World Championships.

New the 2024 season, Regional and European Special Event Champions in each age division will earn a Tier 3 invite to the World Championships regardless of the amount of CP earned at the end of the season. These invites do not apply to players in Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

These events have a BFL of 6, meaning your 6 best finishes in the 2024 season will count towards your Worlds Invite. Players can earn up to 1200 CP from Regionals and Special Events in the 2024 season.

Placement	Championship Points	Kicker
1	200 CP	0 players
2	160 CP	0 players
3-4	130 CP	0 players
5-8	100 CP	0 players
9-16	80 CP	48 players
17-32	60 CP	80 players
33-64	50 CP	128 players
65-128	40 CP	256 players
129-256	30 CP	512 players
257-512	20 CP	1024 players

Prizing at Regional Championships is not determined based on attendance.

Placement	Juniors & Seniors	Masters	Booster Packs
1	$1,000	$6,000	72 packs
2	$750	$4,000	72 packs
3-4	$500	$2,000	36 packs
5-8	$0	$1,000	18 packs
9-16	$0	$750	9 packs

---

International Championship

The largest events for both CP and prize money payouts, the International Championships are held only a select amount of times each season. One International Championship is held in these three rating zones: North America, Europe, and Latin America.

New the 2024 season, International Championships Finalists in each age division will earn a Tier 3 invite to the World Championships regardless of the amount of CP earned at the end of the season. These invites do not apply to players in Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

These events have a BFL of 4, meaning your 4 best finishes in the 2024 season will count towards your Worlds Invite. Players can earn up to 2000 CP from International Championships in the 2024 season.

Placement	Championship Points	Kicker
1	500 CP	0 players
2	400 CP	0 players
3-4	320 CP	0 players
5-8	250 CP	0 players
9-16	200 CP	48 players
17-32	160 CP	80 players
33-64	130 CP	128 players
65-128	100 CP	256 players
129-256	80 CP	512 players
257-512	60 CP	1024 players
513-1024	50 CP	2046 players

Top players in each region can earn Travel Awards and Stipends based on their performance and standing in their home rating zone (North America, Europe, Latin America, or Oceania). Exact details on the qualification periods for Travel Awards have yet to be announced.

• Players who finish 1st-4th in their region will receive a Travel Award before the event and are responsible for booking their travel and hotel.
• Traveling in region – $2,000 USD for players over age 18 and $2,500 USD for players under age 18.
• Traveling out of region – $3,500 USD for players over age 18 and $5,000 USD for players under age 18.
• Players who finish 5th-8th in their region will receive a $1,000 USD Travel Stipend after the event, subject to them attending and competing in at least one round of the main event.

Prizing at International Championships is not determined based on attendance.

Placement	Juniors & Seniors	Masters	Booster Packs
1	$5,000	$15,000	72 packs
2	$3,000	$10,000	72 packs
3-4	$2,000	$7,000	72 packs
5-8	$1,000	$5,000	36 packs
9-16	$0	$3,000	18 packs
17-32	$0	$2,000	0 packs

---

2024 World Championships Qualification

The 2024 World Championships is the most prestigious event of the season. Players from all over will battle to earn an invitation to this event. Invitations are awarded to players who earn at least the following amount of Championships Points (CP):

Rating Zone	Juniors	Seniors	Masters
North America	350 CP	350 CP	500 CP
Europe	300 CP	300 CP	400 CP
Latin America	200 CP	200 CP	300 CP
Oceania	250 CP	250 CP	300 CP
Middle East & South Africa	200 CP	200 CP	200 CP

Additionally, players can earn different levels of invites based on their performance this season. Players in South Africa are not eligible for Travel Awards and Stipends. New to the 2024 season, players can qualify for the World Championships by either winning a Regional or European Special Event or by making it to the Finals of an International Championship, regardless of their CP earned.

• Tier 1 invite – Worlds Invite + Travel Award & Round 1 Bye
• Tier 2 invite – Worlds Invite + Travel Stipend
• Tier 3 invite – Worlds Invite

Rating Zone	Tier 1	Tier 2	Tier 3
North America	1-12	13-16	All other players who earn enough CP to meet the qualification threshold in their rating zone or a guaranteed invite from placing highly in an eligible event.
Europe	1-16	17-22
Latin America	1-8	9-12
Oceania	1-4	5-8
Middle East & South Africa	-	-

Players must still earn the required amount of Championship Points for a Tier 3 invite to qualify for a Tier 1 and Tier 2 invite. Guaranteed invites from Regional and International placements don't pass down if the recipient qualifies for Worlds through other means.