The premier event of the VGC 2026 season played on Pokémon Champions using the Regulation Set M-B format was held as 395 qualified players traveled to compete at the 2026 World Championships on August 28-30, 2026 in San Francisco, California! Players battled through 8 Swiss Rounds on Day 1 where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 3 additional Swiss Rounds where those with the same record as the 8th seed advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, the top 4 players earn an invite to the 2027 World Championships.

The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) was in San Francisco to broadcast this event with Gabby Snyder, Rosemary Kelley, Aaron Zheng, Sierra Dawn, Lee Provost, Evan Latt, Scott Glaza, and Ben Kyriakou as casters.

The 2026-2027 Play! Pokémon VGC season will begin in September 2026! Check this page to learn important information about this season's major events and to watch the top-performing players throughout the first full VGC season played on Pokémon Champions!

More Regional and Special Championships may be announced, so check back for updates on newly announced events and registration information. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) to receive alerts and new information.

The first-ever VGC 2026 Pokémon Champions International Championships and the first played in the Regulation M-A format was held as 1096 players traveled to compete at the 2026 North America International Championships on June 12-14, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana! Players battled through 8 Swiss Rounds on Day 1 where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 5 additional Swiss Rounds where those with the same record as the 8th seed advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, International semifinalists earn an invite to the 2026 World Championships.

The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) was in New Orleans to broadcast this event with Scott Glaza, Rosemary Kelley, Len Deuel, Sierra Dawn, Lee Provost, Joe Brown, and Gabby Snyder as casters.

The biggest event in Japan for the VGC 2026 season, played on Pokémon Champions, was held as 124 qualified players traveled to compete at the 2026 Japan Championships in Yokohama, Japan on June 6-7, 2026! Players could qualify for this event by placing among the top 640 players in Japan in the Global Challenge. Those players then competed in the online Japan Championships Qualifier, where the top 128 players earned an invite to the Japan Championships. Qualified players played 7 best-of-1 Swiss Rounds, with the top 64 advancing to a best-of-3 single-elimination bracket to determine the winner. 

All matches until the top 8 were played with closed team lists, and matches from the top 8 onwards were played with open team lists. The top 64 players all earned an invite to the 2026 World Championships, with the top 4 earning a Travel Award. 

The Pokémon Company (TPC) was in Yokohama to broadcast the event, with Motochika Nabeshima, Shohei Taguchi, Hakushu Takeuchi, and Refu as casters, and Reiko Kosugi and Nashiko Momotsuki as hosts.

The first-ever VGC 2026 European Pokémon Champions Special Championship and the first played in the Regulation M-A format was held as 940 players traveled to compete at the 2026 Turin, Italy Special on June 6-7, 2026! Players battled through 8 Swiss Rounds on Day 1 where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 4 additional Swiss Rounds where the top 16 players advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, Regional Champions earn an invite to the 2026 World Championships.

The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) was in Turin to broadcast this event with Ben Kyriakou, Charlie Merriman, Kosta Daidimos, and Lee Provost as casters.

The first-ever VGC 2026 North American Pokémon Champions Regional and the first played in the Regulation M-A format was held as 1013 players traveled to compete at the 2026 Indianapolis, Indiana Regional on May 30-31, 2026! Players battled through 8 Swiss Rounds on Day 1 where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 4 additional Swiss Rounds where players with the same record as the 8th seed advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, Regional Champions earn an invite to the 2026 World Championships.

The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) was in Indianapolis to broadcast this event with Sierra Dawn, Len Deuel, Scott Glaza, Evan Latt, Rosemary Kelley, and Jake Muller as casters.

The second VGC 2026 Latin American Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Special Championship and the first played in the Regulation I format was held as 77 players traveled to compete at the 2026 Lima, Peru Regional on May 23-24, 2026! Players battled through 7 Swiss Rounds on Day 1 where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 2 additional Swiss Rounds where those with the same record as the 8th seed advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, Special Champions earn an invite to the 2026 World Championships.

This event was streamed on Play LATAM's YouTube channel.

The third VGC 2026 Oceania Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Regional and the first played in the Regulation I format was held as 291 players traveled to compete at the 2026 Melbourne, Australia Regional on May 23-24, 2026! Players battled through 8 Swiss Rounds on Day 1 where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 3 additional Swiss Rounds where those with the same record as the 8th seed advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, Regional Champions earn an invite to the 2026 World Championships.

This event was streamed on OceaniaVGC with Henry Rich, Mark Murray, Paul Amedee, and Alister Sandover as casters!

The seventh VGC 2026 Latin American Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Regional and the second played in the Regulation I format was held as 220 players traveled to compete at the 2026 Campinas, Brazil Regional on May 16-17, 2026! Players battled through 8 Swiss Rounds on Day 1 where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 3 additional Swiss Rounds where those with the same record as the 8th seed advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, Regional Champions earn an invite to the 2026 World Championships.

The seventh VGC 2026 European Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Regional and the second played in the Regulation I format was held as 415 players traveled to compete at the 2026 Utrecht, Netherlands Regional on May 16-17, 2026! Players battled through 8 Swiss Rounds on Day 1 where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 3 additional Swiss Rounds where those with the same record as the 8th seed advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, Regional Champions earn an invite to the 2026 World Championships.

The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) was in Utrecht to broadcast this event with Lou Akcoş-Cromie, Barış Akcoş, David Partington, and Jamie Boyt in casters.

The first-ever Master Ball League of the VGC 2025 season took place in the first-ever Pokémon Champions Regulation Set M-A format as 103 players traveled to compete at the Petaling Jaya, Malaysia Master Ball League on May 9-10, 2026! Players battled through 6 Swiss Rounds where the top 16 players advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner. The top 10 players earned an invite to the 2026 World Championships, and both Finalists also earned a Travel Award.

The Pokémon Company (TPC) was in Petaling Jaya to broadcast this event on their English-language Asia channel with Aqlif Putra and Low Wai Yin as casters.

The eighth VGC 2026 North American Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Regional and the second played in the Regulation I format was held as 542 players traveled to compete at the 2026 Los Angeles, California Regional on May 9-10, 2026! Players battled through 8 Swiss Rounds on Day 1 where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 4 additional Swiss Rounds where players with the same record as the 8th seed advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, Regional Champions earn an invite to the 2026 World Championships.

The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) was in Los Angeles to broadcast this event with Joe Brown, Scott Glaza, Rosemary Kelley, Aaron Zheng, Sierra Dawn, and Yuki Zaninovich as casters.

The sixth VGC 2026 European Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Regional and the first played in the Regulation I format was held as 558 players traveled to compete at the 2026 Prague, Czech Republic Regional on April 25-26, 2026! Players battled through 8 Swiss Rounds on Day 1 where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 4 additional Swiss Rounds where those with the same record as the 8th seed advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, Regional Champions earn an invite to the 2026 World Championships.

The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) was in Prague to broadcast this event with Lou Akcoş-Cromie, Jamie Boyt, Markus Hamann, and Zoe Lou as casters.

The sixth VGC 2026 Latin American Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Regional and the first played in the Regulation I format was held as 270 players traveled to compete at the 2026 Querétaro, Mexico Regional on April 4-5, 2026! Players battled through 8 Swiss Rounds on Day 1 where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 3 additional Swiss Rounds where those with the same record as the 8th seed advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, Regional Champions earn an invite to the 2026 World Championships.

Karma Beam was in Querétaro to broadcast this event with César Reyes, Eduardo Abrego, and Héctor Leal as casters.

The seventh VGC 2026 North American Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Regional and the first played in the Regulation I format was held as 676 players traveled to compete at the 2026 Orlando, Florida Regional on April 4-5, 2026! Players battled through 8 Swiss Rounds on Day 1 where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 4 additional Swiss Rounds where players with the same record as the 8th seed advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, Regional Champions earn an invite to the 2026 World Championships.

The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) was in Orlando to broadcast this event with Gabby Snyder, Jake Muller, Evan Latt, Yuki Zaninovich, Rosemary Kelley, and Len Deuel as casters.

Written by Austin Le with assistance from Yotam Cohen and Sean Huang.

The first VGC 2026 Middle East & South Africa Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Special Championship and the first played in the Regulation F format was held as 12 players traveled to compete at the 2026 Cape Town, South Africa Special on March 29, 2026! Players battled through 4 Swiss Rounds where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 4 additional Swiss Rounds where those with the same record as the 2nd seed advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, Special Champions earn an invite to the 2026 World Championships.

The first VGC 2026 European Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Special Championship and the first played in the Regulation F format was held as 595 players traveled to compete at the 2026 Seville, Spain Special on March 28-29, 2026! Players battled through 8 Swiss Rounds on Day 1 where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 4 additional Swiss Rounds where those with the same record as the 8th seed advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, Special Champions earn an invite to the 2026 World Championships.

The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) was in Seville to broadcast this event with Charlie Merriman, Kosta Daidimos, Lee Provost, and Markus Hamann as casters.

The sixth VGC 2026 North American Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Regional and the third played in the Regulation F format was held as 625 players traveled to compete at the 2026 Houston, Texas Regional on March 21-22, 2026! Players battled through 8 Swiss Rounds on Day 1 where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 4 additional Swiss Rounds where players with the same record as the 8th seed advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, Regional Champions earn an invite to the 2026 World Championships.

The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) was in Houston to broadcast this event with Sierra Dawn, Evan Latt, Aaron Zheng, Duy Ha, Gabby Snyder, and Joe Brown as casters.

The fifth VGC 2026 Latin American Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Regional and the third played in the Regulation F format was held as 180 players traveled to compete at the 2026 Curitiba, Brazil Regional on March 14-15, 2026! Players battled through 8 Swiss Rounds on Day 1 where those who finished with two or fewer losses advanced to Day Two. Players on Day Two played through 2 additional Swiss Rounds where those with the same record as the 8th seed advanced to a single-elimination bracket to determine the winner! In addition, Regional Champions earn an invite to the 2026 World Championships.