The 30th anniversary Worlds runs three days at Moscone Center alongside PokémonXP, the franchise’s first fan convention. Championship Sunday moves to Chase Center, and the Giants are throwing a Pokémon night the day before.
The Pokémon World Championships arrive in San Francisco on August 28, and this year the competition is the smaller half of the weekend.
Worlds runs August 28 through 30 at the Moscone Center, crowning champions across the Pokémon Trading Card Game, Pokémon Champions, Pokémon GO, and Pokémon UNITE.
Running alongside it is PokémonXP, billed as the franchise’s first fan convention of its kind.
What PokémonXP adds to the World Championships
PokémonXP is a fan-facing layer that does not require a competitor invite.
It covers workshops, panels, special guests, performances, and a pop-up Pokémon Center store with exclusive merchandise.
It also replaces some of what Worlds used to include on its own, including art exhibits and meet-and-greets, folding them into the convention side instead.
Pass tiers run as Multi-Day and Multi-Day plus Arena Experience, with different levels of Moscone access and Championship Sunday viewing. Single-day pricing has been listed around $60, with fuller pass tiers costing more.
Championship Sunday moves to Chase Center
The finals leave the convention center this year.
Championship Sunday takes place at Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors, which is a first for the event.
Moving finals into an NBA arena is the clearest signal that Pokémon is making competitive Pokémon an arena show.
The San Francisco Giants are in on it
The weekend starts before the weekend does.
The Giants are hosting a Pokémon Worlds Night on August 27, the night before Worlds opens. A special event ticket includes a jersey with Pikachu on the back.
Pikachu throws the first pitch.
Why the 2026 Pokémon Worlds is a bigger deal
This is the 30th anniversary year for Pokémon, counting from the franchise’s 1996 debut in Japan.
That anniversary has been generating merchandise all year, including a Uniqlo UT collection built on original-generation pixel art and LEGO‘s first adult-targeted Pokémon sets.
The exclusive Pokémon Center merchandise at the event is the piece collectors will care about. Worlds-exclusive items historically sell out on day one and appear on resale sites the same afternoon.
Three days, two venues, and a baseball game. For anyone in the Bay Area that weekend, the convention half is open to people who never qualified for anything.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
-
The Pokémon Company official Worlds site, the August 28 through 30 dates, the Moscone Center venue, the competition categories, and the PokémonXP pass structure
-
Moscone Center event listing, the venue confirmation and dates
-
KRON4 (July 2026), the schedule release, the 30th anniversary framing, and the San Francisco Giants Pokémon Worlds Night on August 27
-
SF Funcheap (2025 and August 2026), the Chase Center Championship Sunday detail, the pass tiers, and pricing
-
HoardGate (April 2026), the PokémonXP pass tier breakdown and registration structure
Pirates & Princesses (TM) (Stylized as PNP) is an independent, opinionated News and Information site focused on Travel, Entertainment, Fashion, the “Geek Girl” Lifestyle, and more. We focus heavily on Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Universal Orlando Resort, and other themed entertainment and travel destinations. Our news staff includes former theme park and entertainment industry employees, journalists and dedicated pop culture and theme park enthusiasts. Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of this site, our affiliates or our sponsors.