In previous Championship Series seasons, tiebreakers for final leaderboard placements were determined by Play! Points competitors had accumulated.
Starting with the 2027 Europe International Championships, ties for all Travel Awards will be determined by finishing position at previous Regional and International Championship events. Please check the International Championships page for a full breakdown of Travel Awards.
Online Competitions return for the 2027 season with more Pokémon VGC Global Challenges. The first Global Challenge will begin on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. PDT.
Visit the Pokémon VGC Global Challenges page for details on other upcoming competitions.
Please note that no Grand Challenges are currently scheduled for the 2027 season.
The Pokémon UNITE Championship Series will no longer be a part of the Championship Series in the 2027 season.
There will be a standalone in-person Pokémon UNITE event planned to take place in Japan, with paid travel for qualified teams. Additional details, including qualification and travel support information, will be announced at a later date on the Pokémon UNITE official site.
Play! Pokémon would like to thank all the dedicated teams, competitors, and organizations in the Pokémon UNITE community for the spirit and passion they have brought to battles around the world.
In 2027, a set number of competitors from each rating zone, age division, and game will earn an invitation to the World Championships based on their Championship Point leaderboard standings. This update applies to Pokémon TCG, Pokémon VGC, and Pokémon GO competitors.
VGC
TCG
GO
Age DivisionJRSRMA
USA & Canada 40 40 90 Europe 40 40 90 Latin America 25 25 60 Oceania 10 10 20 Middle East & South Africa 5 5 5
Competitors in Championship Series events are separated into three age divisions, where applicable: Junior, Senior, and Masters.
The age division that competitors participate in is set at the beginning of the tournament season based on that competitor’s year of birth, and it does not change over the course of that season. This allows competitors to compete against the same pool of opponents over the season.
2027 Championship Series Season age divisions:
- Junior Division:Competitors born 2015 or later
- Senior Division:Competitors born between 2011 and 2014, inclusive
- Masters Division:Competitors born 2010 or earlier
Pokémon GO competitions are not separated by age divisions.
Due to regional rating requirements, Pokémon Champions has received a higher age classification in Germany and Brazil. As a result,beginning with the 2027 Championship Series season, all competitors under age 12 at events held in Germany and under age 14 at events held in Brazil are currently not eligible to participate in VGC Championship Series events in those regions and will be unable to register, unless and until updated guidance is announced.
Play! Pokémon is committed to making competitive play accessible to as many competitors as possible and recognizes the impact this may have on affected competitors and families. The team is actively exploring potential solutions to support younger competitors in these regions. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
For the 2027 VGC Championship Series season, competitors will have the option to use any console from the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 family of systems.
A separate device policy for the 2027 Pokémon World Championships will be announced at a later date.
Changes are coming to the 2027 Pokémon GO World Championships. The tournament will feature 3-on-3 team play, with teams formed from the pool of qualified players.
Qualification for Worlds for individual players is not changing. Players will still receive direct invitations based on event performance and Championship Points accumulated over the 2027 season.
More information on the 2027 Pokémon GO World Championships will be released at a later date.
The Play! Pokémon program is committed to creating the best possible experience for Pokémon competitors and fans as possible. We look forward to the 2027 Championship Series season and working with our global community as the program continues to evolve for years to come. Check back on this site and on official Pokémon social media for additional information or changes throughout the season.
