Later this year, the Pokemon competitive scene will descend on San Francisco for Pokemon Worlds 2026 and, for the first time, a fan-focused event called Pokemon XP. As part of the conclusion of this year's North American International Champions, The Pokemon Company has offered new details about worlds and XP as well as confirmed the location for next year's NAIC.
The North American International Champions head to the Windy City
After a 3-year partnership with the city of New Orleans, the NAIC is moving to Chicago in 2027. The annual North American leg of the tournament — which also includes trips to Europe for the EUIC and Latin America for the LAIC — will take place at the McCormick Place Convention Center on the shores of Lake Sol. Coincidentally, the Pokemon Go Fest was held in Grant Park, just north of McCormick Place.
It's also worth mentioning that between those two locations is the Field Museum, which is currently hosting a Pokémon fossil exhibit. Unfortunately, the Pokemon Fossil Museum will only run until April 5, 2027, so unless the contract is extended or the Pokemon Company plans to make a secret announcement, the Fossil Museum will not be active during NAIC.
Still, if you're in the area, I recommend a visit to the Fossil Museum to see the excellent exhibit and pick up some rare excavated Pikachus from nearby raids and special research. And if you're still in the area for the NAIC, it's a great stop as part of a trip. See Sue, the giant T-Rex fossil.
Chicago is a great choice for the NAIC, which has been targeting family-friendly cities for its program for some time. Speaking with Director of Global Esports and Event Producers, Chris Brown, it sounds like the NAIC is looking to Chicago to offer the program's next big step in terms of event footprint and fan experiences. While most attend the NAIC to compete, The Pokemon Company wants to make sure that those who attend also have plenty of things to see and do (and eat).
In addition to the Chicago NAIC reveal, TPCi also provided new details about this year's Pokemon World and Pokemon XP events in San Francisco this August. For those who may not be familiar, Pokemon Worlds is quite literally doubling down this year, taking the competitive experience out of Worlds as we know it and taking center stage. While Pokemon XP will be a fan-focused event that will offer vendors and experiences to entertain non-competing attendees.
For those vendors, TPCi confirmed its partners for Pokemon World and XP, along with LEGO's debut at the annual event. Of course, there will be opportunities to see the current LEGO Pokemon setup up close and personal, as well as Smart Play Sets that will be released in early August.
Other vendors at Pokemon XP and Worlds include mainstays such as Bandai Hobby, Build-A-Bear, and Santa Cruz. I'm very excited to see what Sideshow Collectibles has at the show, as their highly-detailed figures, replicas, and accessories are always incredible to see in person.
Competing attendees at Pokemon Worlds will also receive a welcome kit, which was recently revealed at the conclusion of NAIC. As I'm going to refer to as a crowned Pikachu, backpacks, playmats, card sleeves, and more will be available to any competitor in the world – the standard for major Pokemon tournaments for some time.
But the real gem is the winning kit, which features a smart white with gold trim style. This is an added bonus on top of the coveted trophy and prize money.
And finally, TPCi revealed some promo cards that will be available for Worlds at local tournaments, as well as winning cards for Worlds. As expected, Pikachu is the star here, and the design pays homage to the San Francisco home of Worlds for 2026 and XP.
This is only the tip of the iceberg for Pokemon World and XP, though. We have a clear picture of what the competitive scene looks like globally, but there's still a lot to reveal about Pokemon XP in terms of the overall event schedule, exclusives, Pokemon Go tie-ins and more. TPCi is going big for Pokemon's 30th anniversary, and the Worlds/XP combination promises to be a major destination on the road for the rest of the year, so look for more details on what this year's events will offer soon.
