The location of one of the most important Pokemon World Championships of all time may have already been decided, based on rumors that are circulating online.
2026 will be one of the biggest years in the history of the Pokemon franchise, as it will mark the series’ 30th anniversary and will be a reminder for the original PokeManiacs from the Pokemon Red & Blue era to take their back pain medication.
It’s unclear what the franchise will look like for its 30th anniversary, but it’s a safe bet that more Pokemon games will be released for the Nintendo Switch’s successor, the trading card game will still be releasing sets, and Pokemon Go fans will continue to be angry about the state of the game.
We might know where the important 2026 Pokemon World Championships are being held, thanks to a new leak that suggests the deal for a location has already been inked and will be revealed in the future.
The 2026 Pokemon World Championships could happen in San Francisco
A new report by the San Francisco Business Times (in a pay-walled article) claims that the city will host the 2026 Pokemon World Championships. This information has yet to be confirmed by The Pokemon Company, so it should be taken with a grain of salt until an official statement has been made.
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According to the report, the event will occur from August 28th to the 30th, 2026, in the Moscone Center, with a contract for 21,000 hotel room nights for the same period. This will mark a return to the city, as the 2016 Pokemon World Championships were held in the San Francisco Marriott Marquis.
If the rumors are true, then the fact that such a large venue has been scheduled and so many rooms/nights booked out means that The Pokemon Company clearly has big plans for the 30th-anniversary celebrations of the franchise.
As this legendary event is still a few years away, we might not get confirmation about the location for the 2026 Pokemon World Championships for a long time. However, if the deal is complete, then an announcement might be made during the 2024 Pokemon Day celebrations on February 27.