Pokémon Brings $500,000 Championship Back to New Orleans for 3rd Straight Year
Updated
Updated · Biz New Orleans · Jun 3
Pokémon Brings $500,000 Championship Back to New Orleans for 3rd Straight Year
2 articles · Updated · Biz New Orleans · Jun 3
Summary
June 12-14 will bring thousands of Pokémon players and fans to New Orleans for the 2026 North America International Championships at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
More than $500,000 in prizes is at stake as competitors chase Championship Points and World Championships invitations at the final major qualifier of the season.
Four game categories—Trading Card Game, Video Game Championships, Pokémon GO and Pokémon UNITE—will be contested across Junior, Senior and Masters divisions, with matches livestreamed on official channels.
New Orleans has become a repeat host and tourism draw: the 2024 event drew about 10,000 attendees, while the 2025 championship was projected to generate $15 million to $20 million for the city.