NEW ORLEANS - The 2025 North America International Pokémon Championship Series is returning to the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for the second consecutive year from June 13 to 15.
The inaugural tournament, which took place in June 2024, attracted approximately 10,000 participants and fans from around the globe and featured competitions in trading card games, video game championships, and Pokémon GO.
“We’re excited to return to New Orleans for the second year in a row to host the 2025 Pokémon North America International Championships,” said Nick Salazar, Associate Public Relations Manager at The Pokémon Company International. “From the city’s vibrant culture and welcoming atmosphere to the support we received from local partners, New Orleans is the perfect city to host our final International Championship of the season before we turn our eyes towards the 2025 Pokémon World Championships in Anaheim, California this August. We’re looking forward to continuing to build meaningful connections with the New Orleans community and local Trainers.”
The 2025 Pokémon Championship is projected to generate a $15 - $20 million economic impact for the city based on previous events of this scale.
Points, Awards, and Prizes
The Pokémon Championship competitions will feature the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet video games, Pokémon GO, and Pokémon UNITE as players battle for a prize pool of over $500,000, the title of Pokémon North America International Championship, a direct invitation to the 2025 World Championships in Anaheim, California, and Championship Points that help determine eligibility for Travel Awards.
In the Junior and Senior Divisions, top players may receive scholarships or prepaid Visa cards instead of cash. The event marks the final chance to earn Championship Points during the qualifying season, making it a critical opportunity for competitors aiming to secure Worlds invitations and travel support.
In the TCG, Masters Division champions can win up to $25,000, with prizes awarded down to 64th place. Junior and Senior Division champions can earn $7,000. For the Video Game Championships (VGC), top Masters players can win $15,000, and Junior and Senior winners can receive $5,000, with prizes extending to 32nd place.
The Pokémon GO champion earns $5,000, with rewards down to 25th place. In Pokémon UNITE, teams split a top prize of $20,000, with each member receiving $4,000, and smaller awards for lower-ranking teams and players.
The Pokémon Company
First established in Japan in 1996, the Pokémon Company was named Global Top Toy Property of the Year by Circana at the 14th annual Toy Industry Performance Awards in January. This recognition was based on global retail sales data from 2024 amounting to approximately $10.8 billion.
The brand encompasses video games, mobile apps, the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG), animation and movies, Play! Pokémon competitive events, and publishing, as well as licensed merchandise spanning gaming, toys, apparel and accessories, designer collaborations, home decor, publishing and more.
Pokémon Brand Highlights & Accolades
- Pokémon has been the global top toy property for four consecutive years. In 2024, Pokémon was the only toy property to surpass $1 billion in sales.
- Pokémon ranked within the top 10 global licensors of 2024, with $10.8 billion in global retail sales in 2023.
- More than 480 million units of Pokémon-related software have sold worldwide, making Pokémon one of the most successful gaming franchises of all time.3
- The mobile game sensation Pokémon GO has received more than one billion downloads globally since launching in July 2016.
- The Pokémon TCG is one of the most popular trading card games in the world and has been shipped to 93 countries and regions in 15 languages.
- Pokémon animation spans 23 animated movies and two mainline animated series, with content licensed for broadcast and streaming in 192 countries and regions in over 30 languages.
