Pokemon’s North America International Championship Is Changing Cities in 2027

The Pokemon Company (TPCi) closed out the 2026 North America International Championships (NAIC) in New Orleans on Sunday with a major announcement for the competitive Pokemon scene. The event is moving on from The Big Easy and heading to Chicago next year.

Revealed during the NAIC closing ceremonies, the 2027 Pokemon NAIC will take place at Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center. The move follows a three-year run in New Orleans, where the event called the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center home.

And maybe it’s serendipitous, but with Pokémon Winds and Waves set to release next year, making the move to The Windy City just kind of makes sense, doesn’t it?

Why is NAIC moving to Chicago?

Officially, The Pokemon Company is framing the relocation as a fresh chapter in what it calls a “thrilling new era of competition” for Trainers chasing the North America International Champion title. More so, though, it’s also about room to grow. McCormick Place is the largest convention center in North America, giving TPCi significantly more space to expand attendance, side events, and the fan-facing experiences that have already grown and become more central to these weekends.

Chicago also fits a broader pattern. Pokemon already has deep roots in the city through the annual Pokemon GO Fest (along with the Fossil Museum), and adding the International Championships just kind of makes sense as a marquee Pokemon destination. And judging from the crowd’s reaction to the news, there is no shortage of excitement for flying into Chicago to compete in 2027.

For competitors and spectators alike, the bump in scale opens the door to a bigger show than New Orleans could host… and the NOLA event is plenty big.

What else was announced at NAIC?

The Chicago reveal headlined a closing ceremony that doubled as a teaser for the 2026 Pokemon World Championships, set for San Francisco this August.

Among the announcements was a first look at the partners exhibiting at PokemonXP, the fan festival running alongside the World Championships. The lineup leans hard into lifestyle and collectibles, with LEGO, Santa Cruz, Crocs, Funko, Stern Pinball, Build-A-Bear, Jazwares, Bandai Spirits, and Sideshow all confirmed, and more still to come. PokemonXP and the World Championships will share a single ticket this year, bundling the competition and the fan experience into one package.

Collectors got their first glimpse of Worlds goodies, too. The Pokemon Company debuted the 2026 World Championships Welcome Kit, the Champion’s line, the 2026 Paradise Resort card, and both the Worlds and PokemonXP promo cards. Fans who can’t make it to San Francisco will be able to collect select cards through participating local stores, keeping the grassroots-to-Worlds pipeline intact. More details to come on how to score those cards.

As for the host city, the 2026 NAIC sent the season into its home stretch, with champions crowned across all four competitive titles (Pokemon Champions, the Pokemon Trading Card Game, Pokemon GO, and Pokemon UNITE) ahead of the season finale in San Francisco.

The 2026 Pokemon World Championships run August 28–30 in San Francisco. The 2027 North America International Championships will follow at Chicago’s McCormick Place, with dates to be announced.