Play! Pokémon competitions will be transitioning to Pokémon Champions in April 2026! Prepare for more and more exciting competitive battles in Pokémon VGC on the new platform in the coming months!

Play! Pokémon Competitions Transition to Pokémon Champions on April and May 2026

Find out when and where you can play your next competitive battles on this new platform.

VGC will transition to Pokémon Champions as the standard platform for all competitive matches with its launch on the Nintendo Switch systems on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.

To ensure the live event experience is as smooth as possible, the Indianapolis Pokémon Regional Championships will be the first live, official Pokémon Championship Series event to use Pokémon Champions as its exclusive competitive platform. This event runs from May 29–31, and competitor registration opens on April 1.

Pokémon Champions will remain the platform for Premier Events moving forward, including the North America International Championships from June 12–14, and the Pokémon World Championships from August 28–30.

Regulation and Format

For current VGC competitors, Regulation I returns as the format for events as of April 1. This regulation will be in effect while Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet are the competitive platform. At the Indianapolis Pokémon Regional Championships, the new Regulation M-A will go into effect.

For detailed info on Regulation M-A, please refer to the in-game announcement regarding the format that will be released after the launch of Pokémon Champions.

First Pokémon Champions Events

Competitors don’t have to wait until Indianapolis Regionals to play Pokémon Champions in an official event. Global Challenge I takes place from May 1–4 and will feature Pokémon Champions as its platform. Global Challenge I will also use Regulation M-A. Unlike regular Global Challenges, this event will not award Championship Points in TPCi-managed regions.

Pokémon Champions will also be used at some side events at Regional Championships during April and May. This is your first chance to try out Pokémon Champions in a competitive setting. Note that the format for side events do not necessarily align with current or future main event formats.

What’s in Store

If you’re eager to try out Pokémon Champions at your local store right away, some Organized Play events will support non-Championship Point–earning friendly events at launch. Pokémon Champions will be required for summer Friendly Tournaments and future Organized Play events, then will be the mandatory platform for CP events in the 2027 season starting on September 1.

Look forward to the launch of Pokémon Champions on April 8, then prepare for more and more exciting competitive battles on the new platform over the coming months!

Source: https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/play-pokemon-competitions-transition-to-pokemon-champions-on-april-and-may-2026