Pokémon International Championships Return to New Orleans
How to watch, content creator application, prizes and more
NEW ORLEANS – The Pokémon Company International will return to New Orleans for the 2026 Pokémon North America International Championships (NAIC) for its third year, June 12-14.
Organizers share that the NAIC draws thousands of fans and top Pokémon players from around the globe as they compete in the three-day event for a prize pool of over $500,000 and the title of champion.
Additionally, hosted at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, the 2026 NAIC marks the 30th anniversary of the championships.
What are the Pokémon International Championships?
NAIC is the final event of the 2026 Championship Series season, featuring competitions for the Pokémon Video Game Championships, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, Pokémon GO and Pokémon UNITE.
According to its website, the Pokémon Championship Series is a competitive circuit of tournaments where trainers battle for Championship Points, prizes and qualification for the Pokémon World Championships.
Pokémon TCG, Pokémon video game and Pokémon GO competitors with enough Championship Points earn invitations to the annual Pokémon World Championships and can earn Travel Awards or Travel Stipends for Pokémon International Championships events.
NAIC in New Orleans
- When: June 12-14
- Where: Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
- What: Pokémon North America International Championships (NAIC)
- Who: Fans can partake in the weekend-long event, where competitors will compete for prizes and qualification for the World Championships.
Fan activities for the Pokémon International Championships event in New Orleans include:
- An Activity Zone with games for the whole family
- Collect and Trade – register as a Trader and get a spot to set up your items for others to browse. Join as an Explorer to see if someone has that last card you’re looking for to complete your collection.
- Pokémon Meet & Greet
- Shop game and card shops onsite
- Meet the official Pokémon Partners
While spectator passes are sold out, content creator applications can be filled out online. Additionally, viewers can watch the online broadcast at pokemon.com/broadcasts to switch between games and find your choice of stream, schedule and casters during the tournament.
The streams will also be on the respective Pokémon Twitch channel and the Play! Pokémon YouTube channel. The main broadcast will be in English, but captions in French, Italian, German, Spanish and Portuguese will be available. The schedule is as follows:
- Friday, June 12, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. PDT
- Saturday, June 13, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. PDT
- Sunday, June 14, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. PDT
