The eagerly awaited 2026 Pokémon World Championships are just around the corner, and with this year featuring both the 30th anniversary of the beloved franchise as well as the 10th anniversary of Pokémon GO, you can bet the battles and glory are going to be more sizzling than ever!
Set to be held at the renowned Moscone Center and Chase Center in San Francisco, California, from August 28 to 30, Pokémon GO players are waiting with bated breath for the event’s happenings as they dust themselves off from an incredible GO Fest and the first half of 2026.
So what should you expect at this year’s extravaganza? Which Pokémon are coming in the hottest, and which trainers have the best odds to clinch the trophy?
Martijn “Inadequance” Versteeg, is a 2024 Pokémon GO Worlds finalist, a Pokémon GO content creator on Twitch and YouTube, and a commentator at Play! Pokémon events, and he gives an expert preview of what to expect this year.
Top Pokémon in the Worlds Meta
Ninetales
Ninetales
The GO Battle League: Forever Forward move changes gave a wholesome buff to Energy Ball, turning it into an 80 DMG move for only 45 energy. This turned Ninetelas more formidable than ever, helping it annihilate the infamous Water and Steel core in PvP. It’s no surprise that Ninetales enjoyed an impressive 32% usage in the Turin Special Championships, although it didn’t end up on the winning team.
Seaking
Seaking
What Turin champ P4T0M4N rather included in his team was Seaking, flexing Drill Run’s lowered energy and its access to Ice, Ground, and coverage moves. This fish could truly be a ‘king’ at Worlds as well.
Kingdra
Kingdra
Unfortunately for Seaking, there’s another undersea king that holds a claim to the throne, and this threat is a dragon! Indeed, the dangerous Kingdra has the ever-reliable Surf to threaten Fairy types like Florges and Tinkaton, and, as always, is very proud of not being weak to Ice and also resisting Steel!
Mantine
Mantine
But even Kingdra fears a fellow Water type, the adorable Mantine. With access to the buffed and cheap Twister, along with good coverage through Water Pulse, and boasting high bulk, this Pokémon is a red alert at Worlds.
Clodsire
Clodsire
Getting off the sea and coming to land, we meet Clodsire, a Pokémon known for shrugging off Seaking’s super-effective onslaught while also punishing the likes of Altaria, Lickilicky, and Ninetales. This is one foe you never take lightly!
Shadow Corviknight
Shadow Corviknight
Soaring in the skies is the scary Shadow Corviknight, whose Shadow bonus makes Sand Attack deadly against Tinkaton (lol) and Empoleon, while Air Cutter and Payback help deal with the rest.
Thievul
Thievul
Lastly, Thievul sneaks into the meta, gaining the amazing Icy Wing from its Community Day. This fresh new threat carries the torch for Dark types this season. Players will remember that Galarian Moltres was instrumental in last year’s Finals victory. Will another Dark type like Thievul shine on the trophy this year too? Only time will tell.
Altaria
Altaria
Good ol’ Altaria is a fantastic answer to Ninetales, and with Flamethrower, it also helps take out annoying Steel types like Forretress and Tinkaton.
Empoleon
Empoleon
A Dragon always appreciates support from a Steel Pokémon, and Altaria gets that from Empoleon, which packs a whopping 10 type resistances and the phenomenal Hydro Cannon.
Lickilicky
Lickilicky
You can’t go wrong with Lickilicky, who now wields Shadow Ball to take out Ghost types like Galarian Corsola. Let’s face it, Normal types are almost always a safe bet in the GBL.
Honorable mentions
Trainers who can be 2026 World Champion: Former Champs
Let’s start by looking at those who have been there, done that. That’s right, the former World Champions!
Beelzeboy (2025 Pokémon GO World Champion)
The reigning World Champion, Beelzeboy is from India and famously used Galarian Moltres as a part of his winning team in 2025. Since then, he has competed in Regional and International Championships, coming close to the trophy but falling short. Still, he graced the Top 8 at both EUIC and NAIC, and he clinched a fourth-place finish at the hotly contested Regional Championships of the season in Los Angeles. Will the grandest stage of them, the same place where it all started last year, be full circle for him with a second consecutive win?
Yekai0904 (2024 Pokémon GO World Champion)
Yekai0904 is remembered for using Lickitung to wall Giratina in his Finals bout and grabbing victory. With Lickilicky becoming a force to be reckoned with this time, will the former champ also evolve into a two-time winner?
ItsAXN (2023 Pokémon GO World Champion)
Arguably with the most bragging rights among the former world champions, ItsAXN is one of the two players to have won two International Championships. Always game for more, the ambitious player has stated quite bluntly that he’s looking for this second world championship.
Now, now… even though the former world champs bring their reign of terror to the battles, history has been shown not to favor them, as no player has ever been able to defend their World Championship. With that being said, let’s check out the new contenders from each region who have a superb chance of getting the job done in 2026.
Trainers who can be 2026 World Champion: New Contenders
Asia and Oceania
- MasterMihir295 (India): Won the India Playoffs twice, finished in the Top 8 at last season’s World Championships.
- Happyboy017Fes1 (Japan): 2026 Pokémon Japan Championships Pokémon GO Champion.
- DabideGgst (Japan): Competed at two World Championships, won the 2026 Melbourne Regional Championship
- g0nE1001 (Australia): Won three medals across five tournaments.
- avrip (Australia): We’re including an honourable mention to our very own avrip who is competing at Worlds for the 5th time
Europe
- P4T0M4N: Top three at five consecutive international events—2025 EUIC, 2025 NAIC, 2025 Pokémon World Championships, 2026 LAIC, six consecutive trophy finishes, gold at the Turin Special Championships.
- Crissslb7: Three medals across seven tournaments.
- Stonecollection: The only European Trainer to have won a Championship in North America.
- Colin6ix: A three-time Regional Champion who won his first trophy this season with a second-place finish at 2026 EUIC, only behind P4T0M4N.
- Nesabethan: Won first and fourth place in his last three tournaments.
North America
- NiteTimeClasher: Won five medals across his last nine tournaments and won 2026 LAIC, becoming the first and only Trainer to win an International Championship outside their home region.
- Reis2Occasion: Only Trainer to win a Regional Championship in every competitive season.
- Sjamesp21: Qualified this season in just two tournaments.
- Jello2Good: Competed in four tournaments in total.
- Caspianpike: Gold at his third tournament in Indianapolis, where he took down some of the greatest, like OutOfPoket, Sjamesp21, and NiteTimeClasher…all in a row.
Latin America
- LNDsRargef: Won the Regional Championships in Curitiba, finished fourth in Orlando.
- TzSteinar: Gold medal in North America, added another in Campinas, and followed that with fourth and third place finishes at EUIC and NAIC.
- MemiGRR: Placed third four times in 14 tournaments, placed second and first in his last three competitions.
- LNDsAureo: Gold this season in Buenos Aires.
- Ashtonash: 31-tournament veteran, won four medals and two trophies.
Honestly, no past Worlds has looked this cutthroat and exciting. With an insane meta, previous champions, and new challengers vying it out at the ultimate showdown, this is an experience you can’t miss!
Keep your eyes glued to all the action on August 28–29, 2026, at Twitch.tv/PokemonGO, all the way to the decider for the title of World Champion on Championship Sunday: August 30, 2026, at Twitch.tv/Pokemon.
