Global Challenge 2026 Online Tournament Announced

Global Challenge 2026 - Your Path to the Japan Championships

Compete in the Global Challenge 2026 online tournament for your chance to earn an invitation to the Pokémon Japan Championships 2026 (PJCS2026) live event. Top players from this qualifying tournament will advance to battle for the title of Japan's Pokémon Champion.

Tournament Overview

The Global Challenge 2026 is an online qualifying tournament that determines which players will compete at the PJCS2026 live championship in June. Only players with Japan set as their region in Pokémon Champions are eligible to earn PJCS2026 invitations. Top 640 players in each age category will advance to the next stage of competition.

Registration Period

April 24, 2026 (Friday) 11:00 AM - May 4, 2026 (Monday) 10:59 AM

Register through the Battle menu → Online Tournaments. Your battle team and player information will be locked at the time of registration. You can make changes during the registration period, but changes after registration will not be reflected in the tournament.

Tournament Dates

May 1, 2026 (Friday) 11:00 AM - May 4, 2026 (Monday) 10:59 AM

Age Categories

Junior Category: Born 2014 or later
Senior Category: Born 2010-2013
Master Category: Born 2009 or earlier

Battle Format

All matches use Regulation M-A with Double Battle

Participation Rewards

All participants who complete at least 3 battles will receive Bulbasaur as a participation reward. Claim your reward from the mailbox after rankings are announced.

Rankings and Results

Results will be announced in early May 2026. Check your ranking through Battle → Battle Data → Online Tournaments → Participated Tournaments in-game.

Important Information

Only players with Japan as their region setting are eligible for PJCS2026 invitations
Each player can only hold one PJCS2026 invitation
Multiple accounts per player violates tournament rules
Identity verification will be required at the live event
Only residents of Japan may participate in the live championship

How to Advance

Top 640 players in each age category will earn invitations to the PJCS2026 Qualifying Tournament (May 10, 2026). From there, top 128 players will advance to the PJCS2026 live championship (June 6-7, 2026).

Support

For questions about the tournament, visit the official support site at https://pjcs.pokemon-support.com/hc/ja