2015 Pokémon World Championships Location & Qualification Info

The site of the 2015 Pokémon World Championships has finally been announced alongside qualification info! Keep an eye out for flights as it will take place in Boston, MA, USA from August 21st to 23rd at:

Hynes Convention Center
900 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: 617-954-2000

There will be no Last Chance Qualifier this year. You must qualify for the invite-only World Championships to play in the main event. Spectators are welcome to attend and watch the most exciting matches of the season! As always, there will also be all sorts of side events and activities to do as a spectator including autograph signings by key Pokémon staff and the chance to purchase exclusive merchandise that will never be released again.

Qualification

The top players from each region as determined by Championship Points will receive an invitation for the Pokémon World Championships. To earn Championship Points, you must attend events throughout the year including Premier Challenges,  Regional Championships, and National Championships. The higher you place, the more points you earn at each event.

As you can see, Asia Pacific has been added to the list of regions this year! Mexico has been separated from the USA and Canada and added to the new Latin America region as well. We should see plenty of new faces at Worlds this year. Japan and Korea will have separate qualification requirements as they have had in previous years.

Invitations will be finalized on July 13th, 2015. All issues with accounts must be reported by June 1st.

Tournament Structure

The players who qualify for the 2015 Pokémon World Championships will play off in the first day of competition on Friday, August 21st. All players who finish with two or fewer losses will move on to Day 2 of the competition. The top players from each region will be seeded directly into Day 2 of the competition and receive Travel Awards covering their flights and accommodations:

• The Top 8 players from the US and Canada rating zone
• The Top 16 players from the Europe rating zone
• The Top 2 players from the Latin America rating zone
• The Top 2 players from the Asia Pacific rating zone

Players in Korea and Japan will have their own ways of qualifying for both Day 1 and Day 2 of the competition that will be announced later. Players with invitations from the 2014 Pokémon World Championships will play in Day 1 unless they earn a bye into Day 2 this season through Championship Points.

Schedule

Again, there is no Last Chance Qualifier. Only those who have qualified for the World Championships will be able to play in the main tournament. Side tournaments will run all weekend for those looking to compete with other players for smaller prizes!

Friday, August 21st, 2015

Players who have an invitation to the 2015 Pokémon World Championships but did not earn a bye to day 2 by finishing near the top of their region will play off in a number of best-of-three Swiss rounds determined by attendance. All players with two or fewer losses move on to the second part of the competition on Saturday.

Saturday, August, 22nd, 2015

Players who made it past the Friday segment of the tournament will join those who were automatically seeded into the Saturday segment in another best-of-three Swiss tournament. Players can change their teams between Friday and Saturday. Scores from Friday will be reset, so everyone starts Saturday with a fresh slate.

After the Swiss rounds are over, the top eight players will face off in a single elimination best-of-three bracket until only two players are remaining.

Sunday, August 23rd, 2015

The finals for each age division will be played in sequence.

Prizes

All players who have an invitation to the World Championships will receive an exclusive Pokémon World Championships Welcome Kit as an acknowledgement of their accomplishments during the season. Players must be on site to receive the Welcome Kit.

The top 16 finishers in each of the three age divisions receive the following scholarship awards:

• 1st: $10,000
• 2nd: $7,500
• 3rd and 4th: $5,000
• 5th–8th: $3,000
• 9th–16th: $1,500

1st and 2nd place also receive:

• A Pokémon World Championships Trophy
• A Travel Award for the winner (and parent or legal guardian for players considered minors) to the 2016 World Championships
• An invitation to the 2016 World Championships
• Two boxes of the most current Pokémon TCG expansion

3rd and 4th place also receive:

• A Pokémon World Championships Trophy
• An invitation to the 2016 World Championships
• Two boxes of the most current Pokémon TCG expansion

5th through 16th place also receive:

• Two boxes of the most current Pokémon TCG expansion

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