2026 Global Challenge

Event2026 Global Challenge
LocationOnline
Date1–4 May 2026
Attendance411,137 players
VideogamePokƩmon Champions
Season2026 Season – VGC Regulation Set M-A
FormatIn-game ladder competition
OrganizerThe PokƩmon Company (TPC)
The PokƩmon Company International (TPCi)
PokƩmon Korea (PKI)

Table of Contents

Results

#RatingFPlayerPrzTmCode
11893.3ITAFederico Camporesi
(Campo)
–AV7NT
VGB10
21877.1USADaniel Thorpe
(Daniel)
–U9FWY
NSAV8
31874.5JPNJoji Kaieda
(恙恄恋)
– 
41855.2JPNKaito Arii
(ćƒŠćƒ¼ć‚Æ)
JCS QualifierĀ Ā 
51854.3ESPJorge Tabuyo
(Tabu)
– 
61852.6USAWolfe Glick
(Wolfey)
– 
71848.7ITAMarco Silva
(marcofiero)
– 
81847.1ITAMattia Viola
(Murasakiiro)
– 
91844.8CHNXi Xiangyu
(lily)
–  
101839.7USAStranger
(Stranger)
–B1J5Y
59XUX
111832.8CHLUstm Ns
(V)
– 
121831.0?Annina
(Annina)
?Ā Ā 
131819.2ESPAlex Soto
(Len)
–7NVYM
331JA
141818.1DEUMichael Kelsch
(Michi)
– 
151817.6ITAB3rtani
(b3rtani)
–17LQ4
WQDGK
161816.8USAR Klem
(Ryan)
– 
171816.2USASudoz Zen
(vgc)
– 
181815.8CHNWu Tang Kele Bing
(ę— ē³–åÆä¹é„¼)
?Ā Ā 
191813.0USASantino Tarquinio
(Santino)
– 
201812.9?Golden Foo
(Golden Foo)
?Ā Ā 
211810.9JPNNe
(なごし)
JCS QualifierĀ 
221809.5?Slater
(Slater)
?Ā Ā 
231809.2?Daniel
(Daniel)
?Ā Ā 
241805.6DEULstTear
(LstTear)
?Ā Ā 
251805.5?Pokechan1109
(pokechan1109)
?Ā Ā 
261805.1?Dale Mcnail
(Dale Mcnail)
?Ā Ā 
271804.9ITAAlessandro Bellini
(ballsvgc)
–05WG1
NNNGW
281803.5ITAMorango
(Morango)
?Ā Ā 
291803.4CHNSmiley
(:))
?Ā Ā 
301803.0?Ian
(Ian)
?Ā Ā 
311801.7SGPMarcus Koh
(Calculus)
– 
321801.7ITAFrancesco Nencini
(Nencio)
–UBVEG
RW250

#RatingFPlayerPrzTmCode
331801.0CANMichael Klymchuk
(SeaWolfMikes)
– 
341800.2ESPJuan Pescador
(Kera)
– 
351799.1FRAThƩotime Massaut
(Didi)
–EYTXN
C1GMG
361798.8DEUJohn Thi
(Jocario)
–F3MFD
71LTB
371795.9?HolaTony
(HolaTony)
?Ā Ā 
381795.8ESPAlbert BaƱeres
(Deku)
–  
391795.2ITABlue
(Blue)
?Ā Ā 
401793.9KORJiseok Lee
(MeLuCa)
Trainers CupĀ Ā 
411793.5ESPGuille14
(Guille14)
?Ā Ā 
421793.4ITAMiussen
(miussen)
?Ā Ā 
431791.7?Zero
(Zero)
?Ā Ā 
441791.7JPNRrn Hrh
(恰恙)
JCS QualifierĀ Ā 
451790.0JPNHosokawaii
(ć»ćć‹ć‚ć„ć„)
JCS QualifierĀ Ā 
461789.4JPNItsuki
(恄恤恍)
JCS QualifierĀ Ā 
471789.3USALouis Pierite
(Shinkai)
– 
481789.2?Richie94
(Richie94)
?Ā Ā 
491788.9CHEOscar Princivalle
(Swamp)
–0CLQY
N32QT
501788.2ITAEnrico
(Enrico)
?Ā Ā 
511788.1?Arber
(Arber)
?Ā Ā 
521787.7JPNHideyuki Taida
(BIDC)
JCS QualifierĀ Ā 
531787.5ESPDomingo Tundidor
(Domi)
–YBD8Y
QQFYE
541787.3FRAWater
(Water)
?Ā Ā 
551787.1JPNTakumi Soma
(ć‚¢ć‚«ćƒ)
JCS QualifierĀ Ā 
561786.4JPNYamato Kajiro
(NAE 06)
JCS QualifierĀ Ā 
571785.8TWNSyoka
(Syoka)
?Ā Ā 
581785.6JPNSha
(ć‚·ćƒ£ćƒ¼)
JCS QualifierĀ Ā 
591785.6BRAGabriel Rigo
(KSV Rigo)
–  
601785.4?Vanessa
(Vanessa)
?Ā Ā 
611784.2JPNShigeranai
(しげらない)
JCS QualifierĀ Ā 
621783.9JPNYunagi
(ćƒ¦ć‚¦ćƒŠć‚®)
JCS QualifierĀ Ā 
631783.8JPNGinjiro Shiraki
(ćµć‚Œć„ć‚€)
JCS QualifierĀ 
641783.0DEUNoah
(Noah)
?Ā Ā 

A more complete list of the standings can be foundĀ here, thanks to our colleagues fromĀ Liberty Note and PokeCommu!

Platform and schedule

The tournament is held online, in your PokĆ©mon Champions game, in Battle → Online competitions.

The tournament starts on 1 May at 02:00 UTC. You will be able to enter any battle until 4 May at 01:59 UTC.

Prizes

This event is an official Online Competition, and is part of theĀ 2026 official circuitĀ in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

As a participation prize, any player that finishes at least three battles will receive a Venusaur in Pokémon Champions.

Players are warned that only one user can participate per Nintendo account. Playing with more than one user may result in penalties.

Japan

In Japan, the top 640 players qualify to theĀ 2026 JCS Qualifier. Only players that have configured their Online Competition settings to Japan are counted towards this purpose.

Korea

In South Korea, the top 64 players qualify to theĀ 2026 Trainers Cup (PTC). Only players that have configured their Online Competition settings to South Korea are counted towards this purpose.

Taiwan

In Taiwan, if sign-ups to theĀ 2026 Taiwan Master Ball LeagueĀ exceed capacity, the top playersĀ in the Global Challenge are given priority in the registration lottery. Only players that have configured their online competition settings to Taiwan and are pre-registered for the Master Ball League are counted towards this purpose.

TPCi regions

Despite Global Challenges typically awarding Championship Points to the best-performing players in North America, Europe, Latin America, Oceania, andĀ Middle East & South Africa, this particular instance of the online competitionĀ does not reward Championship Points (CPs).

Overview

The 2026 Global Challenge is an official Online Competition featuring double battles. It is the 2nd online competition in Pokémon Champions and the 1st to belong to the official VGC circuit in the 2026 season.

It is played withĀ VGC Regulation Set M-A.

A little bit of history

Online Competitions are usually a part of the casual gameplay, but they have been featured in the official circuit for some years now. They are one of the few tournaments in which all world regions play together, and it generally grants National invites in TPC & PKI regions and Championship Points in TPCi regions.

The most recent Global Challenge was the 2025 Global Challenge IV, played in April 2025 in Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet with the VGC Regulation Set G. First place was earned by 3-time Global & Grand Challenge Champion Joji Kaieda, who earned a rating of 1840 and 170 Championship Points. Joji beat fellow Japanese player Ne, who earned a rating of 1829 and an invite to the JCS Main Tournament.

AmericanĀ James Evans, theĀ 2018 Senior Division World Champion, defeated BrazilianĀ Gabriel AgatiĀ in the NAIC finals.

Sign-up instructions

Sign-ups for the event are done through your own PokĆ©mon ChampionsĀ game. To register, enter Battle → Online competitions.

Sign-ups are open from 24 April at 02:00 UTCĀ until 4 May at 01:59 UTC, when the tournament finishes.

You will need to register and lock a team at the time of registration; however, if you want to make any changes, you can cancel the registration and lock a new team again up until the time the tournament starts, on 1 May at 02:00 UTC. If you register after this time, you will not be able to cancel registration.

Victory Road