For 2026, all players will be required to play using devices provided by the tournament management, and smartphone users will be provided with devices of sufficient specs to ensure optimal play. Detailed information about the devices that will be provided will be released 75 days prior to 2026 WCS. More info will be released in the following months.
Additionally, some changes have been made to the 2026 UNITE Championships Series season. These changes include updates to the competitive structure of the Regional and International Championships, adjustments to the World Championship qualification methods, updates to in-person event processes and roster locking periods. These changes can be found in the updated UCS handbook (which can be found here).
The full statements read as follows:
Review of Tournament Operations Policies for Pokémon UNITE in 2026 said:Thank you for your continued support and enjoyment of Pokémon UNITE.
Following the 2025 Pokémon World Championships held in Anaheim from August 15-17, we received a wide range of feedback regarding tournament operations. The Pokémon Group sincerely acknowledges the concerns raised, particularly those stemming from the changes to smartphone device usage policies.
We sincerely acknowledge that these changes did not meet the expectations of the players who had been preparing diligently for the event, and we are currently reviewing our tournament operations policies.
Looking ahead to our 2026 Pokémon World Championships for Pokémon UNITE, we are making the following changes:
We are working on updating our operations for our other live events as well and will release details for each event separately when they are available.
- All participants will compete using devices provided by the tournament organizers.
- For players competing on smartphones, tournament organizers will supply devices with sufficient hardware specifications to support optimal gameplay.
- Device information will be confirmed at least 75 days before the 2026 Pokémon World Championships.
We remain dedicated to fostering the growth of the competitive scene and creating an environment where players can perform at their highest level, while ensuring that fans and viewers around the world can continue to enjoy Pokémon UNITE tournaments.
We hope you look forward to the future of Pokémon UNITE competitions.
2026 SEASON CHANGES said:
- Competitive structures updated. Regional Leagues, League Open Qualifiers and Last Chance Qualifiers introduced. (Section 3.2)
3.2 Competitive Structures
The Pokémon UCS contains the following primary competitions, which are subject to change at any time. Some tournaments may feature multiple formats as designated phases of the same event or league.
3.2.1 Regional Leagues
Regional Leagues are comprised of invited or qualifying teams per league who play against one another regularly throughout the competitive season for a chance to qualify for the Pokémon World Championships (WCS).
Regional Leagues in the Pokémon UCS include the following:
- Regular Season: DRR tournament spanning the year’s competitive season. The top five placing teams advance to the Playoffs and qualify to compete in the next year’s Regional League.
- Playoffs: Single-elimination best-of-five matches. The top two teams earn an invitation to that year’s WCS event, with the higher-placing team earning a higher seed.
- Regional Finals: Last match of the Playoffs bracket.
3.2.2 League Open Qualifier (LOQ)
- UCS Europe (UCS EU)
- UCS Latin America (UCS LA)
- UCS North America (UCS NA)
League Open Qualifiers are online tournaments held prior to Regional Leagues, offering a chance for teams to qualify for their corresponding Regional League. LOQs are open to all eligible teams and do not require qualification or invitation.
League Open Qualifiers have two phases:
3.2.2.1 2026 Championship Season LOQ Qualifications
- Open Qualifier: DE bracket that will progress until eight teams remain. Maximum number of teams per Regional Zone (BR, EU, LA-N, LA-S, and NA) is 256.
- Finals: The top eight teams from the Open Qualifier compete in a continued DE bracket until only one teamremains.
For the Regional Leagues held in the 2026 Championship Season, the following will apply to the LOQ final placements to determine qualification for the respective Regional Leagues:
Event Administration reserves the right to change the number of qualified teams for any Regional League at any time.
- UCS EU: The top three teams from the LOQ will automatically qualify for the UCS EU Regional League.
- UCS LA: The top team from each of the BR, LA-N, and LA-S Regional Zones in the LOQ will automatically qualify for the UCS LA Regional League.
- UCS NA: The top three teams from the LOQ will automatically qualify for the UCS NA Regional League.
3.2.3 Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ)
Last Chance Qualifiers (LCQ) are the last online tournament opportunities for teams to qualify for the competitive season’s World Championships (WCS). An invitation to WCS will be awarded to top teams of each LCQ (see section 3.2.5.1 for more information). Teams who have already qualified for that season’s WCS are not allowed to compete in LCQ events.
Matches will be best-of-three, except for the Winner’s Finals, Loser’s Finals, and Grand Finals, which are best-of-five.
There is an LCQ tournament for each of the following Regional Zones:
Last Chance Qualifiers have two phases:
- BR
- EU
- LA-N
- LA-S
- NA
- OC
3.2.4 International Championships (IC)
- Open Qualifier: DE bracket that will progress until four teams remain. Maximum number of teams by Regional Zone: 256 (BR, EU, LA-N, LA-S, and NA) and 64 (OC).
- Finals: The top four teams from the Open Qualifier will compete in a DE bracket until only one team remains. All matches in the finals phase will be best-of-five.
At International Championships, teams compete for cash prizes, as well as qualification for future events in the competitive season.
Matches will be best-of-three, except for the semifinals and finals, which are best-of-five.
International Championships have three phases:
International Championships have the following registration caps:
- Open Qualifier: Teams will be placed in groups. Each group will play until teams are clearly ranked. The top teams from each group will advance to the bracket stage.
- Bracket Stage: The top teams from the Open Qualifier will be placed in a single-elimination bracket until two teams remain. Semifinals matches will be best-of-five.
- Finals: The top two teams from the bracket stage will compete in a best-of-five finals match to determine the champion.
Invited teams: TPCi may, at its discretion, invite teams to play at International Championships from other Regional Zones. The invited teams will count toward the total maximum teams for the event.
- Latin America International Championship (LAIC): 32 teams maximum
- Europe International Championship (EUIC) – Aeos Cup: 32 teams maximum
- North America International Championship (NAIC) – Final Stretch: 32 teams maximum
3.2.4.1 Qualifications
The winning team of each International Championship will earn qualification for future events in the competitive season, shown below.
3.2.5 Pokémon World Championships (WCS)
Name of Event Qualification Earned LAIC Invitational Event (To Be Announced) EUIC – Aeos Cup Pokémon World Championships (WCS) NAIC – Final Stretch Pokémon World Championships (WCS)
The Pokémon World Championships feature the competitive season’s best of the best! Teams require an invitation earned throughout the competitive season to compete.
There are three phases to the Pokémon World Championships:
3.2.5.1 Qualification Methods
- Group Stage: Teams will compete in SRR best-of-three matches against other teams within their assigned groups. The top teams from each group will advance to the bracket stage.
- Bracket Stage: Teams will be placed in a single-elimination bracket and seeded based on their ranking in the group stage. All matches will be best-of-three, except for the semifinals, which will be best-of-five. The winning team of each semifinals match will qualify for the finals.
- Finals: The two qualifying teams will compete in a best-of-five match. The winning team will be considered the competitive season’s Pokémon UNITE World Champions!
Teams shall qualify for the Pokémon WCS from the Regional Zone in which they compete. Teams may qualify under the following circumstances: (Includes Travel Awards)
Name of Event – # of Teams Qualification UCS EU Regional League – 2 Teams 1st place Regional Finals team
2nd place Regional Finals teamUCS LA Regional League – 2 Teams 1st place Regional Finals team
2nd place Regional Finals teamUCS NA Regional League – 2 Teams 1st place Regional Finals team
2nd place Regional Finals teamLCQ (BR) – 2 Teams 1st place LCQ team
2nd place LCQ teamLCQ (EU) – 1 Team 1st place LCQ team LCQ (LA-N) – 2 Teams 1st place LCQ team
2nd place LCQ teamLCQ (LA-S) – 1 Team 1st place LCQ team LCQ (NA) – 1 Team 1st place LCQ team LCQ (OC) – 1 Team 1st place LCQ team Aeos Cup (EUIC) – 1 Team 1st place Aeos Cup team Final Stretch (NAIC) – 1 Team 1st place Final Stretch team Asia Pacific – East (AP-E), Asia Pacific – West (APW), India (IN), Japan (JP), Korea (KR) Will be announced separately
“Qualified teams” are teams that earn an invitation to WCS through the qualification methods shown in the table above. Qualified teams are subject to change.- World Championships qualification methods adjusted. All qualified teams will receive Travel Awards. (Section 3.2.5.1)
3.2.5.1 Qualification Methods
Teams shall qualify for the Pokémon WCS from the Regional Zone in which they compete. Teams may qualify under the following circumstances: (Includes Travel Awards)
Name of Event – # of Teams Qualification UCS EU Regional League – 2 Teams 1st place Regional Finals team
2nd place Regional Finals teamUCS LA Regional League – 2 Teams 1st place Regional Finals team
2nd place Regional Finals teamUCS NA Regional League – 2 Teams 1st place Regional Finals team
2nd place Regional Finals teamLCQ (BR) – 2 Teams 1st place LCQ team
2nd place LCQ teamLCQ (EU) – 1 Team 1st place LCQ team LCQ (LA-N) – 2 Teams 1st place LCQ team
2nd place LCQ teamLCQ (LA-S) – 1 Team 1st place LCQ team LCQ (NA) – 1 Team 1st place LCQ team LCQ (OC) – 1 Team 1st place LCQ team Aeos Cup (EUIC) – 1 Team 1st place Aeos Cup team Final Stretch (NAIC) – 1 Team 1st place Final Stretch team Asia Pacific – East (AP-E), Asia Pacific – West (APW), India (IN), Japan (JP), Korea (KR) Will be announced separately
“Qualified teams” are teams that earn an invitation to WCS through the qualification methods shown in the table above. Qualified teams are subject to change.- Updates to in-person event processes, including rules regarding competitor-provided and administration-provided equipment. (Section 4.5)
4.5 In-Person Event Processes
4.5.1 Match Area
The match area is the area immediately surrounding any tables set up for tournament match play. During match play, only the active roster of a team is permitted in the match area. Others may be permitted in the match area only with express permission from Event Administration. Failure to adhere to this policy may result in penalties, at the discretion of Event Administration.
4.5.1.1 Wireless Devices
Personal wireless devices (except those being used for official matches), including mobile phones, tablets, and watches, are not allowed in the match area before, during, or after active play, including between games of multigame matches and game remakes, in a manner where such devices are accessible to competitors.
Wireless devices may be kept in a competitor’s personal bag. Event Administration will inform competitors where they may store their bags during official competition play.
4.5.2 Competitor Practice Area
Some events may have a Competitor Practice Area (CPA). The CPA will contain designated areas for each team to practice before their official matches begin. The CPA is reserved for active competitors. Event Administration will inform competitors which events will have a CPA available ahead of registration for those events.
4.5.3 Setup Time
Event Administration will inform teams of their scheduled setup time and duration as part of their match schedule. Event Administration may change the schedule at any time. Setup time is considered to have begun once competitors enter the match area, at which point they are not allowed to leave without permission from the on-site Event Administration or staff. Setup is comprised of the following:
Event Administration will be available to assist with the setup process and troubleshoot any problems encountered during the pre-match setup period. If an issue occurs, competitors must alert and notify staff immediately. Event Administration is not responsible for any failure of competitor-provided equipment.
- Ensuring the quality of all equipment provided for competitive play
- Connecting and calibrating peripherals
- Ensuring proper function of voice chat systems
- Configuring in-game custom Pokémon move or held item selections
- Adjusting in-game settings
Prior to the start of a match, each competitor must confirm with staff that their setup is complete. Once all 10competitors in a match have confirmed setup is complete, competitors may not leave the match area or enter a Competitor Practice Area (CPA) without permission from Event Administration.
4.5.4 Seating Order
Competitors may be asked to provide Event Administration with their team’s preferred seating order prior to the tournament. Changes to this seating order must be requested and will be accommodated at Event Administration’s discretion. Competitors must sit in the order specified by the staff on-site.
4.5.5 Game Lobby Creation
Event Administration will decide how the official game lobby will be created. Competitors will be directed to join agame lobby.
4.5.6 Competitor-Provided Equipment Requirements
Event Administration reserves the right to restrict usage of devices for all competition-related activities for any reason at any time. Competitors are permitted to use personal devices in the CPA but not in match areas. Competitors may be allowed to use personal devices for official matches only with express permission from Event Administration.
- Equipment Approval: All competitor-provided equipment must be submitted to Event Administration in advance for approval. Unapproved equipment, or equipment that is suspected by Event Administration to provide an unfair competitive advantage, will not be permitted. If a competitor’s equipment is not approved, the competitor will be required to use Event Administration–provided equipment instead.
- Cleanliness: All equipment must be disinfected before being brought into the match area and kept clean at all times.
- Safety: Event Administration may disallow the use of any individual piece of equipment for reasons relating to tournament security, safety, or operational efficiency or effectiveness.
- Intellectual Property: No competitor-provided hardware may be brought into the match area if it features or displays any name, likeness, or logo of a company or brand that is not approved by TPCi and Event Administration.
4.5.6.1 Competitor-Provided Controllers
Competitors are allowed to bring the following officially licensed Nintendo controllers into a match and use such equipment during official in-person matches:
4.5.7 Administration-Provided Equipment Restrictions
- Pro Controller
- Pro Controller – Nintendo Switch 2
- Joy-Con controllers
- Joy-Con 2 controllers
- Joy-Con straps
- Joy-Con 2 straps
- Joy-Con grip
- Joy-Con 2 grip
No competitor, under any circumstances, shall plug in, adapt, modify, download content to, install content on, physically alter, or otherwise use the equipment provided by Event Administration for any activity other than competitive tournament play. The equipment provided shall not be tampered with in any way, and any attempt todo so will result in the team’s disqualification. Any issues with the equipment provided must be reported immediately to staff. Competitors shall not attempt to troubleshoot any issues with the equipment provided.
4.5.7.1 Administration-Provided Equipment
Event Administration may provide the following types of equipment for in-person tournament matches:
Event Administration may require that competitors use administration-provided tournament devices. If so, competitors will be provided with their choice of either a Nintendo Switch 2 system or a mobile device to use for both tournament practice and official matches.
- Nintendo Switch 2 docks
- Monitors
- Mobile devices
- Headsets, earbuds, or microphones
- Tables and chairs
4.5.8 Audio Controls
Competitors will be required to maintain minimum “white noise” levels in their headsets. Event Administration may bar competitors from lowering their “white noise” levels if the officials determine that external noise sources would be too easily discernible. Headphones must be placed directly on a competitor’s ears and remain there for the duration of all games.
The microphone attached to the headset must be close to the competitor’s mouth and may be adjusted by Event Administration if it is determined to be out of position. Competitors are not permitted to obstruct the placement of headphones by any method or place any items, including hats, scarves, or other articles of clothing, between the headphones and the competitor’s ears.
4.5.9 Equipment Tampering
Competitors may not touch or handle another teammate’s equipment, whether owned by that teammate or provided by Event Administration, during official competitive play. Competitors who require assistance with their equipment must seek assistance from Event Administration.- Roster locking periods updated to coincide with new competitive structures. (Section 5.2)
5.2 Roster Locking
After registration closes for an event, roster locking will be in effect. While roster locking is in effect, roster changes will not be permitted without explicit approval from Event Administration.
A team that qualifies through any stage of a tournament will be required to maintain that same team roster unless changes are approved by Event Administration. If a team fails to qualify for the next phase of a tournament, roster locking will no longer be in effect for that team.
Roster locking will be in effect for teams that qualify for the following events:
Roster locking will also be in effect for teams that earn Travel Awards.
- Regional Leagues
- WCS (regardless of qualification method at any point during the competitive season)
- Invitational events (to be announced)
Event Administration reserves the right to make changes to roster locking at any time.
5.2.1 Emergency Roster Changes
Requests to modify a team roster due to extenuating circumstances will be approved only in the event a member of the roster is unable to compete. All emergency roster changes, regardless of circumstances, must be approved by Event Administration. Even if approved, some emergency roster changes may be subject to additional penalties.
Acceptable reasons for roster changes may include (but are not limited to) the following:
Requests to change a team roster must be submitted to Event Administration as soon as any of the above situations are identified. Failure to do so risks forfeiture of that team’s next game or match or disqualification from the tournament.
- A competitor on the roster falls ill and is unable to play in a tournament at any point in time
- A competitor on the roster is unable to travel to the event (that competitor may be subject to penalties)
- A competitor on the roster experiences extenuating circumstances reviewed and deemed acceptable by Event Administration
- Other situations due to which Event Administration deems it necessary to allow a roster change
5.2.2 Alternates
A roster’s alternate is defined as the sixth competitor on a team, who can be activated to substitute for an active roster member before a match is played during a tournament in progress. Alternates can be activated and added to a team’s active roster at any stage during a tournament.
After the conclusion of a match for which an alternate was activated, the team’s starting roster will become the active roster once again, and the alternate will be removed from the active roster.
With review and approval from Event Administration, a team may be permitted to activate their alternate as a starter.
5.2.2.1 Alternate Minimum Requirements
Minimum requirements for eligible alternates may change between events and will be announced by Event Administration in such circumstances. These requirements may include the following:
A qualified team may be disqualified from an event if their alternate does not meet these requirements.
- The competitor has not participated on another active roster during the current Pokémon UCS competitive season
- The competitor is not currently part of another qualified team for the event
- The competitor is not on another team in general
- The competitor resides in the same Regional Zone as their team members
- The competitor’s accounts required to compete are in good standing
- The competitor can travel and attend the event
5.2.2.2 Alternates for In-Person Events
When attending an in-person event, teams will be required to select an alternate for their roster if they do not already have one registered. Failure to do so risks forfeiture of a qualified team’s eligibility to compete.
- Sources
『Pokémon UNITE（ポケモンユナイト）』2026年に向けた大会運営方針見直しについて | 『Pokémon UNITE』公式サイト
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Get the Latest Information on the 2026 Pokémon Championship Series
Details on Pokémon UNITE Regional Leagues, new hardware requirements for live events, and more are now available on the Championship Series website.www.pokemon.com
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