Pokémon Company International concluded this year’s North American International Championship (NAIC) with a presentation that showed off the promos for the upcoming 2026 World Championship and a look at what’s next for the NAIC in 2027.
NAIC Moves to Chicago
After a three-year residency in New Orleans, LA, The Pokémon Company International revealed that next year’s NAIC will be held in Chicago, IL.
In a recent interview, Director, Global Esports and Events Producer at The Pokemon Company, Chris Brown, shared that their 3-year contract with the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans had come to an end, and while the world-class event center could easily accommodate the growth of their event, the space is constantly in high-demand from other event organizers, which made booking larger spaces at the same time difficult.
“Chicago, for us, lets us grow the space. We want to grow the competition, we want to grow our fan programming.”
The date for next year’s North American International Championship is currently unknown at this time.
World Championship 2026 Promos
The closing ceremony announcement also provided fans with a look at promo cards and other goodies for the upcoming World Championship.
Competitors in this year’s World Championship will take home a copy of this Paradise Resort promo Trainer card, illustrated by Naoki Saito, as well as a Welcome Kit, which includes a deck box, card sleeves, playmat, and more.
Those not attending the World Championship can head to their local game store’s Worlds Celebration event and snag a copy of this Worlds Pikachu promo, illustrated by DOM.
Read the original article from The Pokemon Company.
