The Pokémon Company has announced a new venue for the North American International Championship from 2027, after three consecutive years in New Orleans.
During the 2026 NAIC closing ceremony over the weekend, The Pokémon Company announced the new venue from next year, with Chicago described as a “world-class city.”
Pokémon NAIC Moving to Chicago
Explaining the reasons for the change, accessibility was cited as a key push for the switch of venue, with Chris Brown, The Pokémon Company’s Director, Global Esports and Events Producer, saying Chicago “ticks all of the boxes.”
“We have 48 countries and regions represented this weekend [in New Orleans], for example. So having that accessibility is vital now for a show of this scale,” Brown said, per IGN.
The NAIC has been growing year-on-year, with attendance reported to be up more than 150%, and every type of badge for the weekend in New Orleans, including all spectator passes, sold out.
While the length of NAIC’s stint in Chicago has not been revealed, moving the event yearly, like Pokémon does for the World Championships, provides logistical issues. As such, Chicago is expected to be the home of NAIC for the next few years, at least.
The Pokémon Company’s contract in New Orleans was a three-year stint, so, at the very minimum, a similar tenure is expected in Chicago.
Following the conclusion of NAIC at the weekend, all attention has now turned towards the World Championships in August, taking place in San Francisco.
Three World Championship cards were revealed, with a new Paradise Resort, awarded to competitiors in the event, a Worlds Pikachu promo available for participants at World’s Celebration Tournaments at Play! Pokémon Stores in events from August 21 to August 30, and a stamped Rayquaza will be distributed to all attendees at Worlds and the PokémonXP event.
Are you pleased by Pokémon moving the NAIC from New Orleans to Chicago? Let us know your thoughts in the Insider Gaming Discord.
For more Pokémon, read about the new update and paid DLC coming to Pokopia, and check out the Pokémon Champions Mobile release date.
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