The 2024-2025 Play! Pokémon season started on July 2024 and will conclude in August 2025 at the 2025 World Championships in Anaheim, California! On this page, you'll find all important information regarding this season from event types to how to qualify for the 2025 World Championships.
Age Divisions
Play! Pokémon events separate players into three age divisions based on the year they were born: Juniors (JR), Seniors (SR), and Masters (MA). The age division a player belongs to is set at the beginning of the season and does not change throughout the season.
- Juniors – Born in 2013 or later
- Seniors – Born 2009 to 2012
- Masters – Born in 2008 or earlier
This is only sometimes used in non-TPCi regions such as Southeast Asia but is used at the World Championships.
Championship Points
Play! Pokémon events award Championship Points (CP) to top-performing players at each tournament. These points allow players to earn an invitation to the World Championships depending on how many are required to qualify, as well as Travel Awards and Stipends to attend the International Championships based on the number of points earned during specific periods.
However, CP depends on the event's kicker and best finish limit.
- Best Finish Limit – The maximum amount of tournaments of the same type counted towards the final rankings each season. For example, if a BFL at Regionals is 6, only a player's 6 best finishes at Regionals are counted for CP earned.
- Kicker – The minimum number of players that need to be in attendance for players in the lower standings to earn CP. For example, if the kicker for 65-128th place players to earn points is 256, at least 256 players will need to be in attendance for those players to earn CP towards their Worlds invite.
League Challenge
Previously known as Premier Challenges, League Challenges are the lowest type of events, offering the fewest Championship Points to top-performing players. These events are great for players of all skill levels looking to battle and meet friends with other players in the area. These events are typically run out of card shops by local tournament organizers. Check the official event locator to find the closest League Challenge near you.
These events have a BFL of 4, meaning your 4 best finishes in the 2025 season will count towards your Worlds Invite. Players can earn up to 60 CP from League Challenges during the 2025 season.
League Cup
Previously known as Midseason Showdowns, League Cups are the largest local event, offering more Championship Points than League Challenges. These events are great for players of all skill levels looking to battle and meet friends with other players in the area. These events are typically run out of card shops by local tournament organizers. Check the official event locator to find the closest League Challenge near you.
These events have a BFL of 4, meaning your 4 best finishes in the 2025 season will count towards your Worlds Invite. Players can earn up to 200 CP from League Challenges during the 2025 season.
Global & Grand Challenge
Select online events called Global Challenges and Grand Challenges award Championship Points to top-performing players. These events occur in-game on Battle Stadium over a weekend, allowing players to battle others from across the globe from the comfort of their homes. While Global Challenges are open to all players including those in Japan and Korea, Grand Challenges are only open to players in TPCi regions, excluding players in the TPC and Pokémon Korea regions.
These events have a BFL of 3, meaning your 4 best finishes in the 2025 season will count towards your Worlds Invite. Players can earn up to 510 CP from League Challenges during the 2025 season.
Regional & Special Championships
Regional Championships & Special Championships share the same CP payouts although Regionals offer prize money and Special Championships do not. These events are open to players of all skill levels and take place in multiple regions, offering players a chance to earn large amounts of CP and their invite to the World Championships.
Continuing from the 2024 season, Regional and Special Champions in each age division will earn an invite to the World Championships regardless of their final placement at the end of the season. These events have a BFL of 5, but that BFL is shared with International Championships.
Prize money payouts at Regional Championships are not determined based on attendance.
International Championships
The largest type of event in terms of CP and prize money payouts, International Championships are only held a select amount of times each season. One International is held in these three rating zones: North America, Europe, and Latin America.
New to the 2025 season, Internationals semi-finalist in each age division will earn an invite to the 2025 World Championships regardless of their final placement at the end of the season. These events have a BFL of 5, but that BFL is shared with Regional & Special Championships.
Top players in each region can earn Travel Awards and Stipends based on their performance and standing in their rating zone (North America, Europe, Latin America, or Oceania).
- Players who finish 1-4 in their region will receive a Travel Award before the event and are responsible for booking their travel and hotel.
- Traveling in region – $2,000 USD for players over age 18 and $2,500 USD for players under age 18.
- Traveling out of region – $3,500 USD for players over age 18 and $5,000 USD for players under age 18.
- Players who finish 5-8 in their region will receive a $1,000 USD Travel Stipend after the event, subject to them attending and competing in at least one round of the main event.
- Players who finish 9-16 will earn Priority Registration to an upcoming International Championship.
Prize money payouts at International Championships are not determined based on attendance.
Booster Packs
Top-performing players will receive Pokémon TCG booster packs for competing at major Pokémon Regionals, Specials, and International Championships. The number of booster packs depends on a player's placements as well as the number of participants in an event.
Worlds Qualification
A system that hasn't been used since 2015, only a select amount of invites per region will be given to top-CP earners at the end of the 2025 season. In addition to these select amount of invites, Regional & Special Champions as well as top four finishers at each International Championships will also earn invites to the World Championships. Invites earned through this method will not count towards the total amount of invitations in a rating zone.
It is also mentioned that a special Championship Points Season Reward program will be revealed later for dedicated players in the Play! Pokémon program that will operate to similar to fixed CP thresholds from previous years.
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