The Pokémon Company International announced that the Pokémon North America International Championships will relocate from New Orleans to Chicago's McCormick Place Convention Center starting in 2027, citing overwhelming attendance growth that has outpaced the current venue's capacity. The move follows a three-year successful run in New Orleans and is designed to allow significant expansion of both competitive tournaments and fan experiences.
For three years, New Orleans has served as the home of the Pokémon North America International Championships . It has hosted thousands of competitors, welcomed Pokémon fans from around the world, and become one of the biggest stops on the road to the Pokémon World Championships.
This weekend's event was no different, with competitors battling across the Pokémon Trading Card Game, Pokémon GO, Pokémon UNITE, and Pokémon Champions while fans packed the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. As the 2026 championship came to a close, however, The Pokémon Company International revealed that the event is preparing for a major move.
Beginning in 2027, the Pokémon North America International Championships will relocate to Chicago's McCormick Place Convention Center, ending a successful three-year run in New Orleans and opening the door for even more growth. The move is driven by the need to accommodate explosive attendance growth. According to Director of Global Esports & Events Chris Brown, participation has increased by over 150 percent, with the event reaching its three-year attendance targets in just two years.
This surge in popularity has saturated the current venue in New Orleans, making expansion impossible; everything sold out quickly, including competitions that filled in seconds, but there is no more physical space to add more players or fans. Chicago offers a larger footprint and better global accessibility, with direct flights from major hubs worldwide, which was a key factor in the decision.
The additional space will allow the organizers to simultaneously grow both the competitive tournament and the fan experience, which has become a crucial part of the event. Recent NAIC events have included carnival games, trading and collecting zones, shopping at the Pokémon Center, and other activities for casual attendees and families. Balancing these two audiences-serious competitors and those who attend for just a few hours-has been challenging in the constrained New Orleans setup.
In Chicago, the company can expand programming for both without forcing tradeoffs. During the closing ceremony, The Pokémon Company International also previewed PokémonXP and the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco. Attendees saw a lineup of partners for PokémonXP, including LEGO, Funko, Crocs, Build-A-Bear, Santa Cruz, Stern Pinball, Jazwares, Bandai Spirits, and Sideshow. They also previewed the 2026 World Championships Welcome Kit, Champion's line, Paradise Resort card, World Championships promo cards, and the PokémonXP promo card.
While focus will soon shift to San Francisco, the 2027 North America International Championships will take place in Chicago, marking a new era for the event as it continues to scale alongside the global competitive Pokémon community
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