Pokémon World Championships returning to Hawaii in 2024 for first time in a decade
The Pokémon Company donates to relief efforts in the wake of deadly wildfires on the island of Maui.
The Pokémon World Championships will return to the United States for the first time since 2019 and to Hawaii for the first time since 2012 as The Pokémon Company schedules its prestigious 2024 championships in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Promised for the event are four competitions retaining the format of this year’s Yokohama Championships: Juniors, Seniors and Masters division tournaments will be held for the Pokémon Trading Card Game, alongside the official video game, Pokémon Go and Pokémon Unite.
This will be the third time the event has been held in the state, having previously played host to the championships in Waikoloa Village in 2010 and 2012, and the first North American Championships since the event in Washington DC in 2019, following events in London and Yokohama.
The announcement came during the closing ceremony of the 2023 World Championships and in the wake of ongoing deadly wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Recognising the devastation that has recently hit the state which will soon play host to the prestigious event, the announcement came alongside news that The Pokémon Company will make a $200,000 investment to ongoing relief efforts aimed at aiding the region in its recovery.
— Play Pokémon @ #PokemonWorlds (@playpokemon) August 13, 2023
“Hawaii and Pokémon have a special connection. We are looking into actions we can take to be of assistance during these trying times,” Pokémon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara explained on stage shortly following the announcement.
The event will once again be the invite-only conclusion of the 2023-24 competitive season, open to all qualifying players who earn the necessary points to make them eligible for qualification. Exact dates and a location for the event will be announced at a later date.
