VGC Competitor Information
Tournament Structure
The number of Swiss rounds will be determined by attendance, with Swiss play split between a maximum of two days. Information on the number of expected rounds can be found in the Tournament Rules and Resources.
Each round, you will be paired against another competitor to play your match. You will be able to find your table number through your RK9 Player Dashboard. Ensure you get to your table on time. Being late to a match can result in penalties.
Junior and Senior Division competitors will have one meal break per day. Exact timing for each event’s meal break will be announced on-site for each event. There is no scheduled meal break for competitors in the Masters Division.
All competitors will begin the competition on Friday, August 28 and conclude on Sunday, August 30.
The Tournament Schedule may be subject to change.
Competitors must comply with the Tournament Rules.
What to Bring
When you show up at a 2026 Pokémon VGC World Championships tournament, there are some things you must have with you:
- Pokémon Champions downloaded on a Nintendo Switch system with the latest game updates installed, and an active account in good standing.
- A fully charged Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, Nintendo Switch-OLED Model, or Nintendo Switch 2 system with a working USB-C port, the latest system updates installed, and wired internet settings set to automatic.
- A team of tournament-legal Pokémon for the current format at the time of the event (see the Tournament Rules and check back regularly before the event for updates).
Competitors are strongly encouraged to bring a charger for their systems. It is the competitor’s responsibility that their console remains operational throughout the tournament.
Competitors may also bring a wired USB-A compatible controller and a wired USB-A or 3.5mm audio headset.
Proof of age may be requested, and failure to provide proof of age may result in the competitor being denied participation in the tournament (at the organizer’s discretion).
Team List Submission
Team lists will be submitted online via RK9.gg. All team lists must be submitted by 6:00 a.m. PDT on the first day of the event for each age division. You can resubmit your team list as many times as you want prior to the submission deadline; however, you must play the final team you submit.
Any lists not submitted on time may result in a loss for Round 1.
For information on how to submit your list for the event, see RK9’s support article for Pokémon video game team lists.
Connecting to a Battle
At the beginning of the tournament, you will be seated for the competitor meeting or Round 1 pairings, depending upon the event.
After connecting to your opponent and both players are in the Private Battle lobby in-game, you and your opponent will exchange official “opponent view” team sheets.
Be sure to keep a close eye on your sheet, as you must show it to your opponent during each tournament round. You should check that the information on your team sheet is correct. If there are any errors, contact a Judge immediately to assist you.
Each round, you will connect your Nintendo Switch system to a dock at the table number you are assigned to.
System set-up prior to Battles:
- Your system should be set to airplane mode when playing tournament matches.
- Please change the "Display Battle Names" to OFF (Select Submenu, navigate to "Battle", and turn “Display Battle Names” off).
- Please turn off all system friend notifications.
- Please make sure your system’s Date and Time settings are set to Synchronize Clock via Internet.
Battles will be held via "Private Battle" in the Battle Menu:
1. Competitor 1 will form the Room via "Private Battle" in the Battle Menu and share the Room ID with Competitor 2 so that they can join.
2. Competitors must select "Double Battle" and the correct ruleset and regulation for their match.
3. Once in the Private Battle Room, both competitors should select a side and select “Battle”.
4. Each competitor should confirm that they are connected to the correct opponent prior to beginning their match.
5. After completing their match, competitors must keep their Nintendo Switch systems docked until they’ve disbanded their group or exited the Private Battle Room.
