Players at the World Championships will be competing for the title of Pokémon TCG World Champion, as well as great prizes. Players in all age divisions will begin play on Friday, August 11, and conclude on Sunday, August 13. Players must be in good standing with the Play! Pokémon program to participate and must have an active Play! Pokémon account with current and accurate information.
Players must comply with the Tournament Rules. This competition will use the Standard format.
Pokémon TCG players qualify for this event by participating in competitions in the 2023 Championship Series season. Players earn invitations to this prestigious event by performing at an exceptional level during the Championship Series season.
Top Pokémon TCG players from different rating zones receive invitations based on their Championship Points standing at the end of the season. Invitations will be divided into two tiers. Players who reach a certain Championship Points (CP) total receive an invitation to play on Day One on Friday. Invitations will be distributed based on the number of CP earned as follows:
| Rating Zone | Junior | Senior | Master |
| US and Canada | 200 | 250 | 350 |
| Europe | 200 | 200 | 250 |
| Latin America | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| Oceania | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| Middle East & South Africa | 130 | 130 | 200 |
Championship Point requirements subject to change.
The best players in each zone will earn an invitation that allows them to advance directly to Day Two without playing in Friday’s rounds. These invitations will also include Travel Awards. Day Two invitations are divided by rating zone as follows:
Players in Japan, South Korea, and Asia-Pacific will be awarded both Friday invitations and Day Two invitations as determined by each region's organized play system.
Players in the Russia rating zone are not eligible for Day Two invitations.
Players in South Africa are not eligible for Travel Awards.
Players with invitations earned at the 2022 World Championships will play on Friday unless they qualify for Day Two based on Championship Points for the current season.
The Pokémon TCG World Championships is run in three phases over three days. The number of Swiss rounds will depend on total attendance at the event. Matches in Swiss will use the best-of-three game format with a 50-minute timer. Matches in the single-elimination top cut will use best-of-three game format with a 75-minute timer. The Standard format will be used throughout the entire World Championships.
Friday: A mandatory player meeting for all age divisions with a Day One invitation will start at the conclusion of the opening ceremonies, at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Friday, August 11, in the Pokémon TCG play area.
Players with a Day One invitation who do not attend the player meeting may be dropped from the main tournament. However, they will still be permitted entry into the event space as well as the opportunity to receive their badges, lanyard, and welcome kit for the remainder of the competition.
Players who reach the required number of match points during the Swiss rounds will advance to Day Two on Saturday. Day Two will feature about half as many players as Day One, combining the top players from Day One with the players who received Day Two invitations.
| Rounds | Required Match Points |
| 4 | 6 |
| 5 | 9 |
| 6 | 12 |
| 7 | 15 |
| 8 | 18 |
| 9 | 21 |
There is no planned lunch break for Masters Division players.
Saturday: All players, including those who earned Day Two invitations and those who advanced from Friday, will play in a new set of Swiss rounds to be completed on Saturday. This will be treated as a new tournament: match records from Friday will not carry forward, and players are not required to use the same deck they played on Friday.
There is a mandatory player meeting on Saturday, August 12, at 8:45 a.m. for all players who advance to Day Two, as well as all players who earned a Day Two invitation. Any new deck lists must be submitted by then. Players who don't attend this meeting will be dropped from the event. The number of Swiss rounds to be played will be announced before play starts on Saturday. The Top 8 players after these rounds will move on to a single-elimination top cut, with Top 8 and Top 4 matches happening the same day.
There is no planned lunch break for any age division.
Sunday: Final rounds will be played on Sunday, August 13, for all age divisions.
Event structure subject to change.
When you show up at a Pokémon TCG tournament, there are some things you must have with you:
Card sleeves are strongly encouraged. Optional items include a playmat and a notepad for taking notes during the event.
Proof of age may be requested, and failure to provide proof of age may result in the player being denied participation in the tournament (at the organizer's discretion).
Players who have qualified for the Pokémon TCG World Championships will be contacted directly by an administrator of the Play! Pokémon program. Players must be in good standing with the Play! Pokémon program and have an active Play! Pokémon account with current and accurate information.
All Pokémon TCG competitors with Day One invitations must submit their deck list online with the RK9 Labs Deck List Creator by 8 p.m. on Thursday, August 10. All players are permitted to use English and Japanese cards, plus all languages that are legal in their home rating zone.
Deck lists for players competing on Day Two must be submitted online with the RK9 Labs Deck List Creator by 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 12. Players who advance from Day One to Day Two may submit a new deck list through RK9. Any new deck lists must be submitted by 7:30 a.m. For information on how to submit your list for the event, see RK9's support article for Pokémon TCG deck lists.
Your birth date is required to make sure you play in the correct age division for the event you are attempting to register for. Without the ability to confirm your birth date, you cannot register online for any event.
Day One players must check in at the PACIFICO Yokohama Annex Hall on Thursday, August 10, between 5 and 8 p.m. JST.
If, due to unforeseen circumstances such as flight delays or missed connections, a player becomes unable to check in on Thursday, they should report to the check-in desk as early as possible on Friday (during the check-in hours, beginning at 8 a.m.) and notify a staff member. There is no guarantee of entry for players who check in late, and should the late entry be allowed by tournament officials, it may include a penalty of a first-round loss. All Day One players are required to be checked in and seated for their age division's player meeting on Friday morning. Players who earned a Day Two invitation may check in anytime Thursday evening or Friday until 3 p.m.
Pokémon TCG, video game, Pokémon GO, and Pokémon UNITE competitors from around the world are competing for the title of World Champion—as well as more than $1,000,000 in prizes—at the 2023 Pokémon World Championships.
The format of the prize is dependent on the age of the recipient.
18 years of age and older
Under 18 years of age
| Placement | Award Value |
| 1st place | $25,000 |
| 2nd place | $15,000 |
| 3rd–4th place | $7,500 |
| 5th–8th place | $5,000 |
| 9th–16th place | $2,500 |
| 17th–32nd place | $1,500 |
Additionally, the Top 32 Pokémon TCG players will receive 72 Pokémon TCG booster packs, regardless of attendance. All participants will earn 5 Play! Points. Prizes and products are subject to change and substitutions may be made due to unforeseen inventory shortages.
| Placement | Prizes |
| 1st place |
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| 2nd place |
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| 3rd place |
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| 4th place |
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| 5th-8th place |
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| 9th-16th place |
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| 17th-32nd place |
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