After three years of intense battles and packed crowds in New Orleans, the Pokémon North America International Championships (NAIC) is packing its bags for a new home. Starting in 2027, the event will relocate to Chicago's McCormick Place Convention Center, a move driven by one simple factor: explosive growth.
The decision was announced as the 2026 championship wrapped up this weekend at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, where thousands of competitors faced off in the Pokémon Trading Card Game, Pokémon GO, Pokémon UNITE, and the newly added Pokémon Champions. But even as the event set attendance records, The Pokémon Company International revealed that the current venue simply can't keep up with demand.
Why Chicago?
Speaking in a round table interview during NAIC weekend, Director of Global Esports & Events Chris Brown explained that attendance has skyrocketed far beyond projections. "We're up 150 plus percent in terms of what our attendance is," Brown said. "The big shocking thing is we actually kind of reached our three-year goal in two years."
That surge created a space crunch. "This year, everything sold out," Brown noted. "We weren't really able to kind of grow that event. It's gonna be pretty flat here every year. Not because the demand's not there, the demand is there. We sold out a lot of our competitions in seconds. But we don't have the space."
Chicago offers a solution. Brown highlighted the city's accessibility as a major advantage, noting that competitors from 48 countries and regions attended this year's event. "Chicago was super accessible," he said. "Most places, major hubs around the world travel directly to Chicago." The larger footprint at McCormick Place will allow the event to expand both competitive play and fan-focused experiences, which have become a key part of NAIC.
Balancing Competition and Fan Fun
Beyond the tournament action, recent NAICs have featured carnival-style games, trading zones, Pokémon Center shopping, and other activities for casual attendees. Brown emphasized that finding the right balance between serious competitors and families is a growing challenge. "First and foremost, it is the International Championships," he said. But he also wants to ensure that fans who only spend a few hours at the event leave with a memorable experience. "What is there to do at our show for two, three, four hours? And you'd go home, and you had a great time, and you experienced Pokémon."
The extra space in Chicago should help the team avoid tough tradeoffs between the two audiences. For fans who love the spectacle of live events, this move echoes the kind of expansion seen in other entertainment realms—like how The Graham Norton Show has grown its international appeal by adapting to larger venues and broader audiences.
What's Next for Pokémon Competitors
The Chicago announcement wasn't the only news from the closing ceremony. The Pokémon Company International also revealed new details about PokémonXP and the 2026 Pokémon World Championships, set for San Francisco this August. Fans got a first look at partners like LEGO, Funko, Crocs, Build-A-Bear, and more that will appear at PokémonXP. The 2026 World Championships Welcome Kit, Champion's line, Paradise Resort card, and promo cards were also previewed.
For now, all eyes are on San Francisco, but the future of North America's biggest Pokémon event is clear: after three years in New Orleans, Trainers will head to Chicago in 2027. The move reflects the growing popularity of competitive Pokémon, which has seen a surge similar to the way classic American films have maintained cultural relevance by evolving with their audiences.
As Brown put it, the goal is to keep growing both the competition and the fan experience. With Chicago's world-class convention center and global connectivity, NAIC is poised to become an even bigger destination for Pokémon fans from around the world.
