{"id":214788,"date":"2026-04-01T17:36:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T17:36:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/214788\/"},"modified":"2026-04-01T17:36:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T17:36:10","slug":"orlando-hosts-pokemon-regional-championships-this-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/214788\/","title":{"rendered":"Orlando hosts Pok\u00e9mon Regional Championships this weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>For many children of the \u201990s and early 2000s, Pok\u00e9mon represents a nostalgic throwback to trading cards or watching the animated show on TV.<\/p>\n<p>For a handful of players of all ages, the Pok\u00e9mon games represent a more competitive endeavor. This weekend, Orlando\u2019s Orange County Convention Center will\u00a0host the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/championships.pokemon.com\/en-us\/events\/regionals\/2026\/orlando\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Pok\u00e9mon Regional Championships<\/a>, featuring\u00a04,500 competitors from across the country and an estimated 1,500 spectators.<\/p>\n<p>Fans of the game and curious onlookers can watch battles in the Pok\u00e9mon Scarlet and Pok\u00e9mon Violet video games, the Pok\u00e9mon Trading Card Game (TCG) and Pok\u00e9mon GO. At the family-friendly event, players will compete for the title of Pok\u00e9mon Regional Championship while earning championship points and a portion of over $130,000 in prizes, scholarships and gift cards.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re celebrating 30 years of Pok\u00e9mon. We\u2019ve got kids competing who are still early on in grade school, all the way to adults still playing. You can see the lasting appeal that it\u2019s had across generations,\u201d said Nick Salazar, a spokesman for The Pok\u00e9mon Company International. \u201cThis event is geared toward our competitive players as well as spectators, loved ones and fans of the game who want to come watch these folks compete.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"The Pok\u00e9mon Regional Championships are in Orlando April 3-5 at the Orange County Convention Center with thousands of competitors. (Eric Thayer\/Courtesy of The Pok\u00e9mon Company International)\" width=\"5795\" height=\"324\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TOS-L-pokemon-championships-06.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"15005791\" \/>The Pok\u00e9mon Regional Championships are in Orlando April 3-5 at the Orange County Convention Center with thousands of competitors. (Eric Thayer\/Courtesy The Pok\u00e9mon Company International)<\/p>\n<p>Top players will have a chance to attend the Pok\u00e9mon North America International Championships in June, the final stop before the 2026 World Championships in San Francisco this August. The competitive atmosphere makes for an exciting atmosphere for spectators as well.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou hear the joy and vigor of the crowd erupt during a big play,\u201d Salazar said.<\/p>\n<p>Non-competitors can participate in side events to rack up points throughout the weekend, which can be traded for tickets and items at the prize wall. The event also features plenty of Pok\u00e9mon merchandise and vendors.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"The Pok\u00e9mon Regional Championships are in Orlando April 3-5 at the Orange County Convention Center with thousands of competitors. (Eric Thayer\/Courtesy of The Pok\u00e9mon Company International)\" width=\"6000\" height=\"324\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TOS-L-pokemon-championships-03.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"15005788\" \/>The Pok\u00e9mon Regional Championships are in Orlando April 3-5 at the Orange County Convention Center with thousands of competitors. (Eric Thayer\/Courtesy The Pok\u00e9mon Company International)<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s always some kid that\u2019s been playing all weekend to get those points, cleaning everybody up in those side events. You always see them dragging around some giant Snorlax or Pikachu plush,\u201d Salazar said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot going on this weekend for all fans of Pok\u00e9mon, regardless of what you choose to take a look at.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Those new to the world of playing Pok\u00e9mon have opportunities to learn how to play the game better.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you are interested in learning how to play TCG, you can spend time with one of our \u2018professors\u2019 to learn the first steps,\u201d Salazar said. \u201cAn expert can sit down with you to teach you the ropes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"The Pok\u00e9mon Regional Championships are in Orlando April 3-5 at the Orange County Convention Center with thousands of competitors. (Courtesy of The Pok\u00e9mon Company International)\" width=\"6000\" height=\"324\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TOS-L-pokemon-championships-07.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"15005792\" \/>The Pok\u00e9mon Regional Championships are in Orlando April 3-5 at the Orange County Convention Center with thousands of competitors. (Courtesy The Pok\u00e9mon Company International)<\/p>\n<p>Three decades into the world of Pok\u00e9mon, the game has a lasting appeal that has spanned generations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI like to see parents who pass down their decks and get their kids into playing or show them the video games,\u201d Salazar said. \u201cWe\u2019re really happy to see people are so enamored with it even 30 years later, and it just continues to get bigger.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Find me\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/pconnpie\/\" data-mrf-link=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/pconnpie\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@PConnPie on Instagram<\/a>\u00a0or send me an email:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.orlandosentinel.com\/2026\/04\/01\/pokemon-regional-championships-draws-thousands-to-orlando-this-weekend\/mailto:pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com<\/a>. Stay up to date with our latest travel, arts and events coverage by subscribing to our newsletters at\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/orlandosentinel.com\/newsletters\" data-mrf-link=\"http:\/\/orlandosentinel.com\/newsletters\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">orlandosentinel.com\/newsletters<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you go<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a02026 Pok\u00e9mon Orlando Regional Championships has doors open from noon-7 p.m. April 3, from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. (estimated) April 4 and from 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. (estimated) April 5 at 9800 International Drive in Orlando. Spectator passes are $20 each. The competition will also stream on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twitch.tv\/pokemon\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Twitch<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@PlayPokemon\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube<\/a> for those who can\u2019t make it in person. More information: <a href=\"https:\/\/championships.pokemon.com\/en-us\/events\/regionals\/2026\/orlando\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">championships.pokemon.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For many children of the \u201990s and early 2000s, Pok\u00e9mon represents a nostalgic throwback to trading cards or&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":214789,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[104,28,114,1335,139,141,140,109,76687,106],"class_list":["post-214788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-orlando","tag-entertainment","tag-florida","tag-latest-headlines","tag-orange-county","tag-orlando","tag-orlando-headlines","tag-orlando-news","tag-social","tag-social-entertainment","tag-things-to-do"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=214788"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214788\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/214789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=214788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=214788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=214788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}