Thousands of Pokémon Fans from Across the Country Heading to Columbus for 2016 Pokémon U.S. National Championships!

Pokémon players, supporters and fans from across the U.S. will descend upon Columbus for the 2016 Pokémon National Championships the weekend of July 1st – 3rd. The Greater Columbus Convention Center is hosting the family-friendly event where Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) and video game players of all ages and skill levels in good standing are encouraged to participate. Top players from the weekend will earn an invitation to the 2016 Pokémon World Championships being held this August in San Francisco, CA. The largest Pokémon tournament of the year, thousands will attend the action-packed Pokémon U.S. National Championships which features a variety of additional activities including non-competitive play, appearances from costumed characters, and more. The 2016 Pokémon U.S. National Championships also marks the first time Pokkén Tournament will be played alongside Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire in the video game competition.

Players interested in competing must pre-register online and check-in by the designated time for each age division, as well as meet the minimum eligibility requirements. For full details on the TCG and video game events, participation requirements, and to register, visit http://www.pokemon.com/us/play-pokemon/nationals-2016/. For additional details and to register for the Pokkén Tournament event, visit http://www.pokkentournament.com/en-us/championship-series/.