International Pokémon Championship Heading to New Orleans June 2024

The 2024 Pokémon Championship Series recently announced its North American international championship will be hosted at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The three-day premier tournament is one of three international championships held each year and is making its New Orleans debut from June 7 to 9, 2024.

“We look forward to hosting this international event for the first time ever and bringing this exciting competition to our city for gamers and fans of all ages to enjoy.” said Michael J. Sawaya, Convention Center President and CEO. “This is another win for New Orleans, and we are thrilled at the opportunity to share our vibrant culture, rich history and unique spirit of hospitality with our international visitors.”

During the event, players can connect with fans around the globe and test their Pokémon battling skills against other players in trading card games (TCG), video game championships (VGC) and Pokémon GO. New this year are major changes to the prize pool for international championships. Players can now compete for over half a million dollars across TCG, VGC and Pokémon GO.

This inaugural New Orleans event is another landmark achievement for the Convention Center which also jointly announced with New Orleans & Company this week that the North American International Toy Fair will move to New Orleans in 2026 through 2028. An annual event known to draw more than 20,000 toy enthusiasts, the Toy Fair is coming to New Orleans after being held in New York City for 118 years.