2023 World Championships

WCS23 redirects here. For Pokémon Trading Card Game set using this set code, see 2023 World Championships Yokohama Deck: Pikachu (TCG).

Logo

Artwork

The 2023 World Championships was held at Pacifico Yokohama in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan from August 11 to 13, 2023. It was the eighteenth invitation-only championships for players of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the thirteenth for players of the Pokémon video games and the second for players of Pokémon GO and Pokémon UNITE. This was the third time the World Championships was held outside of the U.S. and the first time the event was held in Japan.

The theme song for these Championships is "Legendary" by Kero Kero Bonito.

Trading Card Game Championships

The 2023-24 Standard format was used for the Pokémon TCG Championships, allowing all cards with regulation mark E or later. Players received invitations from gaining enough Championship Points throughout the year or from the previous World Championships. The top cut for some rating zones were able to go straight to Day Two: the Top 2 of the Middle East and South Africa, Top 4 of Oceania, Top 12 of Latin America, Top 16 of US and Canada, and Top 22 of Europe.

Day One was composed of Swiss rounds, with players earning enough match points moving on to Day Two. Players competed in a new set of Swiss rounds on Day Two until a Top 8 was determined. The Top 8 then had a single elimination bracket, with the finals taking place on Day Three. All games were best of three.

Junior Division

Rikuto Ohashi was the defending champion.

Shao Tong Yen became the new champion with a record of 6/1/1.

Quarterfinals			Semifinals			Championship match

	Hayashi Y.	2
	Haruku U.	1
				Hayashi Y.	0
				Shao Tong Yen	2
	Kazusa Y.	1
	Shao Tong Yen	2
							Shao Tong Yen	2
							Gabriel Borges Torres	0
	Gabriel Borges Torres	2
	Kingsley C.	1
				Gabriel Borges Torres	2
				Hatsuto K.	0
	Junwon C.	0
	Hatsuto K.	2

Senior Division

Liam Halliburton was the defending champion.

Gabriel Fernandez finished with a record of 6/1/1 to become the new World Champion.

Quarterfinals			Semifinals			Championship match

	Akinori A.	1
	Sydney De Bruijn	2
				Sydney De Bruijn	2
				Yuya	0
	Polaris A.	1
	Yuya T.	2
							Sydney De Bruijn	0
							Gabriel Fernandez	2
	Lucas J.	0
	Sechan O.	2
				Sechan O.	0
				Gabriel Fernandez	2
	Gabriel Fernandez	2
	Rune H.	0

Master Division

Ondřej Škubal was the defending champion and didn't make it to Day Two.

Vance Kelley defeated Tord Reklev in sudden death to become World Champion with a 9/0/2 record.

Quarterfinals			Semifinals			Championship match

	Vance Kelley	2
	Pang Hai King	0
				Vance Kelley	2
				Azul Garcia Griego	1
	Azul Garcia Griego	2
	Dionsius Lee	1
							Vance Kelley	2
							Tord Reklev	1
	Tord Reklev	2
	Victor Manuel Garcia Montes	1
				Tord Reklev	2
				Michael Pramawat	0
	Shoichi Sato	1
	Michael Pramawat	2

Video Game Championships

Players received invitations from gaining enough Championship Points throughout the year or from the previous World Championships. The top cut for some rating zones were able to go straight to Day Two: the Top 4 of Oceania, Top 8 of US/Canada and Latin America, and Top 16 of Europe.

Day One players competed in Swiss rounds, with those ending the day with fewer than three losses and no ties moving on to Day Two. A new set of Swiss rounds was played Day Two until a top cut could be determined to play a single elimination bracket. The finals of this bracket were played on Day Three.

Matches took place in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and were all Double Battles. All Pokémon in the games (including by transfer from Pokémon HOME) were eligible except any special Pokémon, Iron Leaves, or Walking Wake. Levels for all Pokémon were adjusted to level 50 and no duplicate Pokémon or items were allowed.