2026 North America International Championships Pokémon VGC Roundtable

n addition to the New Orleans sun and spicy cuisine, Pokémon VGC battles at the 2026 North America International Championships are also sure to bring the heat. Mega Evolution is back, a new format is reaching its apex, and the last Championship Points are on the line ahead of Worlds. We hope it’ll be a scorcher of an event. To get you warmed up for the action-packed weekend, we’ve gathered our expert panel to discuss the competition. Aaron Traylor, Joseph Ugarte, and Lou Akcoş-Cromie join Pokemon.com’s Chris Shepperd to prepare fans for what to watch for when the matches start Friday, June 12. This conversation was recorded just before the Turin Special Championships. Keep in mind that because this is a conversation, the tone is more casual than our usual articles. Remember that you can watch wall-to-wall NAIC action from June 12 to 14, 2026, on Twitch.tv/Pokemon and YouTube.com/@PlayPokemon, featuring top-level matches with expert commentary. Visit Pokemon.com/Broadcasts for more details.