Global music sensation Ed Sheeran made a surprise appearance at the 2026 Pokémon World Championships, delivering an acoustic set during the event's closing ceremony. The performance took place on Championship Sunday at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
Sheeran opened his set with "Celestial," a track featured in the end credits of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, released in 2022. He followed this with a stripped-down acoustic rendition of the original Pokémon anime's theme song, captivating the audience. This marks a continued relationship between Sheeran and The Pokémon Company, as "Celestial" was accompanied by a music video showcasing the artist interacting with various Pokémon, including Pikachu, upon its initial announcement.
In addition to the musical performance, The Pokémon Company International, in collaboration with Aardman, unveiled the first teaser trailer for "Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd & Pichu." This new stop-motion series is slated for release on Disney+ next year. The trailer description promises a tale of unlikely heroes, Sirfetch'd and Pichu, embarking on a quest to protect Pokémon across the Galar region, navigating challenges, forming friendships, and encountering various Pokémon and humorous situations.