The 2026 Pokémon World Championships, scheduled to take place in San Francisco from August 28 to August 30, will feature an exclusive pop-up Pokémon Center with a wide array of new merchandise. This year’s event also coincides with Pokémon’s 30th Anniversary and the inaugural PokémonXP fan convention, promising an extensive collection of items.
Among the standout pieces is a special edition Pikachu plush created by Steiff, a company renowned for its teddy bear manufacturing. While Steiff has produced Pikachu plushies before, this particular item is noted as the first accessorized edition. Previous Steiff Pikachu renditions, made from premium natural mohair, have retailed for approximately $400 USD.
Access to certain coveted items, like the Steiff Pikachu, will be managed through a voucher system. Guests who book store reservations can opt into a selection process for a chance to purchase these fan-favorite items. Similar to last year's event, the merchandise will be divided into three distinct lines.
Themed Merchandise Collections
The Pokémon Center will release three product lines for the San Francisco event: the PokémonXP Line, the 2026 Pokémon World Championships Line, and the San Francisco Line. Each collection is designed to celebrate the dual events and the host city.
The PokémonXP Line draws inspiration from a "Out of This World" concept, featuring space-themed items. This includes a female Pikachu dressed as an astronaut and a Charizard figure equipped with goggles and a jetpack. The collection also boasts clothing items like a pastel blue bomber jacket and a baseball jersey, alongside unique accessories such as the Rocket backpack. For the first time, Pokémon Center is introducing a glow-in-the-dark collection within this line, featuring characters like Umbreon and Elgyem, which illuminate after exposure to a light source. The line also debuts a new concept: lava flow glitter pins, with liquid inside to create a sense of depth, exemplified by a Charizard pin.
The 2026 Pokémon World Championships Line showcases a regal male Pikachu plush wearing a champion's cape and crown. This imagery extends to various items including shirts, bags, hats, and TCG accessories. Greninja is also a featured Pokémon in this line, appearing on a double deck box alongside Pikachu, as well as on its own collectible pin, light-up display, and hat. This collection primarily uses an orange-red color palette and incorporates the classic Pokémon World Championships logo and the 2026 San Francisco logo.
The San Francisco Line offers eclectic and colorful line drawings that reimagine the city through a Pokémon lens. Notable items include a detailed playmat and a cream-colored ringer tee with a matching Krabby hat. This line blends the "Out of This World" theme with iconic San Francisco landmarks transformed by Pokémon elements, such as Poké Ball details on the Painted Ladies and a Duraludon-inspired Transamerica Pyramid. The playmat design weaves in numerous Pokémon, including Pikachu, Vileplume, Krabby, Ditto, Umbreon, Espeon, Latias, Latios, and Jirachi.
A bonus "Mix" collection will feature items that combine elements from both the PokémonXP Line and the 2026 Pokémon World Championships Line, reflecting the spirit of San Francisco. This includes items with charms representing all three line logos and both mascot Pikachus, as well as a pin set featuring the mascots and San Francisco-inspired designs. A standout in this mix is a collectible coin set with nine coins, each featuring a different Pokémon present in this year's merchandise.
The event will also see the return of the Reyn Spooner collection, a tradition now established at the Pokémon World Championships. While some Reyn Spooner items are available online, specific aloha shirt, hat, and bag designs will be exclusive to the San Francisco event. Additionally, new skateboards designed by Bear Walker for both PokémonXP and the Pokémon World Championships will be available, likely through a similar voucher or drawing system as in previous years.
The Pokémon Center store itself is designed to blend elements of both events while celebrating San Francisco's character and landmarks. Each merchandise line will have its own dedicated display area within the store.
Entry to the pop-up Pokémon Center will require a PokémonXP / Pokémon World Championships badge and a pre-booked timeslot. For those unable to attend in person, a "Worlds at Home" online shopping experience is scheduled to begin on August 26.
Furthermore, players can obtain the 2026 Worlds Pikachu promo card by participating in Worlds Celebration Tournaments at Play! Pokémon Store events, focusing on either VGC or TCG, between August 21 and August 30.