Pokémon NAIC Moves to Chicago's McCormick Place in 2027

After three years in New Orleans, the Pokémon North America International Championships will relocate to Chicago's McCormick Place Convention Center beginning in 2027. The 2026 championship, held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, saw competitors across the Pokémon Trading Card Game, Pokémon GO, Pokémon UNITE and Pokémon Champions while fans packed the venue.

Director of Global Esports & Events Chris Brown said the move responds to rapid growth. "We're up 150 plus percent in terms of what our attendance is," he said, and "we actually kind of reached our three-year goal in two years." Brown added that demand outstripped the capacity in New Orleans: "This year, everything sold out...

We sold out a lot of our competitions in seconds. But we don't have the space." Chicago's accessibility and larger footprint should address that.

United States, Chicago, New Orleans

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