Pokemon World Championships 2020 Canceled

The official Pokemon World Championships 2020 has been canceled. Event organizers cite public health guidance regarding the COVID-19 pandemic as the cause for the cancellation, and have laid out plans for the next year--which will carry over any earned championship points from this season.

In a note on the official site, the Pokemon Company announced that all sanctioned competitive events are suspended. That includes smaller events like League and Club challenges, as well as the 2020 North American International Championships (previously scheduled for June 26-28) and the Pokemon World Championship finals (previously scheduled for August 14-16 in London).

No more points will be awarded for this season, but all points earned so far in the 2020 season will roll over to the 2021 season, and all invitations for the 2020 finals will be honored in 2021.

"In the meantime, we want to thank our millions of players, fans, organizers, and Professors around the world for their continued support and understanding during these unique circumstances," the statement says. "The Pokémon International Championships and Pokémon World Championships are very special occasions for us, and we know how much they mean to the global Play! Pokémon community. We would like to recognize the hard work and dedication of all our competitors, Professors, and event organizers during the 2020 Play! Pokémon season. We hope that the spirit of friendship and community that are the hallmarks of our amazing fans and these events continue during this challenging time, and that you take care of yourselves and of each other. We can't wait to see you and celebrate with you again."

The 2020 championships would have been the first competitive finals since the release of Pokemon Sword and Shield, which came out in November 2019. That means the next Pokemon World Championships will take place after the release of both the Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra expansions.