Shocking Price Hike for Pokémon World Championship Spectator Badges

The Pokémon community has recently had the opportunity to register for spectator badges for the upcoming Pokémon World Championship, but many fans were taken aback by the steep prices.

Scheduled to take place in Anaheim, California, from August 15 to 17, 2025, the Pokémon World Championship is opening its Spectator Badge interest list until March 23. However, those who clicked to sign up discovered that the cost was higher than anticipated.

Continuing with a strong competitive scene, the championship will include popular games such as the Trading Card Game (TCG), Video Game Championships (VGC), Pokémon UNITE, and Pokémon GO. While TCG and VGC have both had thriving competitive landscapes for several years, they have notably expanded in recent times.

In the 2010s, regional tournaments across the U.S. typically attracted between 300 and 700 competitors. However, recent years have seen a surge, with TCG events now regularly surpassing 1,000 participants. The latest international VGC event also witnessed record numbers, drawing in over 1,000 competitors.

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As interest in Pokémon continues to grow among fans, players, and collectors alike, entry prices have increased commensurately. While registration fees for competitors have seen a rise, the cost of the Spectator Badge has caught many by surprise. Historically, these badges were free for both regional events and previous World Championships. For the upcoming event, the pricing is as follows:

• Single-Day Pass: $39 (~£30)
• Multi-Day Pass: $99 (~£76.50)

This marks a significant shift from the previous free admissions, which has not gone unnoticed in the community. One trainer remarked, “I remember paying just $10 for the London Worlds… That had 50k attendees, so maybe they’re trying to manage the crowd size now while also boosting their revenue.” Another commented on the perceived greed: “$100 feels a bit excessive, especially considering it was only $40 last year.”