Pokémon Center Reveals Four Exclusive Plush for 2026 Worlds, PokémonXP in SF
The Pokémon Company has confirmed four plush toys that will be sold exclusively at the pop-up Pokémon Center store during the 2026 Pokémon World Championships and the new PokémonXP fan festival, both running August 28-30 at San Francisco’s Moscone Center.
Pikachu, Charizard, and Kirlia star as new plush available exclusively at the event’s pop-up store, with excitement building for PokémonXP and the 2026 Pokémon World Championships, both taking place August 28 to 30 in San Francisco, California. The reveal, published on Pokémon’s official news site, expands on earlier previews that had only teased two Pikachu designs for the combined event.
Two Pikachu, One Crowned and One Cosmic
Registered guests visiting the Pokémon Center store at the event will find a quartet of plush headlined by a pair of Pikachu alongside Charizard and Kirlia. The Worlds-branded Pikachu depicts a male Pikachu “looking especially regal in a champion’s cape and elaborate crown,” while the PokémonXP Pikachu is a female design dressed in “a stylish space jacket and colorful star-filled helmet” built to fit around her ears.
Independent reporting from Geeks + Gamers corroborates the royal Pikachu’s design and notes it carries extra significance beyond the pop-up shop. The crowned, caped Pikachu plush will also be included in the competitor Welcome Kit handed to registered participants.
Charizard and Kirlia Join the Line-Up for the First Time
Where earlier previews from outlets tracking the Championship Series circuit focused solely on the two Pikachu designs, the latest official reveal confirms Charizard and Kirlia round out the four-piece collection. Fans who can’t make it to San Francisco will still find plenty of other fan-favourite Pokémon plush and merchandise available through Pokémon Center’s online store, though the event-exclusive designs remain tied to the physical pop-up.
PokémonXP Debuts Alongside the Championship Weekend
PokémonXP is the franchise’s first dedicated fan convention, staged in parallel with the competitive tournament rather than replacing it. Chris Brown, director of global esports and events at The Pokémon Company, said the expanded format was designed to grow the event’s community side. “The 2026 Pokémon World Championships will once again welcome nearly 3,000 competitors from all over the world,” Brown said in a statement reported by Yahoo Sports. “As the world Championships evolved, we saw an opportunity to expand even further and deliver a one-of-a-kind experience where Trainers around the world can come together in celebrating their fandom.”
The 2026 Pokémon World Championships will take place at San Francisco’s Moscone Center, with Championship Sunday finals moving to the Chase Center, home of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. PokémonXP itself was first unveiled during a Pokémon Presents broadcast marking the franchise’s 30th anniversary, and will feature hands-on activities, cosplay competitions, workshops, and the Pokémon Center pop-up store, according to organisers.
Competitors Will Fight for More Than Just Plush
The plush reveal is only one thread of a broader merchandise rollout tied to the tournament. Geeks + Gamers reports that this year’s Championship Series also includes a Paradise Resort promo card and other collectible extras traditionally bundled into competitor Welcome Kits. The Pokémon World Championships itself remains an esports tournament in which top players from the Championship Series compete across Pokémon GO, the Trading Card Game, mainline video games, and Pokémon UNITE, with more than $2 million in prizes at stake.
Access to the exclusive plush will require an event badge, meaning fans in New Zealand and Australia hoping to add the crowned or cosmic Pikachu to their collection will most likely need to watch Pokémon Center’s online store for any post-event restock, as previous Worlds-exclusive merchandise has occasionally resurfaced there once the tournament weekend wraps up.
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