Masters Division Pokémon Trainers competing in the third Pokémon Players Cup for Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield will battle through several tournament phases. Battles in each phase will adhere to current Pokémon Video Game Championships rules.
In the first phase, players will compete to maximize their placement in the Pokémon Players Cup III Qualifier, which will take place from Thursday, January 14, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. PST through Sunday, January 17, 2021, at 3:59 p.m. PST. The top players by rating zone—after removing ineligible players—will advance to be able to register for the Pokémon Players Cup III Region Qualifiers. Players will need to link their Nintendo Account to their Pokémon Trainer Club account before the competition to be eligible.
Players Advancing from the Pokémon Players Cup III Qualifier
North America rating zone (US and Canada): 256 players
Europe rating zone (Europe): 256 players
Latin America rating zone (Latin America and Caribbean): 256 players
Oceania rating zone (Oceania): 128 players
The Oceania rating zone comprises only Australia and New Zealand.
In March, these players will compete in a Region Qualifier within their region (based on rating zone, excluding South Africa and Russia). Each Region Qualifier will be a separate double-elimination bracket taking place over two weekends so that play times can be optimized by rating zone. Players will be required to register their team online before the first Region Qualifier date and will need an account with both Discord and Battlefy to participate.
Matches will be best of three and will use the Ranked Battles rules. Specific details on rules and report times will be available closer to the event.
The full tournament rules are available here.
Advancing players will be contacted via email with next steps and registration information once results are finalized. It is essential that the email address on your Pokémon Trainer Club account is accurate and up-to-date in order for you to receive this communication. Players should check their accounts and ensure their email addresses are correct before February 10, 2021. If you require assistance updating your email address, please reach out to Customer Support.
The bracket will be seeded based on players’ performance in the previous qualification stage. If there are byes due to the number of players who complete registration for the Region Qualifiers, the byes will be awarded to the top-seeded players.
Pokémon Players Cup III Region Qualifier Schedule
March 20: Double-elimination bracket play until 16 players remain in each region
March 27: Bracket play continues until 4 players remain in each region
Pokémon Players Cup III Global Finals
The Global Finals will include 16 players—4 from each Region Qualifier. The finals will be a new double-elimination bracket, and players will be able to submit a new team list. The Global Finals will be played on April 10–11 at a time to be determined and sent to finalists via email.
Pokémon Players Cup III Eligibility
The following players will not be eligible to participate in the Region Qualifiers.
Players who were born in 2005 or later (Junior and Senior Divisions, based on the 2021 season)
Players who reside outside countries supported by the following Play! Pokémon rating zones: North America (US and Canada), Europe, Latin America, and Oceania
Players who have not opted in to the Play! Pokémon Terms of Use
Players who are unable to abide by the VGC tournament rules
Additional eligibility rules may apply.
*All details, including rules, dates, and eligibility are subject to change.
