Masters Division Pokémon Trainers competing in the fourth 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 IV Qualifier, which will take place from Friday, April 9, 2021, at 00:00 UTC through Sunday, April 11, 2021, at 23:59 UTC. The top players by rating zone—after removing ineligible players—will advance to be able to register for the Pokémon Players Cup IV Region Qualifiers. Players must have opted in to the Play! Pokémon Terms of Use and have a Player ID. Players will also 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 IV 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
In June and July, these players will compete in a Region Qualifier within their region (based on rating zone, excluding South Africa and Russia). New for Players Cup IV will be the use of Swiss pairings for the first weekend of the Region Qualifiers. 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 April 10, 2021. If you require assistance updating your email address, please reach out to Customer Support.
Registration
Registration for the Players Cup IV Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield competition is now open to all qualified players. Choose your region's registration page below to register for the event. Players who did not qualify for the Players Cup IV's Pokémon TCG event or Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield event may still register for the Pokkén Tournament DX competition.
Registration will close on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. PDT.
Pokémon Players Cup IV Region Qualifier Schedule
June 19: Up to nine Swiss rounds will be played in each region. The top 16 players in each region will advance to the corresponding Region Finals.
July 3: The Region Finals will be a new, seeded double-elimination bracket based on the previous weekend’s final Swiss standings. Play occurs until four players remain in each region.
The players handbook and email communication will provide the specific play time for each region, which will be announced closer to the event date.
Players will use the same team list for both phases of the Region Qualifier.
Pokémon Players Cup IV 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 July 17 at a time to be determined and sent to finalists via email.
Pokémon Players Cup IV 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.
