Who is this article for?

Store Owners, League Owners, and Tournament Organizers

Pokémon Leagues are a fantastic way for fans of all interests to get together in a casual setting and make new friends, participate in group activities, build and tune decks, show their skills in tournaments, and earn exclusive prizes. Pokémon League is more than just games too—it's the beginning of a new community, and as a League Organizer, you’ll be directly involved with providing a space for fans to foster their love for Pokémon (and your store).

Once your Pokémon League is up and running, your venue will become eligible to host Prerelease tournaments, League Challenges, and League Cups. These are supported by The Pokémon Company International with branding materials and official prizes and are designed to bring an array of competitive experiences and fun to customers of all ages and skill levels.

If you are a business owner or collaborating with a commercial venue, keep reading to find out how to become an official Play! Pokémon Store!

Our Venue Requirement Checklist

Are you ready to help grow your community by becoming a destination for Pokémon fans? You will have access to branded assets, prize support, and tools to create an exciting play environment and keep regular customers of all ages coming back to your store! Before you get started, though, you’ll need to ensure that your location meets specific standards and that a dedicated individual is prepared to represent the program and support all participants in a family-friendly environment.

Let’s go over our list of Play! Pokémon Retail Program store requirements to make sure you’re eligible to start hosting events at your store.

Your location must be a commercial venue that qualifies as a retailer, and you must supply the following information:

1. Business address

2. Business contact (full name)

3. Registration, business license, and/or VAT number

4. Cashier desk*

5. Product shelving*

6. Store window*

7. Exterior signage*

8. Open to the public during regular daytime hours

9. Sells sealed Pokémon TCG products from current or recent expansions

You or a dedicated individual must be specified as the accountable representative of the commercial venue:

1. Provide a business email address or confirmation of identity in writing

2. Successful application for Organizer role with an active Pokémon Trainer Club account and Player ID

3. 18 years of age or older

4. Ability to pass a background check (where required)

The commercial venue must maintain a family-friendly and safe environment:

1. Venue is open to the public

2. Play space is clean and well-lit*

3. Has seating for at least 8 players*

4. No demonstration of racism, political extremism, violence, or hate speech at the venue

5. No use of drugs within the venue, and no consumption of alcohol in the play area

6. No signs of illegal activities in the venue

7. No firearms, tobacco, or nicotine products sold at the venue

8. Venue communicates and applies relevant laws to protect minors

* Photo required (either provided by link to online resources, like a store webpage, or provided with application).

The commercial venue must comply with our Terms of Use of participating in the Play! Pokémon Retail Program, including:

• Venue name, logo, branding, online media, marketing, and other commercial activities must not make any infringing or potentially infringing use of Pokémon intellectual property, which includes but is not limited to the Pokémon copyrights and trademarks

• Venue branding and marketing should not reference Pokémon or the Pokémon intellectual property in a manner that could confuse or mislead a customer regarding the existence of any endorsement, affiliation, license, or other relationship between Pokémon and the venue

Bringing League to Your Venue

If your venue meets the above criteria, then you’re ready to start our application process to become an official Play! Pokémon Store. You’ll need to create a Pokémon Trainer Club account, acquire a Player ID, and officially become an Organizer through the Professor Program before completing a League application for your venue. See below for a quick and easy walkthrough of everything you’ll need to start a Pokémon League community at your local venue!

1. Create a Pokémon Trainer Club account (if you have not already done so)

   1. Make sure to use true and accurate information in your account as outlined in our Terms of Use

   2. You will need to use a personal email address when registering, not a store email address

2. Acquire a Player ID through your Pokémon Trainer Club account

3. Become an Organizer through our Professor Program

   1. This involves completing our application process (which involves a Professor exam and a background check where required)

4. Complete a League Application for your venue

   1. This does require an Organizer certificate to access

5. Wait for your application to process. Response times vary depending on the current volume of applications we’ve received.

Once approved, congratulations! You’ll receive more information from the Play! Pokémon team about next steps.

We look forward to reviewing your application!

Please note: Acceptance into the Play! Pokémon Retail Program does not waive The Pokémon Company International’s (TPCi) rights to pursue legal or other action if the venue is found to be in noncompliance with the above.

Eligibility criteria may vary based on geographic region. This information is subject to change at any time. Please check back regularly for updates. Approval of a store to join our Play! Pokémon Store program does not grant any official affiliation with or license from TPCi.