2018 World Championships

2017
World Championships
2019

The 2018 World Championships was held at the Nashville Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee from August 24 to 26, 2018. It was the fifteenth invitation-only championships for players of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the tenth for players of the Pokémon video games, and the third for players of Pokkén Tournament. This was the first time the competition was held in Nashville.

Logo
Artwork

Invitations for the Trading Card Game and the video game events were awarded to players who accumulated enough Championship Points throughout the season. Invitations for Pokkén Tournament were awarded to the top placements at two International Championships and the UK Regional Championships. There were also Last Chance Qualifiers held on Friday for Pokkén Tournament.

Saddle Up, Trainers! was composed as the competition's theme song.

Trading Card Game Championships

The Pokémon Trading Card Game featured the 2017-18 Standard format, using all cards from BREAKthrough onward. Players received invitations from gaining enough Championship Points throughout the year or from the previous year's World Championships.

Day One of the tournament consisted of Swiss rounds for all players who didn't receive a Day Two invitation. Players with enough points moved onto Day Two, where a new set of Swiss rounds were played that did not carry over Day One's records. Decks could be changed between the two days. The top eight then competed in a single-elimination tournament.

Junior Division

Tobias Strømdahl was the defending champion but became eligible for the Senior Division in 2018. He earned an invitation to Day Two where he finished 72nd.

Naohito Inoue of Japan became the new World Champion with a record of 9-0-1.

Quarterfinals   Semifinals   Championship match
1  Naohito Inoue    
8  Sechan Oh    
    1  Naohito Inoue    
    5  Walker Halliburton    
5  Walker Halliburton  
4  Kota Onohara    
    1  Naohito Inoue  
    2  Sebastian Enriquez  
3  Rune Heiremans    
6  Benjamin Bussert    
    3  Rune Heiremans  
    2  Sebastian Enriquez    
7  Joao Gabriel Penteado  
2  Sebastian Enriquez    



Senior Division

Zachary Bohkari was the defending champion but did not attend.

Magnus Pedersen of Denmark finished with a record of 8-1-1 to become the new World Champion.

Quarterfinals   Semifinals   Championship match
1  Takumi Kaji    
8  Tanner Hurley    
    1  Takumi Kaji    
    4  Connor Pedersen    
5  Jihun Choi  
4  Connor Pedersen    
    4  Connor Pedersen  
    7  Magnus Pedersen  
3  Caleb Banwarie    
6  Matthew Campbell    
    6  Matthew Campbell  
    7  Magnus Pedersen    
7  Magnus Pedersen  
2  Benjamin Branch-Trevathan    



Master Division

Diego Cassiraga was the defending champion, which earned him an invitation to Day Two where he finished 96th.

Robin Schulz of Germany became the first German Pokémon World Champion with a record of 8-0-2.

Quarterfinals   Semifinals   Championship match
1  Robin Schulz    
8  Brian Miller    
    1  Robin Schulz    
    5  Klive Jun Jie    
5  Klive Jun Jie  
4  Shuto Itagaki    
    1  Robin Schulz  
    6  Jeff Kolenc  
3  Nicolas Galaz    
6  Jeff Kolenc    
    6  Jeff Kolenc  
    7  Pedro Eugenio Torres    
7  Pedro Eugenio Torres  
2  Eric Smith    



Video Game Championships

Day One of the tournament consisted of Swiss rounds for players who didn't receive a Day Two invitation. Invitations from the 2017 World Championships were only for Day One, meaning all Day Two invitations were awarded through Championship Points accrued through the year. Players with two or fewer losses and no ties advanced on to Day Two. Day Two consisted of a new set of Swiss rounds not using the previous day's records and players could change teams between the days. Players from this round with two or fewer losses and no ties were then seeded into a single-elimination tournament.

Matches took place in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon and were all Double Battles. All Pokémon except Ash-Greninja, Mythical, and special Pokémon were eligible, given they had an Alola symbol. All held items were allowed, including Mega Stones. Levels for all Pokémon were adjusted to level 50 and no duplicate Pokémon or items were allowed. Players were given five minutes of move selection time per game.

Junior Division

Nicholas Kan was the defending champion but became eligible for the Senior Division in 2018. He finished 25th on Day Two.

Wonn Lee, a South Korean living in Japan, became the new World Champion.

First round   Quarterfinals   Semifinals   Championship match
1  Justin Miranda-Radbord    
16  Ricco Cantrell       16  Ricco Cantrell    
9  Ignacio Del Compare     8  Bilel Lakehal    
8  Bilel Lakehal         8  Bilel Lakehal    
5  Yuri Yahashi         14  Wonn Lee    
13  Jaesung Lee       5  Yuri Yahashi  
14  Wonn Lee     14  Wonn Lee    
4  Emily Eastham         14  Wonn Lee  
3  Connor Yuen         11  Sota Tamemasa  
12  Haley Repas       12  Haley Repas    
11  Sota Tamemasa     11  Sota Tamemasa    
6  Junhyuk Song         11  Sota Tamemasa  
7  Yujiro Arai         7  Yujiro Arai    
10  Aidan Patterson       7  Yujiro Arai  
15  Teddy French     15  Teddy French    
2  Keigo Tatsuma    



Senior Division

Hong Juyong was the defending champion but was eligible for the Masters Division in 2018. He received an invitation to Day Two where he placed 43rd.

James Evans of the United States defeated Bram De Jonge of the Netherlands to become the new World Champion.

First round   Quarterfinals   Semifinals   Championship match
1  Simone Bernardi    
16  Shota Yamada       16  Shota Yamada    
9  Finn Cooper     8  Victor Medina    
8  Victor Medina         16  Shota Yamada    
5  Ethan French         14  James Evans    
13  Noboru Matsuura       5  Ethan French  
14  James Evans     14  James Evans    
4  Andrew Boudreaux         14  James Evans  
3  Ayumu Iwasaki         6  Bram De Jonge  
12  Westley Long       12  Westley Long    
11  Marco Hemantha Kaludura Silva     6  Bram De Jonge    
6  Bram De Jonge         6  Bram De Jonge  
7  Cedric Derouchie         10  Gabriel Duran    
10  Gabriel Duran       10  Gabriel Duran  
15  Zachary Lazaroff     2  Zach Kelly    
2  Zach Kelly    



Masters Division

Ryota Otsubo was the defending champion but was knocked out in Day One.

After finishing in the Top 4 in the previous year, Paul Ruiz defeated Emilio Forbes to become the first Ecuadorian Pokémon World Champion.

First round   Quarterfinals   Semifinals   Championship match
1  Kiwamu Endo    
16  Federico Turano       16  Federico Turano    
9  Yusie Matsuno     9  Yusie Matsuno    
8  Melvin Keh         9  Yusie Matsuno    
5  Emilio Forbes         5  Emilio Forbes    
13  Paul Chua       5  Emilio Forbes  
14  Tomohiro Seki     14  Tomohiro Seki    
4  Brendan Zheng         5  Emilio Forbes  
3  Nils Dunlop         15  Paul Ruiz  
12  Koji Morimoto       3  Nils Dunlop    
11  Alessio Yuri Boschetto     6  Arash Ommati    
6  Arash Ommati         3  Nils Dunlop  
7  Simone Sanvito         15  Paul Ruiz    
10  Roberto Poretti       10  Roberto Poretti  
15  Paul Ruiz     15  Paul Ruiz    
2  Carson Confer    



Pokkén Tournament World Championships

After the previous year combined the age divisions, the 2018 Pokkén Tournament Championships reintroduced the Senior and Masters Divisions. The limited number of entrants did not increase however, with the Masters Division keeping the 16 player limit and the Senior Division having an eight player limit. Invitations were given out to top placements at the Oceania and North American International Championships and the Sheffield Regional Championships. Two Senior and four Masters invites were awarded at the North American and Sheffield Championships each, while the Oceania Championships only awarded one Senior and two Masters invites. The remaining invitations were split between Japanese players and players who made it through the Last Chance Qualifiers.

Pokkén Tournament DX was used for the tournament, with every player required to use their own HORI Pokkén Tournament DX Pro Pad. Unlike previous years, stages were not limited to Ferrum Stadium. The double-elimination format was used, with matches being best three out of five rounds.

Hisaharu "Tonosama" Abe was the defending champion but did not attend.

Senior Division

Kato Yusuke defeated Colin "Ashgreninja1" Jones to become the Pokkén Tournament Senior Division World Champion.

Winners Semifinals   Winners Final   Grand Final   Reset
 kato    
 Ashgreninja1        kato    
 Galactasaur      Galactasaur       Pikachu Libre/Darkrai/Mewtwo  kato        N/A  
 TheJrJam       Garchomp/Shadow Mewtwo  Ashgreninja1        N/A  
Losers Quarterfinals   Losers Semifinal   Losers Final
 TheJrJam        Ashgreninja1  
 rapiD        TheJrJam        Galactasaur  
 Ashgreninja1      Ashgreninja1    
 William    

Masters Division

Jacob "ThankSwalot" Waller defeated Kota "TARUTARO" Aragaki to become the first American Pokkén Tournament Masters Division World Champion.

Winners Semifinals   Winners Final   Grand Final   Reset
Aegislash  haruyuki    
Aegislash/Pikachu Lubre  subutan        haruyuki    
Sceptile  ThankSwalot     Sceptile  ThankSwalot       Gengar  TARUTARO     Gengar  TARUTARO  
Chandelure  Mikukey_HIKARI       Sceptile/Empoleon  ThankSwalot     Sceptile  ThankSwalot  
Losers Quarterfinals   Losers Semifinal   Losers Final
Aegislash/Chandelure/Pikachu Libre  subutan        TARUTARO  
Machamp/Shadow Mewtwo  Wingtide        subutan        haruyuki  
Chandelure  Mikukey_HIKARI      TARUTARO    
Gengar  TARUTARO    

Event Pokémon

#0648 Meloetta  
  Level 50  
Type:
   
Ability: Serene Grace
Held item:   Metronome
ID: 081824
OT: Worlds18
Met: WCS 2018 (fateful encounter)
Nature: Random
Ribbon:   Event Ribbon
Sing
Normal Status
Celebrate
Normal Status
Round
Normal Special
Relic Song
Normal Special
Games Method Region Location Duration
SMUSUM local wireless all Nashville Music City Center Halls C & D, Nashville, Tennessee, United States August 24 to 26, 2018
Moves in bold can be taught again at the Move Reminder as a special move if forgotten.
Date received is the date on the system when the gift is picked up from the deliveryman.
This Pokémon is set to the same language as the game that received it.


Pokémon World Championships
Pokémon Trading Card Game only 2004-2008; TCG and Video Games 2009-on
2004: Blaziken TechMagma SpiritRocky BeachTeam Rushdown
2005: Bright AuraDark TyranitarKing of the WestQueendom
2006: B-L-SEeveelutionsMewtrickSuns & Moons
2007: FlyveesLegendary AscentRamboltSwift Empoleon
2008: Bliss ControlEmpotechIntimidationPsychic Lock
2009: StallgonCrowned TigerQueengarLuxdrill
2010: LuxChomp of the SpiritHappy LuckPower CottonweedBoltevoir
2011: MegazoneReshiphlosionThe TruthTwinboar
2012: Pesadelo PrismTerraki-MewtwoEeltwoCMT
2013: Anguille Sous RocheAmerican GothicDarkraiUltimate Team Plasma
2014: Plasma PowerTrevgorEmerald KingCrazy Punch
2015: The Flying HammerPunches 'n' BitesHonorStoisePrimal Groudon
2016: Black DragonBebe DeckMagical SymphonyNinja Blitz
2017: Infinite ForceGolisodorIce Path FTWSamurai Sniper
2018: Victory MapDragones y SombrasGarbanetteBuzzroc
2019: Pikarom JudgeFire BoxMind BlownPerfection
2022: ADPThe Shape of MewCheryl AgainIce Rider Palkia
2023: Mew's RevengePsychic EleganceColorless LugiaLost Box Kyogre
2024:
Champions Jason KlaczynskiJun HasebeRay Rizzo


  This article is part of both Project TCG and Project Games, Bulbapedia projects that, together, aim to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon Trading Card Game and Video Game Championship Tournaments.