The Pokemon European Championships 2026. How to Get Spectator Tickets And What To Expect! (Updated)
Updated with details of how to get Pokemon European Championships 2026 spectator tickets and the latest information about the event and activities
For the past two years we have taken the boys (as spectators) to the Pokemon European Championships, which are generally held in London. This year the Pokemon European Championships 2026 will be held in London again, and this year the boys aren’t attending as spectactors: they’re competing for the first time!
Tickets for competitors are now sold out, but you can still get spectator tickets to the Pokemon European Championships 2026 (EUIC). Even as a parent of Pokemon fans, rather than as a Pokemon fan myself, I can say that these events are a lot of fun with so much to see and do.
Ready to come along? Keep reading for everything you need to know:
How To Get Tickets To The Pokemon European Championships 2026
The Pokemon European Championship is taking place at the ExCel London centre from 13 February – 15th February 2026.
If you were hoping to get tickets to compete in the Pokemon European Championships this year then I have bad news: competitor tickets have already sold out in all categories.
But it’s not all bad news! There are still spectator tickets available. You can get tickets for a single day for £15 per person, or tickets for the whole weekend for £30 per person. You’ll need to register here to get tickets.
Last year we just visited for the Saturday, and that was plenty of time for the boys to watch some events, take part in some side games, and do all the activities. If you want to watch all of the tournaments live then you might want a 3 day ticket. But if you want to do the activities and soak up the atmosphere then 1 day is enough.
Top Tip: I NEVER usually suggest driving in London, BUT if you’re coming from outside the city, the parking in the Excel is only £20 for the whole day. AND there’s loads of it, and it’s easy to get to too. This saved us time and money.
If you do take public transport then Canning Town is the nearest tube station.
What To Expect At The Pokemon European Championships
The Pokemon European Championships are Pokemon fan heaven (Disclaimer: the boys are Pokemon mad, collect the cards, and go to a club where they play the card game. My interest and knowledge is limited to wanting them to be happy and taking them to places I think they’ll enjoy!)
But to give you an idea of what to expect, there is a huge stage where the tournaments are taking place. The best Pokemon players from around the world are here playing the Pokemon Card Games, video Games, and Pokemon Go. The boys LOVED this and took tips from the other card players: In fact, we sat here eating our sandwiches and watching the matches because they wouldn’t leave to get lunch!
Top Tip: Consider packing a picnic. The ExCel stands alone and isn’t near any cheap eats. There are restaurants in the centre but they can be pricey. We had pizza for dinner from one of the restaurants in the centre, but I took lunch, drinks, and loads of snacks to save money AND so the boys didn’t have to leave the show to eat/drink.
There were also meet and greets with some of the main characters. We queued to meet Sprigatito and Pikachu. Sprigatito is my youngest’s favourite character so this absolutely made his day!
There was a face painting stand, Pokemon themed carnival games, and a photo booth. Then huge tables were you could play Pokemon themed board games or take an origami lesson. All of these activities were free (included in the admission price). If you’re more into the video games than the card games, there were also rows of consoles where you could play these.
Then there were official vendors who were selling Pokemon products, and they had some very rare (and very expensive) cards which the boys enjoyed looking at, even if we weren’t going to remortgage the house to buy them!
Top Tip: Get there early to make the most of the activities! We arrived at the centre as the event opened to make the most of it all: as the day went on the crowds grew, and getting near a lot of these free attractions required huge queues.
A Full List Of Activities At Pokemon EUIC 2026
Every year we go to the Pokemon European Championships the event seems to get bigger and better, and this year is no different! This is the first time e’ve seen pin trading and the Pokemon Museum available. I’ve done a little research and found a list of the events that you can enjoy for 2026:
Cosplay Showcase
Excited to showcase your newest Pokémon Cosplay? Apply for the Pokémon Cosplay Showcase where guests can take the stage and show off their amazing costumes! As you prepare, please note that there are some guidelines as to what is allowed on stage. Be sure to review the full rules and the terms and conditions. Registered attendees can apply here through January 26, 2026.
A few reminders – Cosplay is for everyone! Attendees are encouraged to cosplay regardless of their skill level, gender identity or expression, race, ethnicity, disability, religion, body type, age, or other identities in a respectful and family-friendly way. We also want to remind you that cosplay is never consent; Always ask before taking a photo of someone.
Autograph and Meet and Greet Sessions
Join us for Autograph and Meet and Greet featuring some of your favorite TCG Artists, Pokémon Partners and Notable Trainers! This year, the autograph and meet and greet sessions are leveling up with their own space! This dedicated space will make it easier than ever for guests who have been randomly selected from the Interest Lists to meet their favorite Special Guests.
Interest List
To help with line management, all autograph sessions will utilize an Interest List. Guests may register for Interest Lists from 20, January 2026 though 3, February 2026 and will be notified if they have been randomly selected by 9 February. More information on how to join the Interest List will be released on 20th January.
Collect and Trade
Looking to showcase and trade your Pokémon items with other Trainers? Join us at a Trader Table where you can do just that! If you’re only looking to browse, you can visit as an “Explorer” and check out everyone’s sweet collections.
Activity Zone
Fun and games for the whole family! (Last year this included ring toss, hook a Magikarp, and a treasure hunt around the site for kids)
Merchants
Shop local game and card shops onsite for some of the best Pokémon product! Whether you’re a dedicated collector, an enthusiast, or just looking for unique items, the Merchant Area has something for everyone!
Pokémon Museum
Journey alongside other Trainers and share in the memories of Pokémon! View Europe International Championships history, iconic Pokémon TCG cards, a wide array of Pokémon video games and their collective consoles, and more as you celebrate the history of EUIC.
Pin Trading
Find fun collectible pins and trade with fellow fans at the Pin Trading kiosk. We encourage you to bring your official Pokémon pins for trading! Select pins from the Pokémon Center will be available for purchase as well.
Shop Pokemon
If you’re a Pokemon fan (or raising Pokemon fans) you may know that there isn’t a Pokemon Store in the UK. That’s why we visit as many of them as possible when we were in Japan! But for the European Championship a pop up Pokemon store is opened in the ExCel London.
This sells the usual merch, cards, plushies, but you will also find exclusive stuff that you can only buy at the European Championships. Both of my boys got championship mats to play the card game on, for example.
Because it’s so popular, reservations are required to visit the Pokémon Center store. They haven’t opened reservations yet, but these will open nearer to the event and i’ll add the link here as soon as they do.
The store will open the day before the tournament begins. The opening hours have been announced and they will be:
- Thursday, 12 February: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Friday, 13 February: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Saturday, 14 February: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Sunday, 15 February: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Be prepared for long queues. This shop was more popular than the actual tournament. We had tickets to go in at 3pm, got in the queue at 2.45pm, and didn’t actually get into the shop until almost 4pm! You have been warned!
Will you be at the Pokemon European Championships? Are you a Poke-fan, or are you a Poke-mum like me whose along for the ride? Not that I don’t like Pokemon: Jigglypuff is my favourite, who’s yours?
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