Pokémon Champions Hub
The current competitive meta, the teams actually winning tournaments, and the players shaping the format — so you can steal their ideas and cheer them on.
Regulation M-C
September 9 – December 2, 2026 · 231 species legal · 82 Mega Evolutions
The second Champions regulation set. Megas define the format — knowing when to Mega Evolve, and which one to choose, is the format's defining skill.
The current meta
Doubles is Champions' main competitive format. Usage percentages come from Limitless VGC — Regulation M-C rankings ↗. Tap any Pokémon to open its Pokédex page.
Rillaboom
The #1 most-used Pokémon in Regulation M-C at 53.6% usage — Grassy Surge, Fake Out, and priority Grassy Glide. Pokédex page ↗
Sneasler
41.0% usage — Dire Claw and Fake Out pressure every team preview. Pokédex page ↗
Incineroar
38.1% usage — Fake Out + Intimidate + Parting Shot is still the glue of doubles. Pokédex page ↗
Kingambit
32.3% usage — Sucker Punch + Kowtow Cleave win condition. Pokédex page ↗
Gholdengo
27.8% usage — Make It Rain spread damage with Good as Gold status immunity. Pokédex page ↗
Raichu
27.1% usage — Mega Raichu Y is one of M-C's defining new Megas; Fake Out + Lightning Rod support. Pokédex page ↗
Garchomp
23.6% usage — Mega Garchomp Z headlined back-to-back Regional wins (Frankfurt and Brisbane). Pokédex page ↗
Salamence
22.7% usage — Mega Salamence's Intimidate + Aerilate-boosted attacks. Pokédex page ↗
Hisuian Arcanine
21.7% usage in its Hisuian form — an Intimidate physical attacker with strong Fire/Rock coverage. Pokédex page ↗
Eternal Flower Floette
17.7% usage in its Eternal Flower form — a fast Fairy-type special attacker. Pokédex page ↗
Archaludon
16.9% usage — Electro Shot setup tank, a doubles and singles staple. Pokédex page ↗
Charizard
16.5% usage — Mega Charizard Y's Drought sun remains one of the format's defining archetypes. Pokédex page ↗
Also in the mix: Mimikyu (Trick Room), Aerodactyl (speed control), Rotom (pivot), Meowscarada, Metagross, and Delphox (sun-mode attacker).
Singles ladder staples
- Garchomp — Singles ladder #1 on the in-game ranked board.
- Primarina — Bulky special attacker and terrain-adjacent pivot.
- Charizard — Mega Charizard Y sun translates to singles.
- Corviknight — Defensive pivot; Bulk Up + Power Trip tech won games in Baltimore.
- Archaludon — Electro Shot setup wall.
- Hippowdon — Sand setter for singles sand teams.
- Gengar — Fast special breaker; Mega Gengar perish-trap variants exist.
- Scizor — Priority Bullet Punch revenge killer.
- Aegislash — Stance-change mind games and King's Shield.
- Dragonite — Mega Dragonite's Multiscale bulk works in singles too.
Most-held items
The format's default toolkit: Focus Sash and Sitrus Berry keep attackers alive, Life Orb and Choice Scarf turn them into sweepers, and Light Clay stretches screens across doubles slugfests.
Winning teams
The actual six that lifted trophies — with items, natures, and movesets where tournament coverage published them.
Regional Champion2026 Frankfurt Regional Championships — MastersEric Rios · September 26–27, 2026 · Frankfurt
A perfect 17-0 through 1,129 trainers — the first Regulation M-C European Regional — built around Mega Garchomp Z and Mega Raichu Y. Rios is also Limitless VGC's #2 all-time points leader.
Gholdengo- Ability:
- Good as Gold
- Item:
- Life Orb
- Nature:
- Modest
Protect · Shadow Ball · Nasty Plot · Make It Rain
Volcarona- Ability:
- Flame Body
- Item:
- Rocky Helmet
- Nature:
- Timid
Overheat · Struggle Bug · Rage Powder · Tailwind
Mega Garchomp Z- Ability:
- Rough Skin
- Item:
- Garchompite Z
- Nature:
- Modest
Dragon Pulse · Earth Power · Power Gem · Protect
Incineroar- Ability:
- Intimidate
- Item:
- Sitrus Berry
- Nature:
- Impish
Parting Shot · Fake Out · Flare Blitz · Darkest Lariat
Rillaboom- Ability:
- Grassy Surge
- Item:
- Miracle Seed
- Nature:
- Adamant
Grassy Glide · Wood Hammer · Fake Out · U-turn
Mega Raichu Y- Ability:
- Lightning Rod
- Item:
- Raichunite Y
- Nature:
- Timid
Zap Cannon · Focus Blast · Fake Out · Protect
Mega Garchomp Z went back-to-back: it also won the Brisbane Regional the same weekend — three Mega Garchomp Z made Brisbane's top cut.
World Champion2026 Pokémon World Championships — MastersTakuma Yamazaki · August 28–30, 2026 · San Francisco
Fifteen-plus years of competing without ever qualifying for Worlds — then he won the whole thing on his first appearance, on Pokémon Champions' biggest stage.
Mega Dragonite- Ability:
- Multiscale
- Item:
- Dragoninite
- Nature:
- Modest
Dragon Pulse · Heat Wave · Extreme Speed · Protect
Mega Floette- Ability:
- Flower Veil → Fairy Aura
- Item:
- Floettite
- Nature:
- Timid
Moonblast · Dazzling Gleam · Light of Ruin · Protect
Kingambit- Ability:
- Defiant
- Item:
- Chople Berry
- Nature:
- Adamant
- EVs:
- 32 HP / 19 SpD
Sucker Punch · Kowtow Cleave · Low Kick · Iron Head
Basculegion- Ability:
- Adaptability
- Item:
- Life Orb
- Nature:
- Adamant
- EVs:
- 25 Spe
Wave Crash · Last Respects · Aqua Jet · Protect
Garchomp- Ability:
- Rough Skin
- Item:
- Choice Scarf
- Nature:
- Adamant
- EVs:
- 27 Spe
Dragon Claw · Stomping Tantrum · Earthquake · Rock Slide
Replica code: A4RBR NN9YE
Runner-up Hiroshi Onishi brought Mega Charizard Y sun to the final — a clash of the format's two defining Mega archetypes. Partial EV investments as reported in post-tournament coverage (both finalists revealed spreads).
Regional Champion2026 Baltimore Regional Championships — MastersJoseph Ugarte · September 19–20, 2026 · Baltimore
The first Regulation M-C official event (1,081 trainers) and Ugarte's third Regional title — a sand + Psychic Terrain statement that reset the new format's tier list.
Excadrill- Ability:
- Sand Rush
- Item:
- Focus Sash
- Nature:
- Jolly
Iron Head · High Horsepower · Rock Slide · Protect
Mega Salamence- Ability:
- Intimidate → Aerilate
- Item:
- Salamencite
- Nature:
- Timid
Hyper Voice · Draco Meteor · Flamethrower · Protect
Indeedee- Ability:
- Psychic Surge
- Item:
- Choice Scarf
- Nature:
- Modest
Expanding Force · Mystical Fire · Trick · Protect
Mega Tyranitar- Ability:
- Sand Stream
- Item:
- Tyranitarite
- Nature:
- Jolly
Rock Slide · Knock Off · Low Kick · Protect
Corviknight- Ability:
- Mirror Armor
- Item:
- Psychic Seed
- Nature:
- Careful
Brave Bird · Power Trip · Bulk Up · Roost
Finalist Aditya Subramanian answered with a creative Mega Golisopod rain Trick Room team — with a Charizard sun mode in the back.
Regional Champion2026 Indianapolis Regional Championships — MastersArsal Puri · May 30, 2026 · Indianapolis
The first-ever Pokémon Champions Regional: Puri beat 1,000+ players and swept Wolfe Glick 2-0 in the finals with Mega Charizard + Mega Floette.
Replica code: 7UWGKDSYDT
Wolfe Glick's finals run featured an inventive Mega Steelix + Sharp Beak Talonflame team that troubled the whole field.
Players to watch
The gamers behind the teams — follow and support them. Rankings from Limitless VGC — player rankings ↗; only publicly listed accounts are linked, no private profiles.
Wolfe Glick
All-time #1 · 913 pts · $91,500 earned
Limitless VGC's all-time points leader and top earner — the 2016 World Champion whose teams and meta reads still shape every format. 15th at Baltimore (Sept 2026) with Incineroar / Sneasler / Gholdengo / Gardevoir / Salamence / Indeedee-F.
Eric Rios
All-time #2 · 719 pts · Frankfurt Regional Champion
Went a perfect 17-0 to win Frankfurt (Sept 2026, 1,129 players) — the first Regulation M-C European Regional — with Mega Garchomp Z and Mega Raichu Y.
Paul Chua
All-time #3 · 635 pts · $64,250 earned
One of the most consistent competitors in VGC history — top-3 all-time in both points and career earnings.
Alex Gómez Berna
All-time #4 · 629 pts
Spain's top-ranked VGC competitor and a fixture of European top cuts.
Joseph Ugarte
All-time #5 · 616 pts · Baltimore Regional Champion
Won the first Regulation M-C official event over 1,081 trainers with sand + Psychic Terrain, and regularly breaks down his own tournament runs on his channel.
Marco Hemantha Kaludura Silva
#2 all-time earnings · $80,750
The second-highest earner in VGC history (497 all-time points) — a threat at every International he enters.
Upcoming tournaments
The next stops on the Championship Series — a static snapshot, so check the full schedule at the official event finder ↗.
- Oct 3–42027 Recife Regional ChampionshipsRegional
- Oct 9–112027 Louisville Regional ChampionshipsRegional
- Oct 17–182027 Nice Regional ChampionshipsRegional
- Oct 24–252027 Puebla Regional ChampionshipsRegional
- Oct 31 – Nov 12027 Gdańsk Regional ChampionshipsRegional
- Nov 14–152027 Buenos Aires Special ChampionshipsSpecial
- Nov 20–222027 Latin America International ChampionshipsInternational
- Nov 28–292027 Stuttgart Regional ChampionshipsRegional
- Dec 4–62027 Las Vegas Regional ChampionshipsRegional