Pokémon GO Stars Shine Ahead of 2025 World Championships

Commentators Reveal Top Trainers and Bold Predictions

As the 2025 Pokémon GO World Championships approach, experts **Amanda Lundberg**, **Will Dunphey**, and **Martijn Versteeg** offer insights into the competitive landscape, highlighting key players and surprising predictions for the Anaheim event.

Esteemed Competitors to Watch

Amanda Lundberg points to several standout trainers. MartoGalde, last year’s bronze medalist, has dominated the season, securing five different qualifications for Worlds. India’s Beelzeboy, known for sharp reads and composure, returns with unfinished business after a strong fourth-place finish last year. Spanish sensation P4t0M4N has consistently improved, qualifying for his third consecutive World Championship.

Will Dunphey is particularly excited about Zzweilous, nicknamed “The Reverse Engineer” for his meta-breaking strategies. Despite three international runner-up finishes this season, Zzweilous is poised to engineer a victory. Ilqm, a breakout star this year with two tournament wins, brings a unique blend of composure and intensity. CharmingP0ri, after a flawless South Korea qualifier run, showcases lightning-fast reactions and seamless gameplay.

Martijn Versteeg highlights ItsAXN, the 2025 NAIC Champion and a former World Champion, who has made a triumphant return to the competitive scene. Richie1409, celebrated for his infectious joy and teamwork, is a strong contender predicted to win the championship. Japan’s hopes rest on talents like pokemonemaker, who secured a victory at the 2025 Pokémon Regional Championships in Melbourne.

Unconventional Predictions for Worlds

Amanda Lundberg boldly predicts that the competitive scene’s depth will prevent a repeat World Champion for at least a decade. She notes that the gap between top players and the rest is shrinking, citing the absence of former champions like DancingRob from this year’s event.

Will Dunphey forecasts that Forretress, a Bug-type user, will claim victory, inspired by recent buffs to Bug-type moves. He also believes experience will triumph over raw talent, with seasoned competitors like OutOfPoket and Reis2Occasion making deep runs. Furthermore, Dunphey predicts that Latin America is poised to win its first Pokémon GO World Championship.

Martijn Versteeg echoes the sentiment for Latin America, predicting at least four competitors from the region will reach the Top 8. He emphasizes the growing importance of teamwork and friendship in the Pokémon GO competitive scene, noting that Brazilian players with the ‘LNDs’ tag are arriving as a cohesive unit.

Meta Shifts and Emerging Threats

Regarding the North America International Championships, Amanda Lundberg observed the continued strength of Diggersby and Shadow Drapion, alongside rising stars like Dedenne and fringe picks such as Shadow Scizor. She anticipates a steady meta at Worlds, with Dusclops and potentially Galarian Moltres gaining favor.

Will Dunphey highlights Dedenne and Shadow Scizor as key threats that the World Champion must be prepared for. He also suggests Kanto Ninetales as a dark horse pick and expects safe choices like Furret and Diggersby to remain popular, alongside unique entries like Shadow Annihilape and Stunfisk.

Martijn Versteeg expressed surprise at Mandibuzz’s high usage at NAIC and expects Dusclops to be a major player at Worlds due to its favorable matchups. He also points to off-meta picks like Runerigus and Charjabug, along with fan-favorite Furret, as potential surprise performers.

The 2025 Pokémon GO World Championships will be broadcast live on the Pokémon GO Twitch channel starting at 9:00 a.m. PDT on August 15-16, 2025, and on the Pokémon Twitch channel on August 17, 2025.

Amanda Lundberg (Lundberger) is a contributing writer for Pokemon.com and a Pokémon GO commentator. Follow her travels at youtube.com/@LundbergerPoGo or on x.com/Lundberger.

Will Dunphey is an esports commentator for the Pokémon GO Championship Series. Follow him on social media at @SpeediestChief2.

Martijn “Inadequance” Versteeg

Martijn “Inadequance” Versteeg is a 2024 Pokémon GO Worlds finalist and commentator.