Pokémon World Championships 2024: Top Players, Team Cores, and Dark horses to Watch in Anaheim
Anaheim, California is once again the epicenter of the Pokémon universe as the world’s top players converge from August 15-17 to battle for the title of Pokémon World Champion 2025. The stakes are high, and the competition promises to be fierce.
To get you ready for the action, we’ve assembled our expert panel – Lou Akcoş-Cromie, Aaron Traylor, and Joe Ugarte – alongside Chris Shepperd of Pokemon.com, to break down the key strategies, top contenders, and potential surprises we can expect to see at Worlds. You can catch all three days of battling live on Twitch.tv/pokemon, and find more information on the official broadcast page here.
The Dominant Cores: Shadow Rider Calyrex & Zamazenta
The current competitive landscape is heavily influenced by the powerful duo of Shadow Rider Calyrex and Zamazenta. This pairing has consistently dominated tournaments throughout the season.
“Shadow Rider Calyrex and zamazenta is definitely the most consistent core in this format, having a huge share of every tournament meta with a lot of captivating variations that provide unique options,” explains Ugarte.
Akcoş-Cromie adds, “Shadow Rider Calyrex and Zamaz
