One of San Francisco’s busiest roads has been rechristened Rayquaza Road as the Pokémon World Championships and PokémonXP begin.
SF’s Howard Street, which runs next to the Moscone Center, has been transformed, as over 50,000 Pokémon fans descend on the area. VGC had the chance to explore the street ahead of the official opening.
Rayquaza Road contains photo ops for fans, demonstrations of products, and Pokémon-themed food vendors.
Skateboarding brand Santa Cruz was in attendance, showing off some of the new decks that will be released soon. Previous Pokémon Santa Cruz decks, which came in blind bags, were extremely popular. This line of skateboard decks features some of the most popular trading cards ever released as part of the Pokémon TCG.
Fans in attendance at the show can also help build a “life-sized” Lego Rayquaza at the Lego stand on Rayquaza Road. The Honda Koraidon, a life-sized model of the Legendary Pokémon, was also shown off as part of the preview.
Chris Brown, The Pokémon Company’s director of global esports and events producer, opened the show, alongside local politicians and two Pikachu mascots dressed in Pokémon Worlds 2026 and Pokémon XP costumes.
The Pokémon World Championships 2026 and Pokémon XP take place from August 28 until August 30.
Taking place concurrently with the Pokémon World Championships, PokémonXP is focused on fan activities such as panels, signings, and more, whereas the World Championships is a strictly competitive environment where players from around the world compete for top cash prizes.
