Hobby Stadium held a public send-off on August 10 for its ten players competing in the 2025 Pokémon World Championships in Anaheim, California. The group accounts for half of the 20 members of the Philippine national team.
Why it matters: The Pokémon World Championships is one of the biggest gaming tournaments worldwide, with around 2,000 top players from different countries competing for the Pikachu trophy. This year marks its 21st run, following previous editions in London, Yokohama, and Honolulu.
The store also gave cash incentives to help its players prepare for the tournament. They qualified for the event after a year of strong performances in the official Championship Point circuit.
- Representing Team Philippines from Hobby Stadium are:
- Masters Division – Juancho Saldana, Aira Pineda, Earl Christian Yu, Christian Anthony Fernandez, Xiayi “Leo” Lin
- Seniors Division – Jayden Max Yu
- Juniors Division – Scott Carlisle Go, Aiden Saldana, Yuxi “Momo” Lin, Reece Teo
“Our players have worked hard to get here,” said Wayne Patrick Hsu, co-owner of Hobby Stadium. “We are proud of them and thankful to our sponsors for helping make this possible.”
Sponsors include QAT, Cellboy, Jollibee, J.Co, Ford Marikina, Hi-Ho Crunchy Cracker Nuts, and Hello Money by AUB.
The Pokemon World Championships will be held in Anaheim, California on August 15-17. Aside from TCG, the Worlds will also showcase different Pokemon games including Go, Unite, and Scarlet/Violet.
Hobby Stadium is known as a hub for the local competitive Pokémon community, selling trading card games, collectibles, and memorabilia, and hosting events in its resto-lounge.
Do you think the Philippines will take home a Pikachu trophy this year?
