Pokémon Might Be Headed To The Brisbane 2032 Olympics!
That's right, your days of ripping open packets of Pokémon cards and battling your friends could soon become an Olympic-qualifying sport.
How? Well, the popular trading card game meets a number of eligibility criteria, making a strong case to the Australian Olympic Committee for consideration. A number of people have already signed a growing petition to make this happen — and you can too.
Pokémon TCG's global appeal, competitive structure, international ranked players, inclusive nature and strong engagement from people under 30 make it suitable for consideration ahead of the Brisbane Olympics in 2032.
There's a full-format tournament at CollectFest 2025 — Australia's first festival for collectors — to showcase what the concept will look like on the Olympic stage.
There'll be training, big competitions and even a learn-to-play session to get traders and contestants of all skills levels involved.
People like Asif Mir are keen to make this happen in time for Brisbane 2032. 'This isn't just nostalgia. It's a serious competitive pursuit with national champions, international rankings, and millions of active players," says the long time collector and player.
Director of CollectFest, Brendan Munchan explains that this bid for Pokémon TCG to be in the Olympics isn't to "replace traditional sport" but instead opens up a new possibility of giving strategy-based games their own "seat at the table".
You can get involved in the tournament at CollectFest 2025 (or even, sign the petition) to give Pokémon TCG a fighting chance on the Olympic stage.
What do you think of Pokémon joining the Olympics?
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