Newer Professors and store staff often are unsure what Pokémon League is – and definitions have changed for the 2025-2026 season, adding to the confusion! Pokémon League is an overarching brand for activities that take place at Play! Pokémon Stores. There are two main types of activities that can be scheduled: Play! Sessions and tournaments.
While Pokémon has some great resources to explain everything works, such as the Play! Pokémon Store Handbook, some of the most commonly asked questions are below.
What is a Play! Session?
Play! Sessions, formerly Pokémon League sessions, are times dedicated to casual Pokémon activities. These activities can vary depending on League, but can include casual play/trade, learn-to-play sessions, watch parties, etc. – basically anything that isn’t a sanctioned tournament!
Do I run tournaments during Play! Sessions?
While tournaments can definitely take place alongside Play! Sessions, there is no requirement to run tournaments – indeed, Pokémon’s description for Leagues describes them as “a great way to learn game basics and get the feel for Pokémon competitive play before beginning to compete in Pokémon tournaments”. Any tournaments you sanction via Play! Tools under your store’s Activity Group (see our Organizer Guide) are automatically added to your store’s player report for the month, so if you’re running a tournament alongside a Play! Session and a player only plays in the tournament, they should NOT be added to your Play! Session report (this is changed guidance for the 2025-2026 season!). Similarly, if you are not planning to host casual activities alongside the tournament, a Play! Session should not be scheduled.
What isn’t a Play! Session?
While tournaments like Prereleases, League Challenges, and League Cups are linked to Play! Pokémon Stores, and may take place alongside a Play! Session, these do NOT count as Pokémon League activities for reporting purposes. Pokémon takes this very seriously – from section 1.5 of the Play! Pokémon League Challenges, Cups, and Prerelease Guide:
Reporting players from Prereleases, League Challenges, and League Cups on your League roster when those players did not participate in any League sessions is considered inaccurate League reporting, which can lead to action being taken on your League, including removal of eligibility for events or removal from the Play! Pokémon program.
Is there an entry fee for Play! Sessions and/or tournaments?
In short, it’s up to each Play! Pokémon Store. In general, most Play! Pokémon Stores do not charge for Play! Sessions that are open play, but most Play! Pokémon Stores do charge an entry fee for tournaments. As stated in section 5.1.1 of the Play! Pokémon Store Handbook:
Play! Pokémon Store Owners may charge a fee to participate in Play! Sessions and tournaments.
Play! Pokémon makes no recommendation regarding entry fees beyond the stipulation that Play! Pokémon Store Owners must follow all local legal requirements that may apply when deciding if, how, and what to charge.
How do I check players in to a Play! Session?
Check-ins should take place each Play! Session, which may differ from your previous flow when attendance was done monthly.
- Log into Play! Tools
- Ensure the correct store is selected, then select the Play! Sessions tab
- Find the Play! Session you want to check players in for, and press the Report button (this will appear a couple hours before the session’s scheduled start)
- Choose the check-in option you’d like to use (if on mobile, tap the + button at the bottom right first)
- Scan: Using your computer/phone’s camera, scan the QR code available on the player’s Play! Pokémon Access app (tap the top-right button in Access to see the QR code)
- Add from My Players: If the player has been to your League before, they’ll appear in this list (like the old checkboxes)
- Look Up: If the player has been to an event at another store before, you can search their Player ID here and add them this way, validating their name/birth year before doing so
- Create New Player: Add a player who has been issued a brand new Player ID
How do I submit attendance reports?
By checking players in to Play! Sessions, they will automatically be added to your player roster. There is no separate monthly reporting process anymore. Due to this automation, reporting windows are now based on calendar month instead of shifted by a week, so be sure to add players to your Play! Sessions in a timely manner.