S8UL to aim for fourth title as Pokémon UNITE WCS 2026 India Qualifier gets announced

The Indian representative at the Pokémon UNITE World Championship Series 2026, taking place in San Francisco in August, will be decided through its India Qualifier.

The Pokémon Company, in partnership with tournament organiser Skyesports, has announced the registration details along with the format.

The event will run from April 24 to 26, and teams consisting of five or six players can register for it until April 22.

All teams will begin their journey in a single-elimination bracket across Day 1 and Day 2, with the top eight teams advancing to the playoffs scheduled for April 26.

The remaining squads will battle it out on Day 3 for the trophy and a share of the $25,000 prize pool, along with a slot at the World Championship.

Here is the full prize pool distribution:

• 1st Place - $15,000
• 2nd Place - $4,000
• 3rd Place - $2,500
• 4th Place - $1,500
• 5th Place - $1,000
• 6th Place - $1,000

“The 2026 edition will mark the fifth time an Indian team has earned the opportunity to compete in the World Championship Series, which reflects both the consistency of the ecosystem and the hunger of our players to perform internationally,” said Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO of Skyesports.

Indian Pokémon UNITE Teams Still Searching For International Success

S8UL won the India Championship in 2023 to represent India for the first time at the Pokémon UNITE World Championship Series; however, they were eliminated in the Group Stage.

In 2024, the team withdrew from the event after winning the India Qualifier due to visa issues. The results didn’t improve in 2025 either, as S8UL was once again knocked out without securing a single victory.

The organisation has recently made multiple changes to its roster for the 2026 season, bringing in “KAi," Anklesh “Novaa” Satelkar, “Wolf," and Ved “Beelzeboy” Bamb.

With the addition of Beelzeboy Bamb, who won the 2025 Pokémon World Championships – GO, the team will be aiming to secure its fourth consecutive domestic title and, at the very least, reach the playoffs at the World Championship Series.