Gotta catch 'em all: Washington hosts Pokémon World Championships Pokémon -- the small, adorable creatures with special fighting abilities -- have been around for more than two decades, and they’re as popular as ever, mainly due to families sharing the legacy with each other. More than 7,500 people are expected to attend the 2019 Pokémon World Championships in Washington this weekend. Contestants from more than 40 countries will fight for the world champion title in the card and video games, competing for prizes totalling $500,000.