English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran closed the 2026 Pokemon World Championships in San Francisco by performing the theme song from the 1990s animated television series.
The performance took place on the final day of the three-day tournament at the Chase Center arena, following the trophy presentations and the crowning of new world champions across video game and collectible card game competitions.
Accompanied by his guitar and four supporting musicians, Sheeran took the stage to entertain thousands of spectators who filled the venue for the conclusion of the annual event.
The 2026 Pokemon World Championships brought together more than 50,000 fans of all ages from around the globe to the city in the United States. Competitors faced off in strategic duels requiring mental agility, contending for official trophies and more than $2 million in total prize money distributed across the tournament's various categories.
Organisers described the gathering as a celebration for entire families, bridging the nostalgia of adults who grew up with the franchise during its launch over three decades ago and younger generations discovering it today. The brand hosts the international tournament each year to determine the top players in both its digital video games and physical trading card formats.
Sheeran's long-standing connection to Pokemon
Sheeran, an international pop star who has sold millions of records globally, has long spoken about his childhood affection for the Japanese media franchise. His passion for the pocket monsters began while attending primary school, where playing video games on his handheld Nintendo Game Boy console served as a creative outlet and a way to unwind.
That childhood interest later developed into a formal artistic partnership with The Pokemon Company. In 2021, Sheeran hosted a virtual performance inside the mobile game Pokemon Go. He followed that in 2022 by writing and recording the song Celestial, which was included on the soundtrack for the Nintendo Switch video games Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet.
The official music video for Celestial featured Sheeran interacting in daily life alongside iconic animated characters, including Pikachu, Snorlax, and Lapras, solidifying a close relationship between the musician and the brand.
A nostalgia-filled finale in San Francisco
For the closing ceremony at the Chase Center, tournament organisers selected Sheeran to deliver the headline musical performance. During his set, the singer performed Celestial, prompting a stadium-wide singalong from the packed crowd.
The highlight of the evening arrived at the end of his set, when Sheeran unexpectedly began playing the opening chords of the main theme song from the original 1990s Pokemon animated television series. The audience, comprising both young fans and parents who remembered the original broadcast from their childhoods, joined in to sing the iconic Gotta Catch 'Em All chorus.
Following the conclusion of the event in San Francisco, the annual competitive tournament is scheduled to move overseas, with the 2027 Pokemon World Championships set to take place in Singapore.
