The Pokémon Company has announced the return of the Pokémon UNITE Asia Champions League (PUACL) with the launch of the PUACL 2026 India League, a $20,000 multi-stage online tournament that will determine India’s representative for the prestigious PUACL 2026 Offline Finals in Japan. The international championship will take place at the Yokohama Buntai Arena in Yokohama.
The India League will be fully executed by Skyesports, one of India’s leading esports tournament operators, and will bring together 10 of the country’s top organisations. The participating teams include Autobotz, GodLike Esports, Marcos Gaming, Meta Ninza, Reckoning Esports, Revenant XSpark, S8UL, Team Tamilas, True Rippers, and WELT Esports.
With Pokémon UNITE’s growing competitive scene in India, the 2026 season aims to further strengthen the pathway for local champions transitioning to international contention. The league structure features a five-day Group Stage followed by the King of the Hill Playoffs, where the top eight teams will battle for the title and qualification to the global finals.
Official schedule:
- Group Stage Day 1: November 29, 2025
- Group Stage Day 2: November 30, 2025
- Group Stage Day 3: December 14, 2025
- Group Stage Day 4: January 11, 2026
- Group Stage Day 5: January 18, 2026
- King of the Hill Playoffs: January 31, 2026
The India League champion will secure the nation’s slot at the PUACL 2026 Offline Finals, which will feature a substantially larger prize pool and participation from top teams across Asia.
Speaking about the announcement, Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO of Skyesports, said, “Pokémon UNITE has built a strong and passionate competitive community in India, and the return of the Asia Champions League gives our teams another platform to show what they are capable of. We are proud to execute the India League once again and to provide a clear path for Indian players to compete at the highest level in Asia. This league showcases the quality of talent we have in the ecosystem and the growing opportunities for teams and professionals who are committing themselves to the title. With ten leading organisations competing, the stage is set for an exciting season and we look forward to sending a representative from India to the global finals.”
The tournament will be streamed live on official Pokémon UNITE and Skyesports platforms, allowing fans nationwide to follow their favourite teams throughout the season. With established organisations such as S8UL, GodLike Esports, Team Tamilas, and Revenant XSpark in the lineup, the level of competition is expected to elevate even further.
Last year’s India League champions, GodLike Esports, qualified for the PUACL Finals in Japan, where they were eliminated in the group stage. The team will be aiming to reclaim their title and put up a stronger performance internationally in 2026.
