History

The World Cup of Pokémon was first hosted by Jackal in 2005, which consisted of several small 4 man teams earning points in a simple 1v1 bracket. Though it was successful in its own right, the tournament truly took off the next year when it was completely revamped and hosted by both Jackal and Shiv. Since then, the World Cup has become one of Smogon's most prestigious annual tournaments, as it gains in popularity and overall quality each year.

In the second Pokemon World Cup, 8 teams consisting of 8 players each battled it out in an 8 vs 8 format to crown the world champions. At the end of the tournament, it was Team Asia which emerged victorious, claiming the coveted trophy (and bragging rights) for itself.

The third World Cup saw 4 new teams added to the mix. The format of the tournament was also completely overhauled. After a qualifying Round Robin, the tournament became single-elimination, where participants would earn points for each victory they gained for their team. The winning team would be the team with the most points, not necessarily the last team standing. Despite stiff competition, Team Asia managed to defeat the opposition to take home the trophy once again.

Last year, in the fourth World Cup, teams were more evenly matched than ever before. The format was overhauled yet again, combining the best aspects of World Cup II and III. The opening round divisional play was kept, this time with the top 8 teams of 14 qualifying for the quarter finals. In each round to follow, the teams would be matched up against each other, with 8 unique battles to determine the advancing team. The finals saw defending champion Asia taking on up and coming Oceania. It came right down to the wire, as the series tied 4 games a piece, and the entire World Cup was decided on a one game playoff, between Earthworm and Husk. Earthworm came out victorious and marked the first World Championship for Oceania and the end of a dynasty for Asia.

This year's installment proves to expand the globe even further, with the addition of a few more international sides, pushing the team count to 16. The next chapter in the history of the World Cup is about to be written, who will be the next team to make World Cup lore? Stay tuned.