2026 marks thirty years of Pokémon, and The Pokémon Company is spacing the anniversary line-up across the year. This is a plain-facts overview for collectors: what has actually been announced and when. Anything without a firm official date is labelled TBD — no guessing.
Track live prices, stock and pre-orders for the whole line-up in the 30th Anniversary section. This article is the context around it.
How to read the statuses
Keep these four distinctions in mind when reading release news and merchant offers:
- Available — released and carried by shops we monitor.
- Pre-order — announced with a date and open for pre-order, not yet shipping.
- Confirmed — officially announced, not yet on sale.
- TBD — officially part of the line-up, but no firm date announced.
A product only shows a buyable price once a monitored shop actually lists it.
First Partner Illustration Collection
The anniversary's opening TCG line is the First Partner Illustration Collection, released in three series. Each box has the same format: two booster packs, a special pack of three illustration-rare-style promo cards (of nine), and a sticker sheet. The three series together cover all 27 starter Pokémon.
- Series 1 — Kanto · Sinnoh · Alola — released 20 March 2026.
- Series 2 — Johto · Unova · Galar — released 19 June 2026.
- Series 3 — Hoenn · Kalos · Paldea — released 7 August 2026.
Pokémon Day 2026 Collection
The Pokémon Day 2026 Collection launched on 30 January 2026, ahead of Pokémon Day on 27 February.
30th Celebration — the worldwide set
The centrepiece is Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration, the franchise's first simultaneous worldwide release, launching 16 September 2026. Every card in the set is foil; each pack holds five foil cards — including one of 30 unique Pikachu illustrations — plus a foil Basic Energy. It debuts a new Futuristic Rare rarity.
Selected announced products and the release timing stated in the official UK product showcase. Where that source gives only a month, this table does too; merchant pre-order and shipping dates still need checking.
| Product | Release |
|---|---|
| 30th Celebration Booster / set | 16 September 2026 |
| Elite Trainer Box (incl. Pokémon Center ETB) | September 2026 |
| Pokémon ex Box — Sylveon ex & Greninja ex | September 2026 |
| Knock Out Collection | September 2026 |
| Booster Bundle | October 2026 |
| Day & Night Mini Tins (10 variants) | October 2026 |
| Battle Deck — Espeon ex & Umbreon ex | October 2026 |
| Ultra-Premium Collection — Day & Night | November 2026 |
What this means for collectors
- The line is deliberately staggered from January through November — budget across the year rather than in one window.
- The Illustration Collections span three series — each has a pool of nine promo cards. A special pack contains three; one box does not complete that pool.
- The 30th Celebration set is the headline — a simultaneous worldwide release with an all-foil set and a new rarity. That does not establish future prices or guarantee stock at any particular shop.
To follow pre-orders or restocks, check the specific product page and the alert options available with your account plan. Start from the 30th Anniversary section and open any product.
Official information checked on 8 September 2026. Release dates are not a stock or pre-order guarantee. Market information only — not investment advice.