Organizers canceled the exclusive pin rally on the final day of the Pokémon World Championships 2026 and Pokémon XP in San Francisco after massive crowds gathered to obtain limited-edition pins. On Saturday, lines began forming at 6 a.m., and all 12 distribution locations shut down within roughly two hours of opening.

The Pokémon World Championships 2026 was held from August 28 to 30 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Players competed in the Pokémon TCG, Video Game division, Pokémon GO, and Pokémon UNITE, alongside Pokémon XP, the franchise's first comprehensive fan event.

CBS San Francisco reported, citing Moscone Center officials, that 53,000 total event tickets were sold. Saturday saw the largest expected crowd, with approximately 38,000 visitors.

The pin rally was a program where attendees visited 12 distribution locations throughout the venue to collect 12 limited-edition pins, including Charizard, Greninja, Umbreon, and Jirachi. According to local reports, roughly 8,000 pins were available each day on Friday and Saturday, with several distribution spots closing earlier than scheduled starting Friday.

On Saturday, lines began forming at the Moscone Center entrances as early as 6 a.m. The waiting crowds spilled out onto the streets outside the venue. Within an hour after opening at 8 a.m., four distribution spots had closed, and by 10:13 a.m., distribution across all 12 locations was suspended.

Organizers subsequently announced through the Pokémon Events app that the pin rally for Sunday, August 30, was completely canceled.

San Francisco Fire Department spokesperson Mariano Elias stated that officials discussed crowd management and safety measures with the organizers. Fire officials did not order the event shut down, and the decision to cancel Sunday's pin rally was made by the organizers.

The pin scarcity extended to the secondary market. On eBay, partial bundles were listed for hundreds of dollars, while complete sets of all 12 pins were listed for over $1,000 (approx. 1.4 million won).

SFGATE reported that it requested comment from The Pokémon Company International and event organizers, but did not receive a response prior to publication.