Pokémon Sword and Shield Players Cup IV Qualifier to be held in April

The next major online competition for Pokémon Sword and Shield has been announced and will be running as a qualifier for the upcoming Players Cup IV. 

The Players Cup IV Qualifier will be a standard VGC Double Battle competition with the newer ruleset that allows the use of one Restricted Pokémon. 

The highest-ranking players from the qualifier will make the cut for the next Players Cup, which will run in June. That only applies to players outside of Japan, as Japanese players who finish at the top of the leaderboards will qualify for the Pokémon Japan Championships 2021 instead. 

Registration for the Players Cup IV Qualifier will remain open from now until April 8, with battles set to run from 7pm CT on April 8 to 6:59pm CT on April 10.

Here’s the full list of rules for the event, including the updated ban list and featured Restricted Pokémon.

• Region: International
• Battle Format: Single and Double Battles
• Battle Limits: 20 battles per day
• Your Time: Seven minutes
• Team Preview: 90 Seconds
• Turn Time: 45 Seconds
• Restricted Pokémon: One of the following per team: Mewtwo, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem, Xerneas, Yveltal, Zygarde, Cosmog, Cosmoem, Solgaleo, Lunala, Necrozma, Zacian, Zamazenta, Eternatus, Calyrex
• Banned Pokémon: Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, Victini, Keldeo, Genesect, Diancie, Volcanion, Magearna, Marshadow, Zeraora, Meltan, Melmetal, Zarude
• Pokémon Limits: 
  • Team of four to six Pokémon from Level one to Level 100. All Pokémon then set to Level 50.

Regardless of placement, all players who enter will receive 50 BP for participating.