It’s like the Olympics of the Pokémon world, and 14-year-old Jordyn needs help getting there. South Africa, I choose you!
Johannesburg, South Africa (01 July 2026) – Did you know that there’s a World Championship for Pokémon? This year, a proud 14-year-old, Jordyn Barrett, has been invited to represent South Africa in San Francisco!
Competitive Pokémon is a huge global sport. Every year, the world’s best players qualify for the Pokémon World Championships. Players have to earn enough points at official tournaments throughout the season and finish among the top competitors in their region to get in.
After months of hard work at local tournaments, the talented young ‘Awesome Jordyn’ has officially qualified for the Pokémon Trading Card Game Seniors division, earning himself a place among the world’s best. Come August, he’ll be taking on top players from around the globe while proudly representing South Africa.
His mom, Lea, says Pokémon has been part of Jordyn’s life for as long as she can remember.
“I am so proud of him! He has literally been obsessed with Pokémon since he was a little kid.”
Competitive Pokémon is a strategy game. Players need to understand hundreds of different cards, build decks that work together, think several moves ahead and make quick decisions under pressure.
“This invitation is like being invited to the Olympics for a sports athlete,” as Lea puts it.
Jordyn is ready to make South Africa proud in San Francisco, but he faces a hurdle ahead.
The invitation landed with only a few weeks to prepare, and because Jordyn is just 14, he can’t make the trip to the US on his own. Flights, accommodation and tournament expenses all add up, so Lea has launched an online crowdfunding campaign, and she is appealing to local businesses that may want to sponsor Jordyn on his journey.
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“This is literally his dream,” says Lea. “Thank you for helping make my son’s dream come true.”
It would be pretty incredible to see one of South Africa’s brightest young Pokémon players make it all the way to the world stage. Let’s help Awesome Jordyn get there.
Show your support here or reach out to Lea to find out more about sponsoring Jordyn.
South Africa, I choose you!
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