The 2024 World Championships, which will be held on 16–18 August 2024, are hosted in Honolulu, HI, United States. This is the third time the World Championships are held in Hawaii, after the 2010 and 2012 editions; and the first time they are held in the United States since 2019. In these articles, we will take a look at the best players that are qualified to compete in the biggest event of the year.
Here we have Asia! Or at least the rest of Asia, as Japan and Korea have their own articles. Let’s meet the 14 players with a Round 1 bye at Worlds, and take a look at the other 42 invitees this region brings.
Table of Contents
Asia at Worlds
Even though we are grouping several regions of Asia together, the reality is that each of them here is playing under a different circuit, and even governed by different branches of The Pokémon Company. Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand had historically been part of TPCi’s Oceania region until the TPC takeover in 2020. These regions, though under the TPC umbrella, are managed by their own local organizations, sometimes grouped by language: English, Chinese and Thai.
Among the best results by Asian players we can find the top 16 finishes achieved by Hong Kong native Edward Cheung Ka Hin in 2016 and by Singaporean Melvin Keh in 2018 and 2019. The greatest success came in the Junior Division, as Taiwanese Wu Pi won the 2019 World Championships! In any case, historically, it has been the least successful of all current regions.
In last year’s Worlds, and with just one win away from top cut, Melvin and Taiwanese Yang Da-wei were the closest Asians to make it. It has been many years already since Asia’s last success! Will they improve their poor results from the last few years and finally make it to top 8?
Requirements for a Worlds invite
As stated above, each region within Asia has their own circuit. However, there have been noticeable efforts to make it equal for everyone… at the expense of Taiwan, which used to have Regionals under TPC. This season, every Asian region got some official side events at the TCG Regional Leagues, but none of them counted towards a Worlds invite. The Global Challenge III was used as a qualifier for everyone’s regions, and the best-placing players in that online competition made it to the different live National Championships: Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.
For almost every region, the top 8 players at their National Championships would secure an invite, while the top 2 would get a Round 1 bye and a Travel Award. The exception to this was Taiwan, since their circuit is more developed: the top 16 players would earn the invite, with the top 4 getting the Round 1 bye and Travel Award.
On the one hand, all Asian Nationals were played with OTS (open teamsheets) including the Natures, so players from here need to adapt to miss that data. On the other hand, they have an easier way in the tournament as Worlds will not be a single-elimination bracket with no Swiss rounds, like their Nationals.
As all Asian regions are getting more uniform formats amongst them, the path forward should be that TPC and TPCi’s ways meet at some point. In the meantime, we see a notable increase in qualified players compared to the 2023 World Championships: from 24 players last season to a total of 56 this time, more than double the numbers!
Players with Round 1 bye
Chaiyawat will play in his third World Championships! He had already played in Day 1 in 2016 and in Day 2 in 2022, where he finished in the top 32 just one win away from top cut.
Chaiyawat, also known as Nontaro, has achieved the invite with his victory at the Thailand National Championships. He qualified through the Global Challenge III and went on to win his second National title, as he had already won it back in 2022.
Aside from the official circuit, Chaiyawat has been a member of Team Thailand at the World Cup since 2021. Last year, as reigning champions, they made it to top 16 until being eventually defeated by runners-up Argentina.
Watch Narawitch will play in his second World Championships! His only previous appearance was in Day 1 of 2022, when he was the finalist at Thailand’s first-ever National.
Narawitch, also known as MyStars, earned his invite by placing 2nd at the Thailand National Championships for the second time. He qualified through the Global Challenge III and only lost in finals to Chaiyawat, in a rematch of the 2022 finals.
Aside from the official circuit, Narawitch usually plays in grassroots tournaments. At the start of the season, he reached the top 16 at the VR September Challenge, and later participated again as a member and manager of Team Thailand at the World Cup, making it to top 16.
3. 
Ervin Tan
Ervin will play in his first World Championships!
The Singaporean player has achieved the invite with his victory at the Singapore National Championships. He qualified through the Global Challenge III and went on to win his first National title, after having made it to top 8 the two previous seasons.
Aside from the official circuit, Chaiyawat has been a member of Team Thailand at the World Cup since 2021. Last year, as reigning champions, they made it to top 16 until being eventually defeated by runners-up Argentina.
4. Melvin Keh
Melvin will play in his seventh World Championships! His first one was in 2016, where he played in Day 1. From 2017 onwards, he has made it to Day 2 every season, even reaching top 16 twice, in 2018 and 2019. With a top 64 and just one win away from top cut, he was again the highest-placed South East Asian in last year’s Worlds. Arguably the best player of all time in his region, he is a 2-time National Champion, 3-time Special Event Champion and 3-time International semifinalist.
Melvin earned his invite by placing 2nd at the Singapore National Championships, after reaching the finals for the third time in a row. He qualified through the Global Challenge III and only lost in finals to Ervin.
Aside from the official circuit, Melvin took part in the World Cup as part of Team Singapore, making it to top 16.
Paul will play in his first World Championships!
The Filipino player, also known as Pong, has achieved the invite with his victory at the Philippines National Championships. He qualified through the Global Challenge III and went on to win his first National title, after a couple of years with just moderate results.
Vincent will play in his first World Championships!
This newcomer player, also known as Pishent, earned his invite by placing 2nd at the Philippines National Championships. He qualified through the Global Challenge III and only lost in finals to Paul.
Chun Yeung will play in his second World Championships! He had previously played in Day 1 of 2022, the year he had been the Hong Kong National finalist.
This player, also known as Km, has achieved the invite with his victory at the Hong Kong National Championships. He qualified through the Global Challenge III and went on to win his first National title, after getting so close two years before.
Aside from the official circuit, Chun Yeung has been a member of Team Hong Kong in the World Cup since 2022.
He has been favouring Koraidon in Regulation Set G: he used this team to win the National Championships!
Yin Fung will play in his second World Championships! He had qualified back in 2016, but did not attend, and finally competed in Day 1 of 2022.
The Hongkonger, who had reached the semifinals at both the 2016 and 2022 editions, earned his invite by placing 2nd at this year’s Hong Kong National Championships. He qualified through the Global Challenge III and only lost in finals to Chun Yeung, the same player that had eliminated him in the 2022 semifinals.
Yin Fung has been preparing for the World Championships: he recently made it to Day 2 of the Victory Road to Honolulu #1.
He has been favouring Miraidon in Regulation Set G: he used this variation of his National finalist team in the recent VR tour!
9. 
Chyr Wei
Wei will play in his second World Championships! He had previously played in 2022, when he reached top 64 just one win away from top cut.
The Taiwanese has achieved the invite with his victory at the Taiwan National Championships. He qualified through the Global Challenge III and went undefeated to win again the title that he had won two years before.
Aside from the official circuit, Wei joined Team Taiwan in the World Cup last year. The team, in their national-best performance, lost to eventual champions Argentina in top 8.
He has been favouring Zamazenta in Regulation Set G: he used this team to win the National Championships!
10. Yang Hao-hsiang
Hao-hsiang will play in his first World Championships!
This player, also known as Ayabe, earned his invite by placing 2nd at the Taiwan National Championships. He qualified through the Global Challenge III and only lost in finals to Wei.
Hao-hsiang has been favouring Shadow Rider Calyrex in Regulation Set G: he used this team to reach the National finals!
11. Tseng Yan-rong
Yan-rong will play in his first World Championships!
The 2023 Tainan Regional Champion, also known as Tony, earned his invite by finishing in the top 4 at the Taiwan National Championships. He qualified through the Global Challenge III and lost to Wei in semifinals, improving his top 8 at last year’s National.
Aside from the official circuit, Yan-rong joined Team Taiwan in the World Cup last year for a top 8 finish.
Yan-rong has been favouring Koraidon in Regulation Set G: he used this team for his top 4 finish!
12. Ku Chao-chen
Chao-chen will play in his third World Championships! He had previously played in Day 1 at the 2016 and 2023 editions.
This Taiwanese player earned his invite by finishing in the top 4 at the Taiwan National Championships. He qualified through the Global Challenge III and lost to Hao-hsiang in semifinals, reaching the same result as in last year’s National but this time with better rewards in the coveted Round 1 bye and Travel Award.
Chao-chen has been favouring Terapagos in Regulation Set G: he used this team for his top 4 finish!
13. 
Gary Ng
Gary will play in his third World Championships! He had previously played in Day 1 in 2016 and 2022.
The Malaysian player, a Special Event Champion from 2018 and a finalist at the 2022 National, has achieved the invite with his victory at the Malaysia National Championships. He qualified through the Global Challenge III and went undefeated to win the title that he couldn’t get two years before.
Aside from the official circuit, Gary has been a member of Team Malaysia in the World Cup since 2021.
He has been favouring Shadow Rider Calyrex in Regulation Set G: he used this team to win the National Championships!
14. Ng Chee Woon
Chee Woon will play in his first World Championships!
This newcomer player earned their invite by placing 2nd at the Malaysia National Championships. They qualified through the Global Challenge III and only lost in finals to Gary.
Chee Woon has been favouring Zamazenta in Regulation Set G: they used this team to reach the National finals!
Other players
Asia, apart from Japan and Korea, has 42 other representatives in Worlds, some of which are big names in the scene. Watch out for 2016 Taiwan National Champion Liu Yi-an, 2016 Hong Kong National Champion Or Kei Yin, 2022 Malaysia National Champion Kevin Ngim, or 2023 Thailand National Champion Panyawut Noijan!
The following list comprises all other players with a top finish at their respective National Championships
Jong Dae-Jung (Thailand National Top 4)- Nattanon Wongwiwatchai (Thailand National Top 4)
- Nattawarn Emasiti (Thailand National Top 8)
- Nonthaphat Chotikadechanarong (Thailand National Top 8)
- Panyawut Noijan (Thailand National Top 8)
- Purivut Monchaisawat (Thailand National Top 8)
- Marcus Koh (Singapore National Top 4)
- Zach Kelly (Singapore National Top 4)
- Avester Lau (Singapore National Top 8)
- Justin Lok (Singapore National Top 8)
Xi Xiangyu (Singapore National Top 8)- Zen Soo (Singapore National Top 8)
Irwin Soriano (Philippines National Top 4)- Rap Perez (Philippines National Top 4)
- Billy Austria (Philippines National Top 8)
- Jasper Dee (Philippines National Top 8)
- Patrick Cabangin (Philippines National Top 8)
- Vince Pacleb (Philippines National Top 8)
Lai Chi Ho (Hong Kong National Top 4)- Sam Ng Tsz Sum (Hong Kong National Top 4)
- Adrian Tang (Hong Kong National Top 8)
- Chan Tsz Hung (Hong Kong National Top 8)
- Kisch Cheng (Hong Kong National Top 8)
- Or Kei Yin (Hong Kong National Top 8)
- Chiu Chih-hung (Taiwan National Top 8)
- Mak Kwan Ho (Taiwan National Top 8)
- Pai Yu-ping (Taiwan National Top 8)
- Tsai Ching-che (Taiwan National Top 8)
- Chen Chih-chun (Taiwan National Top 16)
- Hsiao Cheng-wei (Taiwan National Top 16)
- Li Nien-wei (Taiwan National Top 16)
- Liang Chih-chun (Taiwan National Top 16)
- Liu Chen-wei (Taiwan National Top 16)
- Liu Yi-an (Taiwan National Top 16)
- Liu Yi-wei (Taiwan National Top 16)
- Wang Meng-wei (Taiwan National Top 16)
- Abied Ariffin (Malaysia National Top 4)
- Brandon Chia (Malaysia National Top 4)
- Choo Kok Wui (Malaysia National Top 8)
- Jamie Tan (Malaysia National Top 8)
Jasdil Deo (Malaysia National Top 8)- Kevin Ngim (Malaysia National Top 8)
