The Pokémon Trading Card Game marks 30 years with 30th Celebration, a special expansion that launches worldwide on September 16, 2026. Instead of dropping everything at once, the products arrive across four dates through early November, so knowing what lands when helps you plan preorders and avoid missing a specific box.
Quick answer: The first six products release September 16, 2026, followed by three products on October 2, the two Battle Decks on October 30, and the Ditto Premium Collection, Mew & Mewtwo Figure Collections, and Day & Night Ultra-Premium Collections on November 6.
How 30th Celebration booster packs work
30th Celebration is a special set, so its booster packs are never sold on their own. Every pack comes tucked inside a larger product. Each pack holds five foil cards, and one of those is always one of 30 unique Pikachu illustrations. You also get one foil Basic Energy card and one code card for Pokémon TCG Live.
The expansion runs to more than 160 cards. It brings back 30 Classic Collection reprints of famous older cards, adds Illustration Rare and Special Illustration Rare cards, and introduces a new Futuristic Rare rarity with artwork by YOSHIROTTEN. The Classic Collection cards appear as rare chase pulls, with a guaranteed three-card Classic Collection pack included in each Ultra-Premium Collection.
Note: Preorders were not open at the time these products were revealed. Based on recent releases, Pokémon Center listings tend to open about a month before the launch date. You can watch for stock on the Pokémon Center trading card game store.
Full 30th Celebration release schedule
| Release date | Products |
|---|---|
| September 16, 2026 | Elite Trainer Box, Pokémon Center Elite Trainer Box, Sylveon ex & Greninja ex Boxes, Poster Collection, 2-Pack Blister, Tech Sticker Collections, Knock Out Collection |
| October 2, 2026 | Mini Tins, Booster Bundle, Binder Collection |
| October 30, 2026 | Espeon ex & Umbreon ex Battle Decks |
| November 6, 2026 | Ditto Premium Collection, Mew & Mewtwo Figure Collections, Day & Night Ultra-Premium Collections |
September 16 products and contents
The launch day carries the widest spread of products, from the flagship Elite Trainer Box down to the single-promo blister. Each one includes a set number of 30th Celebration packs alongside its exclusive promo.
| Product | Booster packs | Key contents |
|---|---|---|
| Elite Trainer Box | 9 | Full-art Nidorina promo, 65 sleeves, 16 foil Basic Energy, dice, coin, 6 dividers, player’s guide |
| Pokémon Center Elite Trainer Box | 11 | Two Nidorina promos, one stamped with the Pokémon Center logo, plus standard ETB accessories |
| Poster Collection | 3 | Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres promos, plus a two-sided poster of expansion cards |
| Pokémon ex Box (Sylveon ex or Greninja ex) | 4 | One standard promo and one oversize promo of the chosen Pokémon |
| Tech Sticker Collection (Alolan Exeggutor or Lucario) | 3 | Foil promo and matching sticker sheet |
| Knock Out Collection | 2 | Foil Eevee promo and a commemorative coin |
| 2-Pack Blister | 2 | Foil Eevee promo and a coin |
The Nidorina promo is a deliberate nod to the anniversary. Nidorina sits at number 30 in the National Pokédex, which lines up with 30 years of the franchise. The Eevee card in the Knock Out Collection and blister is a foil version of a card from the main set list rather than a black star promo.
October 2 products and contents
| Product | Booster packs | Key contents |
|---|---|---|
| Booster Bundle | 6 | Six packs and nothing else, the simplest way to open the set |
| Binder Collection | 5 | A 9-pocket portfolio with a 30th anniversary design |
| Mini Tins | 2 per tin | Sticker sheet and a matching art card; ten tins in total |
The Mini Tins split into day and night themes. Collecting all ten forms two combined images, and the Unown art cards line up to spell “ANNIVERSARY.” The day tins feature Espeon, Pikachu, Mew, Lapras, and Moltres, while the night tins feature Zapdos, Umbreon, Mewtwo, Pikachu, and Greninja.
October 30: Espeon ex and Umbreon ex Battle Decks
Two ready-to-play decks arrive at the end of October, each built around one Eeveelution. Both are all-foil, 60-card decks and come with a deck box, coin, and playmat.
- The Espeon ex deck includes an illustration rare-style Victini.
- The Umbreon ex deck includes an illustration rare-style Zeraora.
November 6 products and contents
The final wave includes the largest and most premium items, headlined by the Day & Night Ultra-Premium Collections. These are the only products that guarantee a Classic Collection booster pack.
| Product | Booster packs | Key contents |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra-Premium Collection (Day or Night) | 29 + 1 Classic Collection pack | Pikachu ex with Espeon ex (day) or Pikachu ex with Umbreon ex (night), plus playmat, sleeves, deck box, and accessories |
| Ditto Premium Collection | 8 | Ditto promo and a colorful acrylic display |
| Figure Collection (Mew or Mewtwo) | 5 | Sculpted figure, foil promo, and an oversize card of the chosen Pokémon |
The Classic Collection booster pack in each Ultra-Premium Collection holds three cards from the set’s reprint lineup. This is the first time an English set has used this style of guaranteed reprint pack, which gives buyers a reliable path to those chase cards.
Because 30th Celebration is a special set, it does not come in traditional Booster Boxes, so the Booster Bundle and Elite Trainer Box are the most pack-heavy ways to open it outside the Ultra-Premium Collections. It is also the first Pokémon TCG set to get a simultaneous global launch, which is likely to keep demand high across every one of these release dates.
