2025 Pokémon Worlds VGC Champion Kevin Han Achieves Historic First

Pokémon World Championships competitor Kevin Han just won the 2025 Video Game Seniors World Champion title in Anaheim, CA, making him the first to win the VGC Pokémon World Championships in both the Junior and Senior age divisions. To make this achievement even more impressive, Han took these titles back-to-back, and this year, with a completely undefeated record.

Sponsored

“I have no words to describe it. It’s an unreal feeling, I still can’t believe it,” Han said after being asked about his unprecedented achievement.

Han, a 12-year-old from Pennsylvania, US, faced Sian Lee from South Korea in the Senior division finals. Last year, Han was defeated only twice during his climb to the Junior Championship title, and one of those defeats was at the hands of Lee, making this finals match-up especially nerve-racking.

Before the match, Han’s brother, Chris Han, was asked about how Kevin Han was feeling.
“I can tell you one thing, he’s super nervous… but Kevin’s got this,” Chris Han said. “I don’t have any words of advice, just trust your gut Kevin–you know exactly what to do.”

Chris Han’s faith in his brother rang true, as Kevin Han won 2-0.

“I think after turn one of each game, where I got my positioning up, I think I felt a lot better,” Kevin Han said. “Sometimes if you’re too nervous it can hurt you, but, in my opinion, having at least a little bit of nerves can help you a lot.”

Kevin Han secured his victory in the second match with a Double K.O. with his Ice Rider Calyrex’s Glacial Lance, super effective on Lee’s Rillaboom and just powerful enough to finish off the previously-damaged Zamazenta.

Ray Rizzo is the only previous Pokémon competitor to have won the VGC Championship in two divisions: the Senior division in 2010, then the Master division in 2011. This makes Kevin Han the first-ever contender with the ability to take the World Championship title in all three divisions: Juniors, Seniors, and Masters. We’ll have to wait three years before he ages into the Masters division, where he just might make history yet again.

Kevin Han’s win isn’t the only historical first at this year’s Pokémon World Championships. This is also the first ever time Championship Sunday was held in a dedicated arena rather than on the stage on the convention center floor.

Casey DeFreitas is a deputy editor on the guides team at IGN and this year is the second time she’s covered the Pokémon World Championships in Anaheim, CA. Catch her on socials @ShinyCaseyD.