China Only Gets 1 Pokemon TCG Release This Summer

The year 2026 is going to be a very busy one for Pokemon fans globally. Numerous sets have already been released or will be released shortly. There’s also the 30th anniversary bonanza to kick off in September of this year. Fans of Chinese Pokemon TCG have a fairly quiet summer ahead, with just ONE set being added to store shelves. 

A Quiet Summer For Chinese Pokemon TCG

It is not entirely surprising to see China go through a “calmer” release cycle during the summer of 2026. The recent release of Terastal Gathering is still fresh in people’s minds. It is a very good set, similar to Prismatic Evolutions (EN) and Terastal Festival (JP), with a new exclusive card added to the mix.

With that release happening in June, the release window for July and August looks fairly empty. So far, only one set has been announced: Chasing Glory Together. That set will hit stores starting July 16, 2026, with a variety of products. Expect normal and jumbo booster boxes, a new Team Rocket briefcase, etc.

Besides Chasing Glory Together, there is nothing planned for Chinese Pokemon TCG until the 30th Anniversary set. Unlike normal sets, the 30th Anniversary offering launches globally on the same date: September 16, 2026. That means there will be 2 months between Chasing Glory Together and the next set.

However, like always, there will likely be some summer-themed offerings. Think gift boxes, special edition boxes, collection boxes, and so forth. There is plenty of Chinese Pokemon TCG goodness to go around this summer if you want EVERYTHING. However, many people may want to save up funds for the September release (and at least one more, if not 2, coming after it).  

Chasing Glory Together Hype Builds

Even though there is only one Chinese Pokemon TCG set on the radar, it is a significant one. Chasing Glory Together is similar to Destinated Rivals, with some twists and additions. The main selling point is the Chinese-exclusive Brock SAR, which can be found in every 18-24 booster boxes. Not great odds, but given the lower price point of Chinese Pokemon TCG boxes, picking up 2 or 3 isn’t super expensive.

When buying a booster box for Chasing Glory Together, try to ensure you get a JUMBO box. The normal slim boxes can still contain a SAR too, but they have lower seeding rates. Jumbo booster boxes, on the other hand, guarantee at least 1 SAR per box. It may not be the Brock one, but odds definitely increase when going Jumbo. 

To be more specific, a Jumbo booster box offers the following pull rates:

• 1-2 Secret Rates
• 5-6 Art Rares
• 1 SAR

That doesn’t mean you can’t have fun ripping a normal booster box. Odds are you will still see at least 1 Art Rare, if not more. However, the guaranteed seeding odds are favorable, and price differences for a Jumbo box are usually not that big. 

Acquiring Chinese Pokemon TCG Boxes

For anyone living outside of China, acquiring booster boxes can be a tad  tricky. Supply lines between China and the rest of the world exist, but they often pass through at least 1 middleman. That results in a hefty price hike, which will always fall on the customer to cover. Even so, these booster boxes should fall within most people’s budget once they become available.

Things are a bit different when it comes to the Chasing Glory Together Briefcase. As explained in this Youtube video, it is a fantastic item. The inclusion of a full jumbo booster box is definitely a plus. However, high base cost, combined with high shipping and import duty, will make this one troublesome to acquire at an acceptable price.

If this briefcase follows its Japanese counterpart price-wise, paying $400-500 is not unusual. Even years after release, that will likely remain the price. This is one item set that rarely comes down in value. Even when it does, it may not be more than a 5% difference. 

For collectors, the best advice is to exert patience. Chinese Pokemon TCG products will usually hit the Western world 3-4 weeks after release. The first product wave might be a bit on the expensive side, but waiting an extra week or two may result in more stable price points. There is no point in rushing when it comes to Chinese TCG products, unless you want to overpay for what you get. 

Collector’s Tips For Completing The Set

It is important to acknowledge one does not NEED to complete every Pokemon card set. That applies especially to the Chinese Pokemon TCG products. Chasing Glory Together is a hefty set, spanning around 280 cards. A Jumbo booster box has 6 packs of 20 cards, which isn’t even half the set, assuming no duplicates are pulled. A slim booster box will likely have 75 cards. 

Completing this particular set will require at least 2.5 – 3 Jumbo booster boxes. Depending on the price, that may seem doable, but duplication rates can be fairly high. This video shows how unlucky I got with a set I was missing half of the cards from, yet only added a handful of cards from box #2. 

If there are specific cards you are missing – regardless of quality – try picking them up as singles. Ripping cards is a ton of fun, but unnecessarily spending money on more Chinese Pokemon TCG things isn’t helpful. Moreover, there are still excellent sets coming out in the second half of 2026. Financial decisions will need to be made to balance everything.