Pokémon cards are back in the Happy Meal, and this time for a milestone: the franchise's 30th anniversary. McDonald's and The Pokémon Company confirmed the collaboration on October 29, 2026, and the launch is staggered country by country. Here's the full calendar, how it works, every card (including the leaked 2027 set) and, at the end, what actually matters if you collect: are they worth hunting and keeping? With real prices, not fluff.
Note. Pokémon and McDonald's card images and promotional material belong to their respective owners (© The Pokémon Company · Nintendo · Creatures · GAME FREAK · McDonald's) and are used here for informational and reference purposes only. Some details (final lists, numbering, foil pattern and exact per-country dates) are not yet officially confirmed at the time of publishing.
When do the McDonald's Pokémon cards arrive in each country?
Only the first three markets have an exact day. For the rest, The Pokémon Company confirmed the month, not the day, so here it is as-is:
November 2026
Canada (3) · Australia (5) · USA (10) · Fiji, France, New Zealand, Spain
December 2026
~44 countries: Germany, Portugal, Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland, Turkey, Hong Kong, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar…
January 2027 · Latin America
Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Uruguay… + Italy, Israel, Philippines, Thailand
February 2027
Ireland and the United Kingdom (last in line)
UK and Ireland collectors: you're last, in February 2027. A practical side effect of this calendar: since the US and Canada go first, through November and December you'll see inflated import prices on eBay. Don't rush to overpay importing. Either buy sealed to grade, or wait for your local launch.
What's inside each Happy Meal, and how it works
Every Happy Meal has three things:
- A pack with 2 random cards, from a set of 15.
- One of 15 toys: mini Happy-Meal boxes shaped like Pokémon (Pikachu, Rowlet, Sprigatito, Eevee, Umbreon, Sobble and more), each with an extendable keyring to clip to a backpack.
- A QR code that unlocks a digital Pokémon mini-game.
The box itself comes in three designs to pick from: Pikachu, Umbreon and Torchic. Completionists will want the whole thing, box included.
The cards: the 2026 set (and the leaked 2027 one)
There's a mix-up worth clearing up, because a lot of outlets conflated it. It isn't two sets at once: it's two different years.
2026 set (code M26), the one arriving now. 15 cards, 7 of them holo:
Pikachu, Decidueye, Jirachi, Tyranitar, Mimikyu, Absol, Hawlucha, Palafin, Lucario, Snorlax, Eevee, Metagross, Chandelure, Wooloo and Zoroark.
2027 set (code M27), leaked by mistake. The Pokémon Company briefly posted the wrong list on its site, matching next year's set, with several cards not even released in English yet. An unintentional preview of what's coming in 2027:
Bulbasaur, Rowlet, Sprigatito, Charmander, Torchic, a new Squirtle, Piplup, Pikachu, Raichu, Clefairy, Slowpoke, Marill, Gengar, Eevee and Snorlax.
One honesty note: the official per-card numbering and foil pattern weren't fully published at the time of writing. If you're chasing a specific card, confirm its number in McDonald's official material before you go hunting.
The 15 cards of the 2026 set (M26)
Shown is the official artwork of the cards the 2026 set reprints. The McDonald's-framed version (M26 numbering and foil) hasn't been released yet and is subject to official confirmation. Images: © The Pokémon Company · Nintendo · Creatures · GAME FREAK.
The 15 leaked cards of 2027 (M27)
This is the 2027 set The Pokémon Company posted by mistake. It is not confirmed as 2026 content and may change. Images: © The Pokémon Company · Nintendo · Creatures · GAME FREAK.
Are they a good investment? The 2021 data, unvarnished
This is the real question, and the short answer is: as a pure investment, no. They're huge-print promos, made so millions of kids can open a box. Supply is enormous, so a loose single's price collapses within weeks and stays low.
The ones that have held value best are the 2017 to 2019 holos: on TCGPlayer the 2018 Pikachu sits around $41, the 2019 one around $38 and the 2018 Eevee around $43, above the 25th Anniversary set (2021), which is still the obligatory benchmark. Even so, take the card that tells the whole story, Pikachu #25, and follow the jump by finish and grading:
McDonald's Pikachu (2021): where the value is
TCGPlayer price (Near Mint) by finish. The graded PSA 10 does not come from TCGPlayer: it's a reference sale, and volatile.
The same card: $3.56 loose, $24.70 in holo, and the real jump only shows up when you grade it gem mint. That, and only that, is where the margin is.
The detail, card by card, with today's prices:
Pikachu #25
Holo · McDonald's 2021
At publish
$24.70
Bulbasaur #1
Holo · McDonald's 2021
At publish
$6.71
Charmander #9
Holo · McDonald's 2021
At publish
$5.15
Pikachu #25
Non-holo · McDonald's 2021
At publish
$3.56
Bulbasaur #1
Non-holo · McDonald's 2021
At publish
$1.15
Charmander #9
Non-holo · McDonald's 2021
At publish
$0.77
| Card / Rarity | At publish ↓ | Source |
|---|---|---|
Pikachu #25 Holo · McDonald's 2021 | $24.70 | TCGPlayer ↗ |
Bulbasaur #1 Holo · McDonald's 2021 | $6.71 | TCGPlayer ↗ |
Charmander #9 Holo · McDonald's 2021 | $5.15 | TCGPlayer ↗ |
Pikachu #25 Non-holo · McDonald's 2021 | $3.56 | TCGPlayer ↗ |
Bulbasaur #1 Non-holo · McDonald's 2021 | $1.15 | TCGPlayer ↗ |
Charmander #9 Non-holo · McDonald's 2021 | $0.77 | TCGPlayer ↗ |
TCGPlayer prices at the time of writing (Oct 30, 2026); tap "TCGPlayer ↗" for the listing. Card images: © The Pokémon Company · Nintendo · Creatures · GAME FREAK.
The holos of beloved characters (Pikachu, Charmander, Bulbasaur) hold between $5 and $25. The normals are worth pennies. And the only real jump appears when you grade the star card PSA 10: the Pikachu #25 holo in gem mint has had reference sales of roughly $125 to $200 outside TCGPlayer, very volatile. In later editions (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025) almost everything stayed at pennies; the exception is each year's holo Pikachu, worth a few dollars (the 2023 one sits around $10 on TCGPlayer).
Translated into an honest 2026/2027 strategy:
- Loose raw cards: buy them for fun, not to resell. They won't appreciate.
- The only things worth "keeping": a sealed complete set of the 15, and the iconic holos (Pikachu, Eevee, Gengar, Snorlax, Charmander) graded PSA 10, bought cheap at launch. Modest upside, more nostalgia than business.
- The best real return isn't measured in dollars: opening boxes, completing the set, gifting them to someone just starting out. That's where this promo wins.
A practical guide (so you don't lose, or overpay)
- Complete, don't hoard. In 2021 people bought ten Happy Meals at a time just for the cards, and that caused a huge backlash among families who just wanted one. Buy what you'll enjoy.
- If you're going to speculate, do it cheap and well. Keep a couple of sealed packs and the Pikachu or Eevee holos in pristine condition. If one comes out centered and perfect, consider grading it. It's the only play with any runway.
- Import math. Since the US and Canada go first, buying on eBay in November–December means paying the launch premium. Not worth it unless you want to grade something specific right away.
- Keep the box. The three designs (Pikachu, Umbreon, Torchic) are part of the collectible. A sealed, clean box adds to the set.
In short
One of the most beloved promos is back, for the 30th anniversary, with a calendar that circles the globe from November 2026 to February 2027. These are cards to enjoy and collect, not to retire on. Keep what's sealed, mind the iconic holos, and if you're in the UK, mark February 2027. I see them for what they are: an accessible piece of nostalgia, with a couple of pieces that, well cared for, can pay off over the long run.