Pokémon Chronology

Where each episode, movie and special sits in the timeline

Zoroark: Master of Illusions

The thirteen movie left to it’s own scheduling interrupts Ash’s participation in the Sinnoh League competition. Ash also makes significant changes to his roster at the start of competition, signaling that this movie takes place before the competition rather than afterward.

Although these events occur in DP182, another problem is that the league takes place on Lily of the Valley Island whereas the movie features Crown City as it’s setting, which shows no sign of being on an island.

Finally, the episode in which Ash & friends board the ferry from Sunnyshore Port to the island immediately follows an episode also set in Sunnyshore, pushing the movie back one more episode.

Source: Bulbapedia