Pokémon TCG Live Expanded friend battles arrive with update 1.44.0 on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. For the first time, you will be able to invite a specific friend to a match using the game’s Expanded-format card pool, rather than relying on Casual matchmaking.
There is one restriction worth checking before you build a deck with a friend: the digital Expanded format currently supports cards from Sun & Moon onward. Earlier Black & White and XY cards are not being added to that playable pool. The update also introduces an Inbox for friend requests and match invitations.
How Pokémon TCG Live Expanded friend battles work
Pokémon says that version 1.44.0 adds Expanded as an option for matches with friends. This is different from finding an opponent in Casual Expanded because you choose the person you want to play. It also doesn’t mean an Expanded Ranked ladder is launching on November 3.
Once version 1.44.0 is available, arrange the match through the game’s friend-challenge feature and choose Expanded when the updated interface offers it. Pokémon has announced the option but hasn’t published the precise button sequence, so this isn’t a verified step-by-step menu walkthrough yet.
It should be especially useful for testing a deck with someone you know: you can agree on a matchup and try an interaction again instead of queueing against random players. Just check that both decks meet TCG Live’s Expanded restrictions.
What cards work in Pokémon TCG Live Expanded friend battles?
The official announcement states that the digital format supports cards from Sun & Moon onwards. That includes subsequent eras subject to game legality rules. It doesn’t open up the whole historical format used at tabletop tournaments.
Having an older card in your collection doesn’t automatically make it legal in a TCG Live Expanded deck. This update changes who you can invite to play, not the oldest supported card era.
If an invitation won’t work with the deck you expected to use, check its format eligibility rather than assuming the friend system itself is broken. The format rules are separate from whether someone is already on your Friends List.
When can you play Pokémon TCG Live Expanded friend battles?
The feature launches with version 1.44.0 on November 3, subject to the scheduled maintenance window. Pokémon plans to take the game offline from 16:00 GMT for about four hours. That makes 20:00 GMT an estimated return, not a fixed start time for friend matches.
The November 5 Mega Evolution—Delta Reign expansion is a separate release. You don’t need that new set simply to gain the friend-challenge option. Check the maintenance times guide if you are trying to play during Tuesday’s outage.
What does the new Inbox do?
Pokémon TCG Live Expanded friend battles launch alongside a new Inbox that initially supports friend invitations and match requests. It’s intended to make those social interactions easier to find instead of letting them get lost among other notices.
The developer says it expects to add other types of messages later. It hasn’t promised in-game chat, a complete messaging system or a new tournament mode as part of this initial Inbox update. Accepting a friend request and accepting a match invitation are different actions.
Pokémon TCG Live Expanded friend battles versus Casual and Ranked
Casual Expanded remains a matchmade mode where you play an available opponent. The new direct challenge is for a specific person. Ranked Mode has its own format restrictions and rewards, so the Expanded friend option should not be mistaken for a Ranked Expanded queue.
Pokémon TCG Live Expanded friend battles give players a way to arrange practice with a specific opponent while keeping the existing digital format rules. Our 1.44.0 patch notes cover the Inbox and other features arriving alongside them.
If you’re arranging a match on November 3, make sure both players have the update and that maintenance has ended. Build for the Sun & Moon-onward card pool, then use the friend challenge option in the new client.
Official source: Pokémon TCG Live Development Team Community Letter.
