This Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 event guide covers everything announced for the huge August celebration, including event dates, PokémonXP, wild spawns, raids, Shiny Pokémon, featured attacks, GO Battle League bonuses, the special GO Pass, Twitch rewards and two new costumed Pikachu.
The celebration is split into two connected in-game events. PokémonXP runs first from August 25 to August 28, before the Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 event begins immediately afterwards and continues through August 30.
The actual 2026 Pokémon World Championships also take place in San Francisco, California, from August 28 to 30, with the top qualifying Pokémon GO players competing for the world title.
Pokémon GO World Championships 2026
PokémonXP runs August 25–28. The 2026 Pokémon World Championships event runs August 28–30.
Important Dates & Stream Times
Event Bonuses
- Maximum GO Battle League sets per day increase from five to 15, for up to 75 battles.
- Pokémon encountered via GO Battle League rewards have a wider variance of Attack, Defense and HP.
- Tier 1 GO Pass milestone at Rank 10: 2× Stardust for catching Pokémon.
- Tier 2 GO Pass milestone at Rank 20: an additional 3,000 XP from raids.
- GO Pass Deluxe Rank 20 bonus: receive up to two additional free Raid Passes from spinning Gym Photo Discs.
Wild Encounters
Ralts
Numel
Spheal
Drifloon
Elgyem
Sobble
Pawmi
Deino
Alolan Sandshrew
Mankey
Lickitung
Totodile
Wooper
Foongus
Froakie
Litten
Togetic
Beldum
Event Raids
| Pokémon | Phase | Raid | Shiny | Tracker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit | PokémonXP | One-Star | Yes | |
| Impidimp | PokémonXP | One-Star | Yes | |
| Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit | 2026 World Championships | One-Star | Yes | |
| World Championships 2026 Pikachu | 2026 World Championships | One-Star | Yes | |
| Honedge | 2026 World Championships | One-Star | Yes |
Featured Attacks Checklist
| Pokémon | Featured attack | Type | PvP | Raids | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alolan Sandslash | Shadow Claw | Fast Attack | High | Low | |
| Primeape | Rage Fist | Charged Attack | High | Low | |
| Lickitung | Body Slam | Charged Attack | High | Low | |
| Feraligatr | Hydro Cannon | Charged Attack | High | Medium | |
| Quagsire | Aqua Tail | Charged Attack | High | Low | |
| Gardevoir | Synchronoise | Charged Attack | Situational | Low | |
| Walrein | Powder Snow | Fast Attack | High | Low | |
| Walrein | Icicle Spear | Charged Attack | High | Low | |
| Metagross | Meteor Mash | Charged Attack | High | High | |
| Lickilicky | Body Slam | Charged Attack | High | Low | |
| Togekiss | Aura Sphere | Charged Attack | Situational | Medium | |
| Gallade | Synchronoise | Charged Attack | Situational | Low | |
| Hydreigon | Brutal Swing | Charged Attack | Situational | High | |
| Greninja | Hydro Cannon | Charged Attack | High | Medium | |
| Decidueye | Frenzy Plant | Charged Attack | Medium | Medium | |
| Incineroar | Blast Burn | Charged Attack | Medium | Medium | |
| Inteleon | Hydro Cannon | Charged Attack | Medium | Medium | |
| Corviknight | Air Cutter | Charged Attack | Situational | Low | |
| Annihilape | Rage Fist | Charged Attack | High | Low |
Watch & Earn Rewards
Team Building: Great League Bonus Timed Research
2025 World Champion's Timed Research
Greetings from San Francisco! Bonus Timed Research
PokémonXP Timed Research
2026 Worlds Tee (Green)
Timed Research
Team Building: Great League Bonus Timed Research
2025 World Champion's Timed Research
Greetings from San Francisco! Bonus Timed Research
PokémonXP Timed Research
GO Pass: PokémonXP & 2026 Worlds
Unlimited GO Points: August 29 at 12:00 a.m. to August 30 at 7:59 p.m. local time. Earn points until: August 30 at 8:00 p.m. local time.
Headline rewards
- Encounters with event-themed Pokémon
- Deluxe: 2026 Worlds/PokémonXP Backpack
- Deluxe: encounter with Zapdos that can have a wider IV variance
- Deluxe: additional event-themed Pokémon encounters
Major milestones
Costumed Pokémon
Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit
World Championships 2026 Pikachu
Avatar Items & Stickers
Avatar Items
- 2026 Worlds Tee (Green) — code displayed during the World Championships stream
- PokémonXP & 2026 Worlds Backpack — available through GO Pass Deluxe and in the shop after the event
- World Champion 2026 outfit — awarded to the 2026 Pokémon GO World Champion
Event Stickers
Worlds 2026 Guide Directory
Event Guides
Battle League
Twitch & Research
GO Pass
Pokémon Guides
Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 Event Guide Dates
One of the most important things to know from this Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 event guide is that the celebration has two separate encounter periods.
| Event | Start | End |
|---|---|---|
| PokémonXP | August 25 at 10:00 a.m. local time | August 28 at 10:00 a.m. local time |
| Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 | August 28 at 10:00 a.m. local time | August 30 at 8:00 p.m. local time |
| World Championships competition | August 28 | August 30 |
| GO Battle League Worlds arena | August 24 at 12:00 p.m. PDT | August 30 at 11:59 p.m. PDT |
| Unlimited GO Points | August 29 at 12:00 a.m. local time | August 30 at 7:59 p.m. local time |
| GO Pass reward deadline | Until September 1 | 7:59 p.m. local time |
The wild encounters and raid bosses change when PokémonXP ends at 10:00 a.m. local time on August 28.
Important Dates & Stream Times
Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 Event Guide Bonuses
The Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 event guide includes several bonuses focused heavily on GO Battle League.
The maximum number of GO Battle League sets that can be played each day will increase from five to 15.
That allows Trainers to complete up to 75 battles in a day.
Pokémon encountered through GO Battle League rewards will also have a wider variance of Attack, Defense and HP.
A special World Championships battle arena and different background music will appear in GO Battle League between August 24 at 12:00 p.m. PDT and August 30 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
New Costumed Pikachu
Two new costumed Pikachu make their Pokémon GO debut during the celebration.
| Pokémon | Shiny Available |
|---|---|
| Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit | Yes |
| World Championships 2026 Pikachu | Yes |
Both can potentially be encountered in their Shiny forms.
Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit becomes available during PokémonXP and remains available during the World Championships portion of the event.
World Championships 2026 Pikachu becomes available when the main event begins on August 28.
Costumed Pokémon
Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit
World Championships 2026 Pikachu
PokémonXP Wild Spawns
Before the main World Championships portion begins, PokémonXP has its own wild encounter pool.
The following Pokémon will appear more frequently from August 25 at 10:00 a.m. until August 28 at 10:00 a.m. local time.
| Pokémon | Shiny Available |
|---|---|
| Ralts | Yes |
| Numel | Yes |
| Spheal | Yes |
| Drifloon | Yes |
| Elgyem | Yes |
| Sobble | Yes |
| Pawmi | Yes |
Deino will also appear as a less common wild encounter and can potentially be Shiny.
Several of these Pokémon connect directly to featured attacks available during the wider event.
Ralts can lead to Gardevoir or Gallade with Synchronoise, Spheal can become Walrein with Powder Snow and Icicle Spear, Sobble can become Inteleon with Hydro Cannon and Deino can become Hydreigon with Brutal Swing.
Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 Event Guide – Wild Spawns
The wild encounter pool changes at 10:00 a.m. local time on August 28.
The following Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 wild spawns will then appear more frequently.
| Pokémon | Shiny Available |
|---|---|
| Alolan Sandshrew | Yes |
| Mankey | Yes |
| Lickitung | Yes |
| Totodile | Yes |
| Wooper | Yes |
| Foongus | Yes |
| Froakie | Yes |
| Litten | Yes |
Togetic and Beldum will also appear as less common encounters.
Both can potentially be Shiny.
Wild Encounters
Ralts
Numel
Spheal
Drifloon
Elgyem
Sobble
Pawmi
Deino
Alolan Sandshrew
Mankey
Lickitung
Totodile
Wooper
Foongus
Froakie
Litten
Togetic
Beldum
Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 Event Guide – PokémonXP Raids
Two Pokémon will appear in one-star raids during PokémonXP.
| Pokémon | Tier | Shiny Available |
|---|---|---|
| Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit | One-Star | Yes |
| Impidimp | One-Star | Yes |
This raid pool remains active until August 28 at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 Raids
The raid pool changes when the World Championships portion begins.
| Pokémon | Tier | Shiny Available |
|---|---|---|
| Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit | One-Star | Yes |
| World Championships 2026 Pikachu | One-Star | Yes |
| Honedge | One-Star | Yes |
All of the announced event raid bosses can potentially be Shiny.
Event Raids
| Pokémon | Phase | Raid | Shiny | Tracker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit | PokémonXP | One-Star | Yes | |
| Impidimp | PokémonXP | One-Star | Yes | |
| Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit | 2026 World Championships | One-Star | Yes | |
| World Championships 2026 Pikachu | 2026 World Championships | One-Star | Yes | |
| Honedge | 2026 World Championships | One-Star | Yes |
Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 Featured Attacks
A major part of this Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 event guide is the unusually large list of featured attacks.
Certain Pokémon caught or evolved during the event will know special attacks.
| Pokémon | Featured Attack |
|---|---|
| Alolan Sandslash | Shadow Claw |
| Primeape | Rage Fist |
| Lickitung | Body Slam |
| Feraligatr | Hydro Cannon |
| Quagsire | Aqua Tail |
| Gardevoir | Synchronoise |
| Walrein | Powder Snow |
| Walrein | Icicle Spear |
| Metagross | Meteor Mash |
| Lickilicky | Body Slam |
| Togekiss | Aura Sphere |
| Gallade | Synchronoise |
| Hydreigon | Brutal Swing |
| Greninja | Hydro Cannon |
| Decidueye | Frenzy Plant |
| Incineroar | Blast Burn |
| Inteleon | Hydro Cannon |
| Corviknight | Air Cutter |
| Annihilape | Rage Fist |
Many of the required Pokémon also appear more frequently during PokémonXP or the World Championships event, making it easier to collect Candy and find suitable evolution candidates.
Featured Attacks Checklist
| Pokémon | Featured attack | Type | PvP | Raids | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alolan Sandslash | Shadow Claw | Fast Attack | High | Low | |
| Primeape | Rage Fist | Charged Attack | High | Low | |
| Lickitung | Body Slam | Charged Attack | High | Low | |
| Feraligatr | Hydro Cannon | Charged Attack | High | Medium | |
| Quagsire | Aqua Tail | Charged Attack | High | Low | |
| Gardevoir | Synchronoise | Charged Attack | Situational | Low | |
| Walrein | Powder Snow | Fast Attack | High | Low | |
| Walrein | Icicle Spear | Charged Attack | High | Low | |
| Metagross | Meteor Mash | Charged Attack | High | High | |
| Lickilicky | Body Slam | Charged Attack | High | Low | |
| Togekiss | Aura Sphere | Charged Attack | Situational | Medium | |
| Gallade | Synchronoise | Charged Attack | Situational | Low | |
| Hydreigon | Brutal Swing | Charged Attack | Situational | High | |
| Greninja | Hydro Cannon | Charged Attack | High | Medium | |
| Decidueye | Frenzy Plant | Charged Attack | Medium | Medium | |
| Incineroar | Blast Burn | Charged Attack | Medium | Medium | |
| Inteleon | Hydro Cannon | Charged Attack | Medium | Medium | |
| Corviknight | Air Cutter | Charged Attack | Situational | Low | |
| Annihilape | Rage Fist | Charged Attack | High | Low |
Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 Field Research
Event-themed Field Research will be available during the celebration.
Completing Field Research tasks will provide encounters with event-themed Pokémon.
Eligible encounters can potentially be Shiny.
The complete Field Research task list and individual rewards have not yet been announced and can be added to this Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 event guide once they become available.
PokémonXP and 2026 Worlds GO Pass
Trainers will automatically receive GO Pass: PokémonXP & 2026 Worlds on August 25 at 10:00 a.m. local time.
The free progression track allows Trainers to collect GO Points and increase their rank to unlock rewards.
GO Points can be earned until August 30 at 8:00 p.m. local time.
A paid GO Pass Deluxe upgrade will cost US$4.99 or the equivalent regional pricing tier.
GO Pass Deluxe + 6 Ranks will cost US$6.99 and provides enough GO Points to automatically reach Rank 7.
Confirmed Deluxe rewards include:
- 2026 Worlds/PokémonXP Backpack
- An encounter with Zapdos
- Additional event-themed Pokémon encounters
- Additional rewards throughout the Pass
Zapdos obtained through the GO Pass can potentially be Shiny and will have a wider variance of Attack, Defense and HP.
GO Pass: PokémonXP & 2026 Worlds
Unlimited GO Points: August 29 at 12:00 a.m. to August 30 at 7:59 p.m. local time. Earn points until: August 30 at 8:00 p.m. local time.
Headline rewards
- Encounters with event-themed Pokémon
- Deluxe: 2026 Worlds/PokémonXP Backpack
- Deluxe: encounter with Zapdos that can have a wider IV variance
- Deluxe: additional event-themed Pokémon encounters
Major milestones
GO Pass Major Milestone Bonuses
The GO Pass also includes bonuses at specific ranks.
| Rank | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Rank 10 | 2× Stardust for catching Pokémon |
| Rank 20 | Additional 3,000 XP from raids |
| Rank 20 with Deluxe | Up to two additional free Raid Passes from spinning Gym Photo Discs |
There will be no daily limit on GO Points between August 29 at 12:00 a.m. and August 30 at 7:59 p.m. local time.
Unlocked rewards expire on September 1 at 7:59 p.m. local time.
Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 Twitch Rewards
The World Championships broadcasts also include several Pokémon GO rewards.
| Reward | Watch Requirement |
|---|---|
| Team Building: Great League Bonus Timed Research | 30 minutes |
| 2025 World Champion’s Timed Research | 60 minutes |
| Greetings from San Francisco Bonus Timed Research | 45 minutes |
| PokémonXP Timed Research | 30 minutes |
| Green 2026 Worlds Tee | Code shown during broadcast |
The Team Building research features branches based around Lickitung, Totodile and Paldean Wooper.
The 2025 World Champion’s Timed Research features an encounter with the same Tinkaton used by 2025 World Champion Beezleboy, complete with a unique Special Background.
The research also includes an Elite Charged TM.
Greetings from San Francisco Timed Research provides an encounter with World Championships 2026 Pikachu.
The PokémonXP Timed Research provides an encounter with Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit.
Watch & Earn Rewards
Team Building: Great League Bonus Timed Research
2025 World Champion's Timed Research
Greetings from San Francisco! Bonus Timed Research
PokémonXP Timed Research
2026 Worlds Tee (Green)
Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 Stream Schedule
The Pokémon GO World Championships broadcast begins at 9:00 a.m. PDT each day from August 28 to August 30.
| Day | Channel |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Pokémon GO Twitch channel |
| Day 2 | Pokémon GO Twitch channel |
| Day 3 | Pokémon Twitch channel |
The PokémonXP Celebrating 10 Years of Pokémon GO panel takes place on Saturday, August 29 and will be broadcast on the PokémonXP Twitch channel.
2026 Worlds Tee Code
A code for the green 2026 Worlds Tee avatar item will be displayed during the World Championships broadcast.
The code will be available globally.
PokémonXP and 2026 Worlds Backpack
The PokémonXP and 2026 Worlds Backpack will be available as a reward for GO Pass Deluxe holders.
The backpack will also be added to the in-game shop after the event ends.
Event stickers will also be available from PokéStops, Gifts and the in-game shop.
When Does Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 End?
The main Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 in-game event ends on Sunday, August 30 at 8:00 p.m. local time.
PokémonXP ends earlier on Friday, August 28 at 10:00 a.m. local time.
The GO Pass reward claim period remains open until Tuesday, September 1 at 7:59 p.m. local time.
Pokémon GO World Championships 2026
PokémonXP runs August 25–28. The 2026 Pokémon World Championships event runs August 28–30.
Important Dates & Stream Times
Event Bonuses
- Maximum GO Battle League sets per day increase from five to 15, for up to 75 battles.
- Pokémon encountered via GO Battle League rewards have a wider variance of Attack, Defense and HP.
- Tier 1 GO Pass milestone at Rank 10: 2× Stardust for catching Pokémon.
- Tier 2 GO Pass milestone at Rank 20: an additional 3,000 XP from raids.
- GO Pass Deluxe Rank 20 bonus: receive up to two additional free Raid Passes from spinning Gym Photo Discs.
Wild Encounters
Ralts
Numel
Spheal
Drifloon
Elgyem
Sobble
Pawmi
Deino
Alolan Sandshrew
Mankey
Lickitung
Totodile
Wooper
Foongus
Froakie
Litten
Togetic
Beldum
Event Raids
| Pokémon | Phase | Raid | Shiny | Tracker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit | PokémonXP | One-Star | Yes | |
| Impidimp | PokémonXP | One-Star | Yes | |
| Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit | 2026 World Championships | One-Star | Yes | |
| World Championships 2026 Pikachu | 2026 World Championships | One-Star | Yes | |
| Honedge | 2026 World Championships | One-Star | Yes |
Featured Attacks Checklist
| Pokémon | Featured attack | Type | PvP | Raids | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alolan Sandslash | Shadow Claw | Fast Attack | High | Low | |
| Primeape | Rage Fist | Charged Attack | High | Low | |
| Lickitung | Body Slam | Charged Attack | High | Low | |
| Feraligatr | Hydro Cannon | Charged Attack | High | Medium | |
| Quagsire | Aqua Tail | Charged Attack | High | Low | |
| Gardevoir | Synchronoise | Charged Attack | Situational | Low | |
| Walrein | Powder Snow | Fast Attack | High | Low | |
| Walrein | Icicle Spear | Charged Attack | High | Low | |
| Metagross | Meteor Mash | Charged Attack | High | High | |
| Lickilicky | Body Slam | Charged Attack | High | Low | |
| Togekiss | Aura Sphere | Charged Attack | Situational | Medium | |
| Gallade | Synchronoise | Charged Attack | Situational | Low | |
| Hydreigon | Brutal Swing | Charged Attack | Situational | High | |
| Greninja | Hydro Cannon | Charged Attack | High | Medium | |
| Decidueye | Frenzy Plant | Charged Attack | Medium | Medium | |
| Incineroar | Blast Burn | Charged Attack | Medium | Medium | |
| Inteleon | Hydro Cannon | Charged Attack | Medium | Medium | |
| Corviknight | Air Cutter | Charged Attack | Situational | Low | |
| Annihilape | Rage Fist | Charged Attack | High | Low |
Watch & Earn Rewards
Team Building: Great League Bonus Timed Research
2025 World Champion's Timed Research
Greetings from San Francisco! Bonus Timed Research
PokémonXP Timed Research
2026 Worlds Tee (Green)
Timed Research
Team Building: Great League Bonus Timed Research
2025 World Champion's Timed Research
Greetings from San Francisco! Bonus Timed Research
PokémonXP Timed Research
GO Pass: PokémonXP & 2026 Worlds
Unlimited GO Points: August 29 at 12:00 a.m. to August 30 at 7:59 p.m. local time. Earn points until: August 30 at 8:00 p.m. local time.
Headline rewards
- Encounters with event-themed Pokémon
- Deluxe: 2026 Worlds/PokémonXP Backpack
- Deluxe: encounter with Zapdos that can have a wider IV variance
- Deluxe: additional event-themed Pokémon encounters
Major milestones
Costumed Pokémon
Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit
World Championships 2026 Pikachu
Avatar Items & Stickers
Avatar Items
- 2026 Worlds Tee (Green) — code displayed during the World Championships stream
- PokémonXP & 2026 Worlds Backpack — available through GO Pass Deluxe and in the shop after the event
- World Champion 2026 outfit — awarded to the 2026 Pokémon GO World Champion
