The Pokémon GO July 2026 event and raid schedule is packed with anniversary celebrations, Legendary raids, new Mega Evolutions and the free Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Global event.
July marks the tenth anniversary of Pokémon GO, and Niantic is celebrating with one of the busiest monthly calendars of the year. Trainers can battle Mega Mewtwo X, Mega Mewtwo Y, Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y, while several powerful Legendary Pokémon will return to five-star raids.
The Pokémon GO July 2026 event and raid schedule also includes Sobble Community Day, the Road of Legends event, Willow’s Birthday Research and the next two Choose Your Path events.
Here is the complete Pokémon GO July 2026 schedule, including event dates, five-star raids, Mega Raids and the best Pokémon to prioritise.
Pokémon GO July 2026 Event Schedule
The Pokémon GO July 2026 event and raid schedule begins with the final days of Choose Your Path: Charged Embers before moving into the tenth anniversary celebrations.
| Dates | Pokémon GO Event |
|---|---|
| June 30 to July 3 | Choose Your Path: Charged Embers |
| July 4 | Sobble Community Day |
| July 4 to July 6 | 10th Anniversary Party |
| July 6 to July 10 | Road of Legends |
| July 11 to July 12 | Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Global |
| July 13 to July 20 | Special Anniversary Pikachu Celebration |
| July 18 | Raichu Super Mega Raid Day |
| July 21 | Willow’s Birthday Research |
| July 21 to July 27 | Ultra Unlock: 10th Anniversary Edition |
| July 25 to July 26 | Ozone Ascent |
| July 28 to August 3 | Choose Your Path: Fairy Trail |
Most Pokémon GO events begin and end at local time, although some global bonuses and challenges may use a fixed worldwide time.
The event running from July 21 to July 27 was initially hidden on the monthly calendar. It was later revealed as the Ultra Unlock: 10th Anniversary Edition event connected to challenges completed during Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Global.
Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Global
The biggest entry on the Pokémon GO July 2026 event and raid schedule is Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Global.
The event takes place on Saturday, July 11 and Sunday, July 12. The core event is free for all Trainers, allowing every player to access rotating habitats, raids, bonuses and event research.
| GO Fest Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Event dates | July 11 and July 12, 2026 |
| Entry price | Free |
| Major Mega debut | Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y |
| Special Research reward | Zeraora encounter |
| Featured raid type | Super Mega Raids |
| Additional content | Habitat hours, Global Challenges and special encounters |
Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y make their global Pokémon GO debuts during GO Fest.
Players should remember that the two Mega Mewtwo forms use separate Mega Energy. Defeating Mega Mewtwo X will not provide Mega Mewtwo Y Energy, and defeating Mega Mewtwo Y will not provide Mega Mewtwo X Energy.
Trainers joining Super Mega Raids remotely may also require Link Charges alongside a Remote Raid Pass.
Pokémon GO July 2026 Legendary Raid Schedule
The five-star portion of the Pokémon GO July 2026 event and raid schedule features Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Kyogre, Solgaleo and Kyurem.
| Dates | Five-Star Raid Boss | Shiny Available? |
|---|---|---|
| July 1 to July 5 | Articuno | Yes |
| July 1 to July 5 | Zapdos | Yes |
| July 1 to July 5 | Moltres | Yes |
| July 13 to July 14 | Articuno | Yes |
| July 13 to July 14 | Zapdos | Yes |
| July 13 to July 14 | Moltres | Yes |
| July 15 to July 21 | Kyogre | Yes |
| July 22 to July 28 | Solgaleo | Yes |
| July 29 to August 4 | Kyurem | Yes |
Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres appear during two separate periods in July. This gives players another opportunity to collect Candy, hunt their shiny forms or find versions with stronger IVs.
The Road of Legends event from July 6 to July 10 also features a special selection of Legendary Pokémon and other powerful raid bosses outside the normal monthly rotation.
Best Legendary Raid Boss in July 2026
Kyurem is one of the most valuable raid bosses on the Pokémon GO July 2026 event and raid schedule.
Kyurem is a strong Ice-type Pokémon by itself, but its greatest value comes from its ability to fuse into Black Kyurem or White Kyurem.
Players who already have the required Fusion Energy should use the July Kyurem rotation to search for a Pokémon with strong IVs and collect additional Kyurem Candy.
Kyogre is another excellent raid target. It remains one of the strongest Water-type Pokémon in the game and can undergo Primal Reversion when players have enough Primal Kyogre Energy.
Solgaleo is particularly useful for Trainers who need another Solgaleo for Necrozma fusion or additional Candy for powering one up.
Pokémon GO July 2026 Mega Raid Schedule
The Mega Raid section of the Pokémon GO July 2026 event and raid schedule includes Mega Lucario, Mega Sceptile, Mega Salamence and Mega Aggron.
| Dates | Mega Raid Boss | Shiny Available? |
|---|---|---|
| July 1 to July 5 | Mega Lucario | Yes |
| July 13 to July 14 | Mega Lucario | Yes |
| July 15 to July 21 | Mega Sceptile | Yes |
| July 22 to July 28 | Mega Salamence | Yes |
| July 29 to August 4 | Mega Aggron | Yes |
Defeating a Mega Raid does not allow players to catch the Mega-Evolved form.
Instead, Trainers receive Mega Energy for the featured Pokémon before encountering its regular form. Defeating Mega Lucario, for example, provides Lucario Mega Energy and a Lucario encounter.
Best Mega Raid in July 2026
Mega Lucario is arguably the best standard Mega Raid boss available during July.
Its Fighting and Steel typing gives it several useful resistances, while its high attack power makes it an excellent raid counter against Pokémon weak to Fighting- or Steel-type moves.
Mega Salamence is another worthwhile option for players who need a powerful Dragon-type Mega Evolution.
However, the most important Mega releases on the Pokémon GO July 2026 event and raid schedule happen during special events rather than the standard Mega Raid rotation.
| Dates | Special Mega Raid Bosses |
|---|---|
| July 11 and July 12 | Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y |
| July 18 | Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y |
Raichu Super Mega Raid Day
Raichu Super Mega Raid Day takes place on Saturday, July 18 from 2pm to 5pm local time.
Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y both make their Pokémon GO debuts during the event.
| Event Bonus | Details |
|---|---|
| New Mega Evolutions | Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y |
| Free Raid Passes | Up to six from spinning Gym Photo Discs |
| Remote Raid limit | Increased to 20 |
| Shiny bonus | Increased chance of Shiny Raichu |
| Mega Level bonus | Caught Raichu will have Mega Level 1 unlocked |
| Free Timed Research | Premium Battle Pass and Steelix encounter |
Players joining a Raichu Super Mega Raid remotely will need a Remote Raid Pass and the required number of Link Charges.
Because Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y use different Mega forms, players may need to complete several raids to collect enough energy for both.
Giovanni and Shadow Pokémon in July 2026
Giovanni continues to use Shadow Reshiram during July following the Flying Taxi: Taken Over event.
A Super Rocket Radar is required to find Giovanni. Players may encounter him at an invaded PokéStop or through a Team GO Rocket balloon while the radar is equipped.
Shadow Raid line-ups can also change during events and weekends, so check nearby Gyms regularly.
Giovanni and Shadow Raids are not always shown clearly on the standard Pokémon GO July 2026 event and raid schedule, but they remain important for players hunting rare Shadow Pokémon.
What Should You Prioritise in July?
Players with limited time should prioritise the following activities:
- Log in during Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Global.
- Unlock the free Zeraora Special Research.
- Battle Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y.
- Save Link Charges for Super Mega Raids.
- Join Raichu Super Mega Raid Day on July 18.
- Raid Kyurem before it leaves on August 4.
- Claim Willow’s Birthday Research on July 21.
- Check the bonuses available during Fairy Trail.
The Pokémon GO July 2026 event and raid schedule offers far more than an ordinary month of events. Between the tenth anniversary, Pokémon GO Fest, new Mega Evolutions and returning Legendary Pokémon, Trainers have plenty to complete throughout July.
