The Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 start time is Friday, August 28 at 10:00 a.m. local time for the in-game event, while the live Pokémon GO World Championships broadcast begins at 9:00 a.m. PDT each day from August 28 to August 30.
The wider celebration actually begins several days earlier with PokémonXP on Tuesday, August 25 at 10:00 a.m. local time. PokémonXP ends on August 28 at 10:00 a.m. local time, immediately before the World Championships portion of the Pokémon GO event begins.
There are therefore several important dates and times to keep track of across PokémonXP, the in-game World Championships event, GO Battle League, the GO Pass and the competitive broadcasts.
Important Dates & Stream Times
Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 Start Time
The Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 start time for the in-game event is Friday, August 28 at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Because this is based on local time, the event begins at 10:00 a.m. wherever each Trainer is located rather than launching globally at one single moment.
| Event | Start Time | End Time |
|---|---|---|
| PokémonXP | August 25 at 10:00 a.m. local time | August 28 at 10:00 a.m. local time |
| Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 event | 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 |
The Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 start time also marks the point when the event’s wild encounters and raid bosses change.
What Happens at the Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 Start Time?
At 10:00 a.m. local time on August 28, PokémonXP ends and the World Championships event begins immediately.
The wild spawn pool changes from Ralts, Numel, Spheal, Drifloon, Elgyem, Sobble, Pawmi and rarer Deino encounters to a new World Championships pool.
The World Championships wild encounters include:
| Pokémon | Shiny Available |
|---|---|
| Alolan Sandshrew | Yes |
| Mankey | Yes |
| Lickitung | Yes |
| Totodile | Yes |
| Wooper | Yes |
| Foongus | Yes |
| Froakie | Yes |
| Litten | Yes |
| Togetic | Yes |
| Beldum | Yes |
Togetic and Beldum are listed as less common encounters.
The raid pool also changes at the Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 start time.
World Championships 2026 Pikachu and Honedge join Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit in one-star raids.
Wild Encounters
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 |
Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 Broadcast Start Time
The competitive World Championships have a separate start time from the in-game event.
The broadcast begins at 9:00 a.m. PDT each day from Friday, August 28 through Sunday, August 30.
| Day | Date | Broadcast Start |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | August 28 | 9:00 a.m. PDT |
| Day 2 | August 29 | 9:00 a.m. PDT |
| Day 3 | August 30 | 9:00 a.m. PDT |
For UK viewers, 9:00 a.m. PDT is 5:00 p.m. BST during the August 2026 World Championships.
The Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 start time for the livestream is therefore different from the local in-game event start.
Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 Stream Channels
The English broadcast will not remain on the same Twitch channel for all three days.
| Day | English Stream |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Pokémon GO Twitch Channel |
| Day 2 | Pokémon GO Twitch Channel |
| Day 3 | Pokémon Twitch Channel |
Days 1 and 2 are shown through the Pokémon GO Twitch channel.
Day 3 moves to the main Pokémon Twitch channel.
This is particularly important for Trainers watching for the World Championships rewards and the green 2026 Worlds Tee code.
PokémonXP Start Time
Before the Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 start time arrives, PokémonXP begins on Tuesday, August 25 at 10:00 a.m. local time.
PokémonXP has its own wild encounters and raid bosses.
Its wild pool includes Ralts, Numel, Spheal, Drifloon, Elgyem, Sobble and Pawmi, with Deino appearing less commonly.
Its one-star raid pool contains Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit and Impidimp.
PokémonXP ends at exactly 10:00 a.m. local time on August 28, meaning there is no gap between the two in-game events.
GO Battle League World Championships Schedule
The World Championships GO Battle League celebration begins even earlier.
A special World Championships arena and different background battle music will appear between August 24 at 12:00 p.m. PDT and August 30 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
The event also increases the maximum number of GO Battle League sets from five to 15 per day, allowing up to 75 battles.
Pokémon encountered through GO Battle League rewards will have a wider variance of Attack, Defense and HP.
These Battle League features overlap with the wider PokémonXP and World Championships celebration.
Pokémon GO Worlds 2026 GO Pass Start Time
GO Pass: PokémonXP & 2026 Worlds begins on Tuesday, August 25 at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Every Trainer automatically receives the free GO Pass.
GO Points can be earned until Sunday, August 30 at 8:00 p.m. local time.
There is also an unlimited GO Points period from Saturday, August 29 at 12:00 a.m. until Sunday, August 30 at 7:59 p.m. local time.
| GO Pass Date | Time |
|---|---|
| GO Pass begins | August 25 at 10:00 a.m. local time |
| Unlimited GO Points begins | August 29 at 12:00 a.m. local time |
| Unlimited GO Points ends | August 30 at 7:59 p.m. local time |
| GO Point earning ends | August 30 at 8:00 p.m. local time |
| Reward claim deadline | September 1 at 7:59 p.m. local time |
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
PokémonXP 10th Anniversary Panel Schedule
Another important broadcast takes place on Saturday, August 29.
PokémonXP will host the Celebrating 10 Years of Pokémon GO panel.
The panel will also be streamed through the PokémonXP Twitch channel.
Watching the panel for 30 minutes earns PokémonXP Timed Research featuring an encounter with Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit.
This is separate from the regular World Championships competitive broadcast and its other watch rewards.
World Championships Twitch Reward Schedule
Trainers watching the World Championships can earn several different rewards.
| Reward | Required Watch Time |
|---|---|
| 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 through an eligible official co-stream |
| PokémonXP Timed Research | 30 minutes during the PokémonXP panel |
The Team Building research includes branches involving Lickitung, Totodile and Paldean Wooper.
The 2025 World Champion’s Timed Research includes an encounter with the Tinkaton used by 2025 World Champion Beezleboy, complete with a unique Special Background, as well as an Elite Charged TM.
Greetings from San Francisco features World Championships 2026 Pikachu.
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)
When Does Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 End?
The Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 start time is August 28 at 10:00 a.m. local time, and the in-game event ends on Sunday, August 30 at 8:00 p.m. local time.
The competitive World Championships also conclude on August 30.
The GO Pass reward claim window remains open slightly longer, with unlocked rewards expiring on Tuesday, September 1 at 7:59 p.m. local time.
Trainers should therefore separate the Pokémon GO World Championships 2026 start time and schedule into three main parts: PokémonXP beginning on August 25, the in-game World Championships event beginning at 10:00 a.m. local time on August 28, and the competitive livestream beginning at 9:00 a.m. PDT on August 28, 29 and 30.
