Pokémon GO is preparing for the 2026 World Championships with two back-to-back events later this month. Both events will bring boosted Pokémon spawns, special raids, Field Research tasks and additional rewards.
Players will also be able to encounter two brand-new Pikachu variants. One wears a Cosmog-inspired spacesuit, while the other features a crown and cape themed around the Pokémon World Championships.
PokémonXP Event Starts August 25
The first event, called PokémonXP, begins on Tuesday, August 25 at 10:00 a.m. local time.
It will run until Friday, August 28 at 10:00 a.m. local time, immediately before the larger World Championships event begins.
During PokémonXP, the new Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit will make its Pokémon GO debut.
PokémonXP One-Star Raids
Players will find the following Pokémon in one-star raids:
- Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit
- Impidimp
The event will also feature several Pokémon appearing more frequently in the wild.
PokémonXP Wild Encounters
Boosted wild encounters include:
- Ralts
- Numel
- Spheal
- Drifloon
- Elgyem
- Sobble
- Pawmi
- Deino
Event-themed Field Research tasks will also become available. Completing these tasks can reward players with encounters featuring Pokémon connected to the event.
Pokémon GO World Championships Event Begins August 28
Once PokémonXP ends, the main Pokémon GO World Championships event will begin.
The event runs from Friday, August 28 at 10:00 a.m. until Sunday, August 30, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. local time.
This event introduces another costumed Pokémon: World Championships Pikachu, wearing a crown and cape.
The Cosmog-themed Pikachu will remain available as well.
World Championships One-Star Raids
Three Pokémon will appear in one-star raids during the World Championships event:
- Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit
- World Championships Pikachu
- Honedge
For collectors, this gives players several days to hunt both of the newly introduced Pikachu variants.
Boosted World Championships Wild Spawns
The World Championships event will also feature a different selection of boosted wild Pokémon.
Players can expect increased encounters with:
- Alolan Sandshrew
- Mankey
- Lickitung
- Totodile
- Wooper
- Foongus
- Froakie
- Litten
- Togetic
- Beldum
Several of these Pokémon remain useful for PvP, giving competitive players another opportunity to search for strong IV combinations.
GO Pass Includes Additional Rewards
A dedicated GO Pass will also be available during the World Championships celebrations.
Rewards and bonuses include a PokémonXP backpack, a Zapdos encounter and additional encounters with event-themed Pokémon.
Progressing through the GO Pass will unlock further bonuses.
Starting at Rank 10, players will receive 2× Stardust from catching Pokémon.
Meanwhile, reaching Rank 20 unlocks 3,000 additional XP from raids.
These bonuses could make the event particularly useful for players planning to spend significant time catching Pokémon or completing raids throughout the weekend.
Featured Attacks Return During the Event
Several Pokémon will also have access to previously featured attacks during the World Championships celebrations.
The announced Pokémon and attacks include:
- Alolan Sandslash — Shadow Claw
- Primeape — Rage Fist
- Lickitung — Body Slam
- Feraligatr — Hydro Cannon
- Quagsire — Aqua Tail
- Gardevoir — Synchronoise
- Walrein — Powder Snow and Icicle Spear
- Metagross — Meteor Mash
- Lickilicky — Body Slam
- Togekiss — Aura Sphere
- Gallade — Synchronoise
- Decidueye — Frenzy Plant
- Incineroar — Blast Burn
- Inteleon — Hydro Cannon
- Corviknight — Air Cutter
- Annihilape — Rage Fist
The featured move selection contains several attacks that have previously played important roles in Pokémon GO’s PvP and raid metas.
Meteor Mash Metagross, Hydro Cannon Feraligatr and Rage Fist Annihilape are among the more notable opportunities for players building competitive teams.
Two Events Lead Into the Pokémon GO World Championships
With PokémonXP immediately transitioning into the World Championships event, Pokémon GO players will effectively have almost an entire week of related activities.
Collectors will have two new Pikachu costumes to chase, while competitive players can focus on boosted spawns and featured attacks.
PokémonXP runs from August 25 until August 28, followed immediately by the Pokémon GO World Championships event from August 28 until August 30, 2026.
