Pokémon GO has revealed a major in-game celebration for PokémonXP and the 2026 Pokémon World Championships, running from Aug. 25 through Aug. 30 with new costumed Pokémon, special GO Pass rewards and competitive gameplay bonuses. The event introduces Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit and World Championships 2026 Pikachu, both with Shiny availability, alongside themed raids, rotating wild encounters, Field Research and featured attacks for a wide range of Pokémon. Trainers will also be able to complete a limited-time GO Pass to earn event-themed encounters, while GO Pass Deluxe adds exclusive rewards including a 2026 Worlds/PokémonXP Backpack and a Zapdos encounter.
During the celebration, the GO Battle League daily battle limit will increase to 15 sets, World Championships battle arenas and music will return and players can unlock additional Timed Research by watching official Pokémon World Championships and PokémonXP livestreams, including encounters with the 2025 World Champion’s Tinkaton, World Championships 2026 Pikachu and Pikachu wearing a Cosmog-themed spacesuit. The 2026 Pokémon World Championships will take place in San Francisco from Aug. 28 to Aug. 30, with livestream viewers also able to claim a free 2026 Worlds Tee avatar item through a code shared during the broadcast.
Source: Official Pokémon GO blog
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