Pokemon GO’s 2025 World Championship Event: What to Catch, Battle, and Expect

Pokemon GO celebrates the 2025 World Championships from August 15–17 with a new costumed Pikachu, shiny boosts, wild encounters, special raids, and GO Battle Weekend bonuses.

World Championships 2025 Event Is Bringing the Heat (and the Varsity Pikachu)

August just got cracked wide open for Pokemon GO players. Niantic’s throwing a full-on Poké-party from August 15 to 17, celebrating the 2025 Pokémon World Championships—and let’s just say, there’s a lot more than bragging rights on the table.

We’re talking exclusive Pokémon, shiny chances, GO Battle League overload, new avatar drip, and of course… a varsity jacket Pikachu ready to flex.

Here’s your complete breakdown of what’s dropping and how to make the most of it.

Related Article: Shadow Kyogre and Shadow Giratina Arrive in Pokémon GO’s August Taken Over Event

Event Dates & Times

Friday, August 15 @ 10am – Sunday, August 17 @ 8pm (local time)
GO Battle League bonuses run even longer—from August 11 @ 1pm PT to August 17 @ 11:59pm PT

New Pokémon & Costumed Catch

Pikachu’s Got Style

• Pikachu in a varsity jacket is here, showing up in:
  
  • One-star raids
    
  • Field Research tasks
    
  • Wild encounters (shiny chance boosted)
    

Other additions worth the hustle:

• Honedge (one-star raids & Field Research)
  
• Lapras, Dusclops, Diggersby (three-star raids)
  
• Field Research Pokémon with shiny chances: Marill, Paldean Wooper
  

Wild Encounters: Some Real Ones in the Mix

Boosted spawns during the event include:

Pro tip: Mankey > Primeape > Annihilape gets the Rage Fist Charged Attack if evolved during the event.

Also read: Dialga & Palkia Take Center Stage in Pokemon GO’s Ultra Unlock Raid Day Event

GO Battle Weekend: Delightful Days Edition

From Aug 15 @ 12am to Aug 17 @ 11:59pm, you’ll get:

• 4× Stardust from battle wins
  
• Up to 100 battles per day (that’s 20 full sets)
  
• Wider IV ranges for reward Pokémon
  
• Free Timed Research with avatar gear rewards
  
• Featured leagues active:
  
  • Great League
    
  • Ultra League
    
  • Master League
    

Plus, a new GO Battle League battleground and battle music from Aug 11–17. It’s full-on Championship mode.

Timed Research (Paid) — Is It Worth the $5?

Yes, if you want:

• One Premium Battle Pass
  
• 25,000 Stardust
  
• Rare spawns like:
  
  • Lickitung, Lapras, Azumarill
    
  • Sableye, Swalot, Claydol
    
  • Carbink, Guzzlord, Lokix
    

Just finish the tasks before Aug 17 @ 8pm or lose out.

Raid Highlights

Featured Moves:

• Lapras: Ice Beam
  
• Evolve Mankey ➡️ Annihilape: Rage Fist
  
• Evolve Paldean Wooper ➡️ Clodsire: Megahorn
  

Avatar Items and Extras

• 2025 Worlds Jersey & Visor: In-game shop
  
• Worlds Tee (White): Redeem code during the live broadcast
  
• Stickers: Spin stops, open gifts, or buy from the shop
  

Web Store Deals

What Else Is Coming This August?

Don’t sleep after World Championships wrap up. August is stacked:

• Aug 3 – Max Battle Day: Gigantamax Butterfree debuts
  
• Aug 6 – Cozy Companions event: Snom + Frosmoth join the game
  
• Aug 11 – Team GO Rocket event: Shadow Kyogre returns 🔥
  

Why You Should Play This Event

• Varsity Pikachu has a shiny chance and style points
  
• GO Battle League is maxed out with bonuses galore
  
• 5 Special Trades per day = shiny swaps or dex fills
  
• $5 Research is a Stardust farm with rare encounters
  
• Featured evolutions give strong PvP and PvE attackers
  
• Oh, and Fuecoco is in the wild—grab your starter while you can
  

It’s a Grind Worth Doing

Whether you’re battling like a World Champ or just hunting shinies, this event is packed with value. Don’t sleep on the wild spawns, raid rotation, or those juicy battle rewards. And hey, a Pikachu in a varsity jacket is probably the most “GO” thing ever.

Full Event List

• Date: Friday, August 15, at 10 am to Sunday, August 17, 2025, at 8 pm local time.
• New Pokemon: Pikachu wearing a varsity jacket
• Event Bonuses
  • Up to five Special Trades can be made each day.
  • Additional Pokémon encounters along the GO Battle League reward track.
  • Increased chance to encounter Shiny Pikachu wearing a varsity jacket.
• One-Star Raids
  • Pikachu wearing a varsity jacket*
  • Honedge
• Three-Star Raids
  • Lapras*
  • Dusclops
  • Diggersby
• Field Research Task Rewards
  • Pikachu wearing a varsity jacket*
  • Marill*
  • Paldean Wooper*
  • Honedge
• Wild Encounters
  • Nidoran♀*
  • Mankey*
  • Marill*
  • Paldean Wooper*
  • Spoink*
  • Inkay*
  • Rookidee*
  • Fuecoco*
  • Male Frillish*
  • Vullaby*
• Paid Timed Research
  • Price: $5
• Rewards
  • One Premium Battle Pass
  • 25,000 Stardust
• Encounters with the following Pokemon:
  • Lickitung*
  • Lapras*
  • Azumarill
  • Sableye*
  • Swalot
  • Claydol
  • Carbink*
  • Guzzlord*
  • Lokix
• The tasks associated with the Timed Research must be completed and their rewards must be claimed before Sunday, August 17, 2025, at 8 pm local time.
• *Shiny chance
• Featured Attacks
• Certain Pokemon encountered during the event will know a featured attack
  • Lapras caught during the event will know the Charged Attack Ice Beam.
  • Evolve Mankey during the event to get a Primeape that knows the Charged Attack Rage Fist.
  • Evolve Primeape during the event to get an Annihilape that knows the Charged Attack Rage Fist.
  • Evolve Paldean Wooper during the event to get a Clodsire that knows the Charged Attack Megahorn.
• New Avatar Items
• 2025 Worlds Jersey
• 2025 Worlds Visor
  • How to get: in-game shop
• 2025 Worlds Tee (White)
  • How to get: code shared during the broadcast (first day of the competition)
• Themed Stickers
  • How to get: spinning PokeStops, opening Gifts, and purchasing from the in-game shop
• New battlegrounds in the GO Battle League
  • In celebration of the 2025 Pokemon World Championships, the GO Battle League will feature a new arena and background battle music between August 11 at 1 pm PT and August 17, 2025, at 11:59 pm PT.
• GO Battle Weekend: Delightful Days
  • Friday, August 15, at 12 am to Sunday, August 17, 2025, at 11:59 pm local time
• Bonuses
  • 4× Stardust from win rewards. (This does not include end-of-set rewards.)
  • The maximum number of sets you can play per day will increase from five to 20—for a total of 100 battles—from 12 am to 11:59 pm local time.
  • Free battle-themed Timed Research will be available. Rewards include shoes for your avatar inspired by a powerful Battle Tower battler.
  • Pokemon encountered via GO Battle League rewards will have a wider variance of Attack, Defense, and HP.
• Active Leagues
  • Great League
  • Ultra League
  • Master League
• Pokemon GO Web Store – Special Boxes
• GO Battle Weekend Ultra Ticket Box
  • Price: $4.99
    • Features: an event ticket and a bonus Premium Battle Pass
• TM Elite Master Box
  • Price: $19.99
    • Features: two Elite Fast TMs, two Elite Charged TMs, six Fast TMs, and six Charged TMs.

Also Read: Niantic Cracks Down on GPS Drift Exploit in Pokémon GO—Here’s What You Need to Know