Pokémon Go Launches Pre-Worlds 2025 Events

• The Pokémon Go World Championships will be held from August 15th to 17th.
• A Pikachu wearing a varsity jacket will be available in the game.
• The Go Battle League will receive a themed update, alongside several other in-game activities.

Pokémon Go is part of the festivities for the 2025 Pokémon World Championships in Anaheim, California, running from August 15th to 17th. Top trainers from around the globe will compete for the World Champion title. Even if you're watching from home, there's plenty to enjoy, starting with a code for a commemorative 2025 Worlds Tee (White) that will be shared during the day one livestream.

To celebrate, a Pikachu sporting a varsity jacket makes its debut, with a chance to encounter its Shiny variant. This special Pikachu will appear in one-star raids, Field Research tasks, and in the wild. Raids will also feature Lapras, Honedge, Dusclops, and Diggersby. Look out for Lapras and Pikachu, which will have increased chances of being Shiny during the event.

A $5 Timed Research ticket is also available, offering encounters with Lickitung, Sableye, Guzzlord, and others, plus 25,000 Stardust and a Premium Battle Pass. Special evolutions will come with exclusive Charged Attacks: Primeape and Annihilape learn Rage Fist, while Clodsire gets Megahorn. Themed stickers will be found at PokéStops, in Gifts, and in the shop, along with exclusive avatar items.

Additionally, from August 11th to 17th, the Go Battle League will be refreshed with a new arena and background music. During Go Battle Weekend, you can complete up to 100 battles daily, earn 4x Stardust from wins, and claim free Timed Research with battle-themed avatar rewards. Pokémon in the Go Battle League will also display broader stat spreads for Attack, Defense, and HP.

To help you prepare, the Pokémon Go Web Store is offering bundles like the Ultra Ticket Box, which includes a bonus Premium Battle Pass, and the TM Elite Master Box, packed with Elite and regular TMs. You can also grab some free items by redeeming the latest Pokémon Go codes.

You can watch the livestream of the 2025 Pokémon World Championships on Pokémon Go's official Twitch channel.