July is a big month for Pokemon Go because the mobile game turns ten this month and the celebration stretches across the entire calendar. You've got the global Go Fest event that'll give players worldwide their first shot at Mega Mewtwo forms, a packed Raid Boss rotation with legendary birds and Kyogre, a string of Spotlight Hours, and a new Timed Research line for Professor Willow's birthday.
This is also the second month of the Forever Forward season. If you skipped the June events, now's a solid time to jump back in. Here's everything scheduled for Pokemon Go in July 2026.
Pokemon Go July 2026 Raid Schedule
A stacked rotation of legendary and Mega Pokemon hits Raid Battles across the month. The birds get the spotlight in the first half, and things ramp up as the month moves on.
Five-Star Raids
| Boss | Dates |
|---|---|
| Articuno | July 1-5, July 13-14 |
| Zapdos | July 1-5, July 13-14 |
| Moltres | July 1-5, July 13-14 |
| Kyogre | July 15-21 |
| Solgaleo | July 22-28 |
| Kyurem | July 29 - August 4 |
Mega Raids
| Boss | Dates |
|---|---|
| Mega Lucario | July 1-5, July 13-14 |
| Mega Sceptile | July 15-21 |
| Mega Salamence | July 22-28 |
| Mega Aggron | July 29 - August 4 |
Shadow and Max Battles
Shadow Palkia runs the full month as the Shadow Raid boss (July 1 through August 4). For Dynamax fans, the Max Battle schedule rotates weekly: Chansey leads off (July 6-12), then Deino (July 13-19), Trubbish (July 20-26), and Feebas (July 27-August 2).
If you haven't caught a good Kyogre yet, the July 15-21 window is your best bet this month. Solgaleo's return on July 22 is a rarer opportunity since it doesn't cycle through raids nearly as often as the birds.
Pokemon Go Go Fest 2026 Global: Mega Mewtwo Makes Its Debut
The big one. Pokemon Go Fest 2026 goes global this month, and the headliner is Mega Mewtwo. Both Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y forms will be available for the first time during the worldwide event. That's two separate Mega forms to collect.
Go Fest has been the highlight of the Pokemon Go calendar for years now, and this one matters more than usual because Mega Mewtwo has been one of the most anticipated additions since the Mega Evolution system launched. How big of a deal is it? The global format means you don't need to travel to an in-person city event. You can participate from wherever you typically play.
Details on the exact Go Fest weekend date haven't been locked down as of this writing. Niantic usually drops full Go Fest specifics (ticket pricing, habitat rotations, special research tasks) closer to the event weekend. The key takeaway: plan your Rare Candy and Stardust stockpile now. Mega Mewtwo raids won't be easy and you'll want to be ready.
Pokemon Go 10th Anniversary Events
Ten years is a long time for any mobile game. Pokemon Go's anniversary celebration spans multiple events throughout July.
A Pikachu celebration event kicks things off. Expect costumed Pikachu variants in the wild, likely tied to the anniversary theme. Past anniversaries have brought special Pikachu with party hats or other accessories, and this being the tenth, the effort level should be higher.
Professor Willow's birthday gets its own Timed Research questline. These are usually lighter than full Special Research lines, think a handful of tasks with solid rewards. Past Willow birthday events have rewarded encounters with Pokemon that have research significance in the lore. Don't skip it. The tasks tend to be quick and the rewards are worth the 15-20 minutes.
The Forever Forward season continues through these events, tying forward momentum and new discoveries into the monthly structure. July being the second month means the seasonal bonuses are still active. That includes any catch XP boosts, extra Raid Passes, and whatever else rolled out when the season started in June.
Pokemon Go July 2026 Spotlight Hours
Every Tuesday from 6 PM to 7 PM local time, a featured Pokemon takes over and spawns with a double bonus active. Here are the expected Spotlight Hours for July:
| Date | Featured Pokemon | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| July 7 | TBD | 2× Catch XP |
| July 14 | TBD | 2× Catch Candy |
| July 21 | TBD | 2× Transfer Candy |
| July 28 | TBD | 2× Evolution XP |
The specific Pokemon for each Spotlight Hour gets confirmed closer to each date. Niantic tends to announce these a week or two ahead, sometimes tying them to ongoing events. Check the in-game News tab every Monday for the confirmed Tuesday Spotlight. It's that simple.
The double Evolution XP hour on July 28 is the one to plan around, so save any Pokemon you've been meaning to evolve and pop a Lucky Egg for that window. You can rack up serious XP in 60 minutes if you've prepared a back catalog of evolve-ready Pokemon.
Pokemon Go July 2026 Field Research and Weekly Breakthroughs
The monthly Field Research task pool refreshes at the start of July. While the exact task list hasn't been published yet, expect the usual mix. Catch tasks, raid tasks, and throw-specific tasks that reward encounters with seasonally relevant Pokemon.
Weekly Research Breakthroughs continue through July. Complete one Field Research task per day for seven days and you'll get the Breakthrough encounter. The July Breakthrough Pokemon hasn't been confirmed yet, but with the Forever Forward season running, the reward should tie into the season's featured Pokemon pool.
What's Worth Prioritizing This Month
This Pokemon Go July schedule is dense. Not sure where to focus your time with all these Pokemon Go July events running at once? Here's what matters most:
Top priority: Go Fest. Mega Mewtwo's debut is the kind of event that defines an account. Even if you can only play a few hours during Go Fest weekend, make them count. The Mega Energy you'll need to Mega Evolve Mewtwo will likely be tied to the event raids.
Second: Kyogre and Solgaleo raids. Kyogre remains a top-tier Water attacker and its Primal form (when available) is what you'll want for serious raiding. Solgaleo shows up less often, so grab one while it's here.
Third: The anniversary Timed Research. These events rarely take more than half an hour and the rewards are usually generous.
If you're shiny hunting: The legendary birds (Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres) have been available in raids before, but their shiny rates remain the standard ~1/20 for legendaries. Spotlight Hours aren't typically boosted shiny rates, but the sheer spawn volume can help.
Pokemon Go is free to play and available on Android, and you can get the latest version on APKPure, which updates shortly after new versions roll out. Having the current version installed matters this month. Go Fest and the anniversary events may require the most recent update to access event content.
Pokémon GO is an augmented reality mobile game that blends outdoor movement with catching and battling Pokémon.
