Introducing the Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenge. Trainers can earn Championship Points just by competing in the GO Battle League.

Pokémon GO Trainers have a new path to earn Championship Points for the Pokémon Championship Series season with the introduction of the Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenge. When the next GO Battle League Season kicks off on March 3, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. PST, Trainers can rise through the ranks of the GO Battle League, with the top-performing Trainers receiving Championship Points after the Season concludes on June 2, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. PDT.

Prior to this, Pokémon GO players could earn Championship Points only by competing in local, regional, or international Play! Pokémon events. But with the top-ranked player in the Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard earning 75 points, players are one step closer to earning an invitation to the 2026 Pokémon World Championships on August 28 to 30, 2026, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California.

What are the Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenges?

With the introduction of Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenges, Pokémon GO players have a new path to earn Championship Points. The Pokémon Championship Series offers competitive Pokémon players an opportunity to compete to earn Championship Points and prizes with the ultimate goal of competing in the Pokémon World Championships.

Compete in the GO Battle League to increase your rank and earn a top spot on the Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard. At the end of each in-game Season, Championship Points will be awarded to players who finished the Season at the top of the leaderboard based on their final leaderboard ranking. While Pokémon GO Championship Series events utilize a show-six format that involves players bringing six Pokémon that they show their opponent, the Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenges utilize the blind three format used in GO Battle League. In the blind three format, players cannot see what Pokémon are in their opponent’s party until the Pokémon are on the battlefield.

Eligibility

To be eligible to earn Championship Points, players must connect their Pokémon GO account with their Pokémon Trainer Central account. Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenges are only available to players from TPCi rating zones.

How to Participate in Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenges

To compete in Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenges, players must link their Pokémon GO account to their Pokémon Trainer Central account before the in-game Season concludes. Here’s how to link those accounts:

1. Log in to your Pokémon Trainer Central account and navigate to Pokémon GO (Niantic, Inc.) under the Apps & Games section.
2. Toggle permission along the top of the page to grant access.
3. Confirm your selection.

You can enable or revoke access to Pokémon GO at any time by changing the setting on your own or your child’s Pokémon Trainer Central account.

Players also need to opt in to Play! Pokémon on their Pokémon Trainer Central account. Here are the steps to link these accounts:

1. Log in to your Pokémon Trainer Central account and navigate to the Play! Pokémon page.
2. Select Get Started to begin the process.
3. Verify and/or enter the correct information as you complete this process. (The steps may vary depending on existing information in your account.)
4. Enter your first and last name, screen name, and address.
5. Complete the sign-up page, accepting the Play! Pokémon Terms of Use if applicable.
6. Choose your leaderboard display name.
7. If you received a Player ID, enter it. Otherwise, check I do not have a Player ID.

Trainers who have linked their accounts and opted in to Play! Pokémon will be eligible to compete for Championship Points simply by battling in the GO Battle League. Unlike the Championship Series where players compete with six Pokémon, Trainers in the GO Battle League use teams of three Pokémon. Each in-game Season has a set schedule during which available leagues like the Great League, Ultra League, and Master League will rotate. The Season also features additional cups with special eligibility requirements for Pokémon, much like limited metas for the Pokémon GO Championship Series.

The Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenge Schedule

This series kicks off on March 3, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. PST and ends June 2, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. PDT. The 2026 Pokémon GO World Championships will take place August 28 to 30, 2026, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. From June 2 to September 1, the in-game Season will not have a Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenge. Stay tuned for additional dates and information about future Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenges.

Pokémon GO Battle League Trainer Rewards

Trainers who compete in the GO Battle League can compete in five sets of five battles per day. By winning battles, Trainers earn rewards including Stardust, Pokémon encounters, Rare Candy, and other items. After winning three battles in a five-battle set, Trainers are guaranteed a Pokémon encounter with a certain Pokémon based on rank and Season. Competing in the GO Battle League is the only way to encounter Pikachu Libre (which has a chance to be Shiny) in Pokémon GO. After Trainers achieve rank 20, they may encounter Pokémon appearing in five-star raids.

Additionally, each Season features unique avatar items inspired by a fictional Trainer. These items are available at the Ace, Veteran, Expert, and Legend ranks. Trainers can also unlock premium rewards by using a Premium Battle Pass. Use free Timed Research to help track victories and earn bonus rewards such as Stardust, Rare Candy XL, and Elite TMs.

2026 Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenge Championship Points

Trainers worldwide who meet eligibility requirements, regardless of TPCi rating zone, can earn Championship Points based on their global placement in the Pokémon GO Battle League. These points are outlined in the table below.

Placement	Kicker (# of competitors)	Championship Points
1	0	75
2	8	65
3–4	17	54
5–8	33	52
9–16	48	25
17–32	65	13
33–64	128	11
65–128	257	7
129–256	513	5
257–512	1025	4
513–1024	2049	3

Notes:

• Best Finish Limit: 4
• Championship Point values subject to change.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I manage the connection between Pokémon GO and my Pokémon Trainer Central account?
To connect or disconnect Pokémon GO and your Pokémon Trainer Central account, please follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Pokémon Trainer Central account, and navigate to Pokémon GO (Niantic, Inc.) under the Apps & Games section.
2. Toggle permission along the top of the page to grant access.
3. Confirm your selection.

You may enable or revoke access to Pokémon GO at any time by changing the setting on your own or your child’s Pokémon Trainer Central account.

I am getting an error when trying to link my Pokémon GO and Pokémon Trainer Central account. What do I do?

• Visit Niantic’s Account Recovery page to see any existing account links.
• If there is an existing Pokémon Trainer Central connection that you do not intend to use, you will need to log in to Pokémon GO with that username and password in order to unlink it.
• If you do not know the username or password for the existing Pokémon Trainer Central connection, visit the Pokémon Trainer Central Account Recovery page.
• If you find an additional Pokémon Trainer Central account that you do not intend to use, please contact Pokémon Support to delete the unwanted account.

Source: https://championships.pokemon.com/en-us/about/pokemon-pgo-gbl-leaderboard-challenge and https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/introducing-the-pokemon-go-battle-league-leaderboard-challenge