Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Mega Finale runs Saturday and Sunday, September 5 and 6, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time. It is a global event, so no ticket or travel is required to take part in the core content. A week-long lead-in event called Mega Ascension runs beforehand, from August 31 to September 4.
The event is built around Mega Evolution. Eight habitats rotate across the two days, each bringing its own set of Mega Raid bosses, and Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y headline Super Mega Raids on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Alongside that, a branching GO Pass asks you to commit to one Kalos first partner Pokémon for the entire event.
The practical problem this creates is timing. Habitats change every hour and the raid bosses change with them, so the Mega you want may only be raidable for two one-hour windows across the whole weekend. This guide covers the confirmed schedule, what to prioritize in each block, and how to prepare during the week beforehand.
A note on sourcing: details here come from the official event announcement on pokemongo.com. Pokémon GO is now operated by Scopely, the former Niantic games team, rebranded Scopely Explore in July 2026. Event pages are occasionally revised after publication, so confirm timings in the in-game news tab on the day.
Confirmed Event Details
The following comes directly from the official event page.
Dates and hours
- Mega Finale: Saturday and Sunday, September 5 and 6, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time.
- Mega Ascension: Monday, August 31 at 10:00 a.m. through Friday, September 4 at 11:59 p.m. local time.
- GO Pass: Mega Finale: available from August 31 at 10:00 a.m. through September 6.
Habitat structure
There are eight habitats in total. Four appear on each event day, and each one runs twice: once in the morning block and again four hours later. Mega Raid bosses rotate with the active habitat.
Saturday’s habitats are Verdant Overgrowth, Mindworks Canal, Eerie Alley, and Circuit Plaza. Sunday’s are Iron Frostworks, Battle District, Skyline Roosts, and Prism Promenade.
Super Mega Raids
- Mega Mewtwo X appears on Saturday, September 5.
- Mega Mewtwo Y appears on Sunday, September 6.
These appear at certain Gyms only. All other Gyms run standard Mega Raids for the active habitat during event hours. Mewtwo caught from these raids comes with a Special Background.
Event bonuses
- No limit on Remote Raids from September 5 to 6.
- All Mega-Evolved Pokémon receive an extra CP boost from September 5 to 6.
- Pokémon caught from Mega Raids during both Mega Ascension and Mega Finale may have a Mega Evolution themed Special Background. When such a Pokémon is Mega Evolved, the background gains additional effects for the duration of the Mega Evolution.
- During Mega Ascension only, the Remote Raid Pass limit is raised to 30.
That CP boost is the one worth seeing rather than reading about. The same Camerupt goes from 1,696 CP to 2,494 CP on Mega Evolving, before the event bonus is applied on top:
A scheduling conflict worth knowing about
Daily Discoveries, Seasonal Mega Raids, Seasonal Five-Star Raids, Seasonal Shadow Raids, Seasonal Raid Hours, and Seasonal Spotlight Hours do not take place from August 31 at 12:01 a.m. through September 6 at 11:59 p.m. Mega Ascension and Mega Finale raids replace them for that entire stretch.
If you were holding raid passes for a seasonal legendary or planning around a Spotlight Hour, that window closes on August 30.
The in-game All Events screen is where to confirm any of this on the day. It lists what is running now with a countdown, which is the fastest way to check whether a habitat block or bonus is actually live:
Saturday, September 5: Habitat and Raid Schedule
Mega Mewtwo X is available in Super Mega Raids across all four Saturday blocks. It is not restricted to a single habitat window, so you can fit it around whichever habitats you care about rather than the other way round.
The habitat name assigned to each block below reflects the spawn and raid theming rather than a labelled pairing in the announcement, so treat the names as a reading aid and the times, spawns, and bosses as the confirmed part.
| Time (local) | Habitat | Mega Raid bosses | Featured wild spawns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10–11 a.m. 2–3 p.m. | Verdant Overgrowth | Beedrill, Victreebel, Pinsir, Abomasnow | Weedle, Bellsprout, Scyther, Pinsir, Roselia, Snover, Venipede, Skiddo |
| 11 a.m.–12 p.m. 3–4 p.m. | Mindworks Canal | Alakazam, Slowbro, Starmie, Medicham | Abra, Slowpoke, Staryu, Ralts, Meditite, Espurr, Binacle, Clauncher |
| 12–1 p.m. 4–5 p.m. | Eerie Alley | Gengar, Houndoom, Banette, Malamar | Gastly, Houndour, Shuppet, Zorua, Litwick, Inkay, Phantump, Pumpkaboo |
| 1–2 p.m. 5–6 p.m. | Circuit Plaza | Raichu X, Ampharos, Manectric | Pikachu, Mareep, Electrike, Emolga, Tynamo, Stunfisk, Helioptile, Dedenne |
Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie appear in every habitat on both days, so partner Candy accumulates regardless of which block you play.
Sunday, September 6: Habitat and Raid Schedule
Mega Mewtwo Y takes over Super Mega Raids for all of Sunday, again across every block.
| Time (local) | Habitat | Mega Raid bosses | Featured wild spawns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10–11 a.m. 2–3 p.m. | Iron Frostworks | Steelix, Skarmory, Aggron, Glalie | Onix, Skarmory, Aron, Snorunt, Beldum, Drilbur, Amaura, Bergmite |
| 11 a.m.–12 p.m. 3–4 p.m. | Battle District | Sharpedo, Camerupt, Lopunny, Falinks | Machop, Carvanha, Numel, Buneary, Sandile, Scraggy, Pancham, Falinks |
| 12–1 p.m. 4–5 p.m. | Skyline Roosts | Gyarados, Aerodactyl, Dragonite, Altaria | Magikarp, Aerodactyl, Dratini, Swablu, Bagon, Fletchling, Tyrunt, Noibat |
| 1–2 p.m. 5–6 p.m. | Prism Promenade | Raichu Y, Sableye, Mawile, Audino | Pikachu, Clefairy, Sableye, Mawile, Audino, Furfrou, Spritzee, Carbink |
Two blocks stand out for long-term value. Iron Frostworks is the only window with Beldum and Aron together, both of which feed Mega evolutions that stay relevant. Skyline Roosts pairs Dratini and Bagon spawns with Mega Gyarados and Mega Dragonite raids, making it the densest hour for Candy XL on species that are expensive to power up. If you are working toward Level 50 on any of those, the XL Candy guide covers what that actually costs.
Mega Ascension: The Week Before
Mega Ascension runs August 31 to September 4 and is where you bank Mega Energy before the weekend. Mega Raids rotate on a daily schedule:
| Day | Mega Raid bosses |
|---|---|
| Monday, August 31 | Victreebel, Dragonite, Malamar |
| Tuesday, September 1 | Falinks |
| Wednesday, September 2 | Skarmory |
| Thursday, September 3 | Starmie |
| Friday, September 4 | Raichu X and Raichu Y |
Mega Latias and Mega Latios may also appear in Mega Raids throughout the week. The announcement notes that Mega Raids make up the majority of raids during this period, though seasonal raid bosses can still appear.
Wild spawns are boosted for Pikachu, Bellsprout, Staryu, Dratini, Skarmory, Chespin, Fennekin, Froakie, Inkay, and Falinks.
With the Remote Raid Pass cap raised to 30 for these five days, this is the practical window to stock up on Mega Energy for whichever Mega you intend to bring to the Mewtwo raids.
Mega Energy is species-specific and shown on each Pokémon’s detail screen, along with the cost to Mega Evolve. Banking well past that cost is what lets you Mega Evolve repeatedly across the weekend rather than once:
Choosing Your Kalos First Partner
Branching Timed Research asks you to pick Chespin, Fennekin, or Froakie. That choice determines your GO Pass path, which Mega Energy rewards you receive, and which avatar shirt you can unlock.
| Starter | Mega form | Typing |
|---|---|---|
| Chespin | Mega Chesnaught | Grass and Fighting |
| Fennekin | Mega Delphox | Fire and Psychic |
| Froakie | Mega Greninja | Water and Dark |
The free GO Pass track includes enough Mega Energy to Mega Evolve your chosen partner once. GO Pass Deluxe includes enough additional Mega Energy to raise that partner to Super Max Level.
The choice is worth a moment’s thought because it is locked for the event. If your goal is the Mewtwo raids specifically, Mega Greninja’s Dark typing is the one that lines up with Sunday’s Psychic-type boss, which is covered further down.
GO Pass milestone rewards
| Rank | Free track | Deluxe adds |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Link Charge cap raised to 2,000 | Increased shiny chance on your chosen partner |
| 2 | Partner encounter with Special Background | Increased shiny chance from four-star Mega Raids |
| 10 | Candy for your partner | Candy XL for your partner |
| 20 | Mega Energy | Additional Mega Energy |
| 40 | Partner encounter with Special Background | Avatar shirt of your partner’s evolution |
| 60 | Mega Energy | Additional Mega Energy |
| 70 | Partner encounter with Special Background | Increased shiny chance in all wild encounters during event hours |
| 100 | Final evolution with Special Background | Large Mega Energy payout |
After Rank 100, repeat bonus rewards continue up to Rank 600.
The Rank 70 Deluxe reward is the one to plan around if you are buying the upgrade. An increased shiny chance across all wild encounters during event hours is worth considerably more when unlocked on Saturday morning than on Sunday evening, so front-load your GO Pass progress if you intend to reach it. This is the same stacking logic that makes timing matter during a Community Day.
Type Matchups for Mega Mewtwo
The official announcement confirms which Mewtwo appears on which day but does not publish counter recommendations. The following is reasoning from the published type chart rather than official guidance, so adjust it to whatever your own roster supports.
Mega Mewtwo X is Psychic and Fighting. That dual typing removes the usual safety of Dark-type attackers, since Fighting-type moves hit them hard, and it also leaves Mega Mewtwo X weak to Fairy in a way pure Mewtwo is not. Ghost and Fairy attackers are the more reliable direction here.
Mega Mewtwo Y is pure Psychic. Dark-type attackers are the straightforward answer, with Ghost and Bug as secondary options.
Two confirmed bonuses matter for both fights. Remote Raid limits are removed across the weekend, so raid volume is capped only by your pass supply, and all Mega-Evolved Pokémon get an extra CP boost during the event. Mega Evolving your own attacker before entering the lobby is therefore worth more this weekend than usual.
Practical Application: Planning Saturday
Here is how the pieces fit together on a single day.
Say your goal is a shiny Mega Mewtwo X encounter plus progress on a Froakie GO Pass path. You spend Mega Ascension week raiding remotely, using the raised 30-pass cap to bank Mega Energy for a Dark or Fairy attacker. By Friday you have a Mega ready to go.
On Saturday you start at 10:00 a.m. rather than midday, because reaching Deluxe Rank 70 early makes the increased wild shiny chance apply to more of the day. You spend the first two blocks completing GO Pass tasks by winning Mega Raids in Verdant Overgrowth and Mindworks Canal, catching Froakie in both since it spawns in every habitat.
Once Rank 70 is unlocked, you switch priority. You locate a Gym running Super Mega Raids, Mega Evolve your attacker before entering the lobby for the CP boost, and use remote passes on Mega Mewtwo X repeatedly through the afternoon, since there is no remote cap. Each catch has a chance at both a shiny and the Special Background.
The pattern to take from this: bank Mega Energy during the week, push GO Pass ranks early on the day, then convert the rest of the event into raid volume once the shiny bonus is active.
Preparation Checklist
- Spend seasonal raid passes before August 30. Seasonal raids, Spotlight Hours, and Raid Hours are all suspended from August 31.
- Bank Mega Energy during Mega Ascension using the raised 30 Remote Raid Pass cap.
- Decide your starter before the research appears. The choice is locked for the event.
- Stock remote passes for the weekend, since the remote limit is removed entirely.
- Clear storage. Two full days of raids and habitat spawns fill boxes quickly.
- Find a raid group. Super Mega Raids appear at certain Gyms only, so coordination saves the hours you would otherwise spend searching.
Sorting Your Catches Afterwards
A two-day event with sixteen habitat blocks leaves you with a large and messy haul. Some of it is straightforward to sort, but the Special Backgrounds complicate things. You may end up with several Mewtwo, a handful of Mega Raid catches carrying the event background, and dozens of Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie, and the useful distinctions between them are not things in-game storage surfaces well. Working out which Froakie is worth keeping for Great League, and which of your background Mewtwo also has usable IVs, means opening them one at a time.
A tracker like GoDex makes that quick: scan a catch screenshot to read CP and IVs without typing anything in, check how those IVs rank for Great, Ultra, or Little Cup before deciding what to keep, and tag event-specific variants such as a Special Background catch using custom variant tags, alongside shiny or lucky. Adding a note on a Pokémon flags it for later, which is useful when you have several evolution candidates from the same weekend and want to compare them once the event is over.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a ticket? No. Mega Finale is a global event and the base content plus the free GO Pass track are available to all Trainers. GO Pass Deluxe is an optional paid upgrade, available in-game or through the Pokémon GO Web Store, which includes bonus items when purchased on the web store.
Can I play entirely remotely? Largely, yes. Remote Raid limits are removed for both event days, so the Mega and Super Mega Raid content is fully accessible without travel. Habitat wild spawns still depend on where you are.
Can I change my starter choice? No. The branching Timed Research locks your GO Pass path, so choose the Mega you actually want.
Are the event Pokémon shiny-eligible? The announcement notes shiny encounters are possible for the featured Pokémon, and GO Pass Deluxe increases shiny chances from certain Mega Raids and event encounters. Actual rates are not published by the developer.
What happens to my seasonal raids? They are suspended from August 31 at 12:01 a.m. through September 6 at 11:59 p.m. and replaced by Mega Ascension and Mega Finale raids.
Key Takeaways
- Clear your seasonal raid backlog before August 30, since those raids disappear for the following week.
- Use Mega Ascension to bank Mega Energy while the Remote Raid Pass cap sits at 30.
- Check the habitat clock before spending passes. Each Mega Raid boss is available for only two one-hour windows across the weekend.
- Push GO Pass ranks early on Saturday if you bought Deluxe, so the Rank 70 shiny bonus covers more event hours.
- Mega Evolve before entering a raid lobby, because the weekend CP boost applies to your own Megas too.
Event pages are sometimes revised after publication — confirm timings in the in-game news tab on the day.
We do our best to keep these guides accurate, but Pokémon GO mechanics change often. If you spot a mistake or something that's out of date, please send us feedback — we'll fix it.
About GoDex
A free companion app for tracking your collection, scanning IVs from screenshots, and checking PVP rankings. Available on iOS and Android.
