The week of August 19, 2026, is shaping up to be an incredibly busy period for the Pokémon franchise. Players around the globe are currently preparing for the upcoming 2026 World Championships in San Francisco, diving into major in-game events across current titles, and getting their first looks at the massive 30th-anniversary trading card celebrations.
World Championships Preview and Pokopia Teaser
The Pokémon Company is hosting its official World Championships Preview Show this Friday, August 21, at 1:00 p.m. PDT on Twitch and YouTube. Alongside competitive meta breakdowns for the main event in San Francisco, which runs from August 28 to 30, organizers have teased a special Pokémon Pokopia announcement. This highly anticipated news comes as the Switch 2 exclusive title recently surpassed 5 million units sold in just over four months.
In-Game Events: Pokémon GO and Legends: Z-A
In mobile news, the global Ultra Unlock: Water Festival event is currently live in Pokémon GO through August 24. This event introduces Cramorant and Arrokuda to the game for the first time. Additionally, Lunala and Mega Swampert returned to raids on August 19, a Magikarp Spotlight Hour is scheduled for August 20, and Mega Starmie is set to make its debut in Super Mega Raids on Saturday, August 22.
Meanwhile, Season 15 of Ranked Battles is actively underway in Pokémon Legends: Z-A through August 27. This season features a strict Water-type-only ruleset for eligible Pokémon from the Lumiose and Hyperspace Pokédexes. Players who manage to advance through the ranks can earn powerful Mega Stones, including Blazikenite, Swampertite, and Sceptilite.
Scarlet and Violet Raid and TCG Previews
For console players, time is running out to challenge the Ghost Tera Type Annihilape with the Mightiest Mark in 7-star Tera Raid Battles. This limited-time event in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, which began on August 14, is officially scheduled to end on August 20, 2026, at 23:59 UTC.
On the physical side, official previews for the massive TCG 30th Celebration expansion launching on September 16, 2026, have revealed several of the 30 unique, numbered Pikachu rare cards. For immediate physical releases, the Mega Evolution—Ascended Heroes Tin featuring Mega Meganium ex, Mega Emboar ex, or Mega Feraligatr ex is scheduled to drop on August 28, following the August 7 release of the First Partner Illustration Collection—Series 3.
What to Do Next
To stay ahead of the curve this week, players should first boot up Scarlet and Violet immediately to defeat and catch the 7-star Ghost Tera Type Annihilape before the raid event concludes on August 20. Next, jump into Pokémon GO to register Cramorant and Arrokuda during the Water Festival, and save your Raid Passes for Mega Starmie on August 22. Finally, set a reminder for the August 21 stream and redeem the active Mystery Gift code PREPAR1NG in Pokémon Legends: Z-A for free items.