Scopely and The Pokémon Company have announced a major competitive expansion for Pokémon GO: Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenges.
This new system lets GO Battle League players earn Championship Points directly from in-game battles, creating a clear path from mobile PvP to the Pokémon Championship Series, no live events required.
For the first time, your global leaderboard placement alone can earn you official competitive recognition.
What are the Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenges?
Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenges reward Trainers who finish a GO Battle League Season near the top of the global leaderboard with Championship Points.
These points:
- Are part of the official Pokémon Championship Series
- Count toward qualification for the Pokémon World Championships
- Are earned purely through in-game performance
Unlike traditional Play! Pokémon tournaments that use a show-six format (both teams revealed before battle), Leaderboard Challenges use the familiar blind three format. You only see your opponent’s Pokémon as they enter battle, just like standard GO Battle League.
Leaderboard Challenge Schedule
The first Pokémon GO Battle League Leaderboard Challenge runs during the following period:
- Starts: March 3, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. PST
- Ends: June 2, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. PDT
⚠️ After June 2, there will be a break in Leaderboard Challenges until September 1, 2026. The 2026 Pokémon GO World Championships will take place August 28–30, 2026 at the Moscone Center, where the world’s top competitors will face off.
How to Participate in Leaderboard Challenges
To earn Championship Points through the Leaderboard Challenges, Trainers must:
- Link their Pokémon GO account with a Pokémon Trainer Central (PTC) account.
- Opt in to Play! Pokémon on their PTC profile.
- Be in a region supported by TPCi rating zones.
Once linked and opted in, Trainers earn points simply by battling in the GO Battle League and achieving a high leaderboard position by the end of the Season.
How to Link Pokémon GO with Pokémon Trainer Central
- Log in to your Pokémon Trainer Central account.
- Go to Apps & Games and select Pokémon GO (Niantic, Inc.).
- Toggle permission and confirm.
You can adjust this permission at any time in your account settings.
How to Opt In to Play! Pokémon
- From Pokémon Trainer Central, navigate to the Play! Pokémon page.
- Select Get Started.
- Complete your trainer information (name, screen name, address).
- Choose your leaderboard display name.
- Enter your Player ID if you have one, or check “I do not have a Player ID.”
Once linked and opted in, your Battle League performance counts toward Championship Points.
Championship Points Distribution (2026)
Eligible Trainers worldwide — regardless of TPCi rating zone — can earn Championship Points based on their final global leaderboard placement.
| Final Placement | Competitors in Tier | Championship Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 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 | 1,025 | 4 |
| 513–1024 | 2,049 | 3 |
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:
- Log in to your Pokémon Trainer Central account, and navigate to Pokémon GO (Niantic, Inc.) under the Apps & Games section.
- Toggle permission along the top of the page to grant access.
- 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.
