About the New Year’s Eve, there will be a suitable event in Pokémon GO. And this brings you a strong, permanent change.
What kind of event is this? On Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at 10:00 AM, the “New Year 2026” event will start in Pokémon GO. It will be active until Sunday, January 4, 2026, at 8:00 PM.
In addition to some bonuses, strong item rewards, and an increased shiny chance, there will also be a permanent change starting with the event from which you can benefit.
All content from New Year 2026 in Pokémon GO
What kind of change is this? With the start of the event, the number of guaranteed lucky trades will be increased. While there were previously 35, there will now be 45. You can trigger a guaranteed lucky trade when you trade a Pokémon caught in 2020 or earlier.
There is no way to see in the game how many of the guaranteed lucky trades you have completed so far. However, if you know that you have already used the previous 35, you can be sure that you can now carry out 10 more.
Which Pokémon are there? You can find various event Pokémon both in the wild and in raids. These include:
In the wild:
- Bulbasaur with party hat*
- Jigglypuff with ribbon*
- Hoothoot with New Year’s outfit*
- Pikachu with party top hat*
In 1-star raids:
- Pikachu with party top hat*
- Wurmple with party hat*
In 3-star raids:
- Raticate with party hat*
- Nidorino with party hat*
- Gengar with party hat*
- Woobat with party hat*
What bonuses are there? If you complete raid battles during the event, you will receive double the amount of experience points and stardust. Additionally, the chance to find a shiny Pikachu with a party top hat is increased.
In addition to event field research, there will also be daily field research in “New Year 2026”. You will receive this when you log in for the first time of the day, as long as you have 3 or fewer field research tasks.
If you complete a daily field research task, you can receive a lucky egg or incense as a reward.
When you are out in the game, you can also discover festive fireworks in the sky.
Further content: With the start of the event, you can also purchase a new accessory in the in-game shop for your avatar. These are Kecleon boots. Even after the event ends, you can still purchase this accessory.
In addition, there is a paid ticket that you can purchase for $1.99 (approximately €2.50). This will grant you an additional raid pass at gyms each day during the event. Additionally, this unlocks a limited research task in which you can receive 2 premium battle passes, 3,000 stardust, and encounters with the costumed Pikachu when you complete it.
Besides the New Year event, the first Community Day for the year 2026 is already known. You can expect a strong attacker that is quite versatile and one you shouldn’t miss: All information about the first regular Community Day 2026 in January in Pokémon GO.
