A packed May 2026 for Trainers
May 2026 looks particularly busy and exciting for Pokémon GO players. Niantic has put together a varied program, mixing epic Raid Battles, highly anticipated Community Days, and special events that will punctuate Trainers’ daily play throughout the month. From legendary creatures to Mega Pokémon, along with exploration bonuses, every week brings its share of novelties and challenges.
Field Research will offer a particularly interesting rotation of Pokémon, making it possible to obtain Gyarados, Honedge, Dhelmise, Sinistea, Duraludon and Dreepy from March 2, 2026 to June 2, 2026. These Pokémon are obtained by completing a Research stage, with a chance to encounter most of them as Shiny (except Dreepy). In addition, Spinda with patterns no. 8 and no. 1 will also be available, including as Shiny. You can find all Field Research tasks on the dedicated page.
Legendary Raids and Mega Raids not to be missed
The month kicks off with Tapu Lele in Tier 5 Raids until May 6 at 10 AM (local time). It will then be replaced by Nihilego from May 6 at 10 AM to May 13 at 10 AM, with a dedicated Legendary Raid Hour on May 6 from 6 PM to 7 PM. The period from May 13 to May 20 will see regional Pokémon in Tier 5 Raids: Buzzwole for the Americas and Greenland, Pheromosa for Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India, and Xurkitree for Asia-Pacific. The associated Legendary Raid Hour will take place on May 13 from 6 PM to 7 PM. Finally, Tapu Bulu will take over from May 20 to May 27, followed by Tapu Fini from May 27 to June 3, with their respective Legendary Raid Hours on May 20 and 27.
Mega Raids won’t be left out. After Mega Banette and Mega Camerupt (until May 9), Mega Glalie will be available from May 13 to May 19, followed by Mega Altaria from May 20 to May 26, and finally Mega Medicham from May 27 to June 2. All of these Mega Pokémon will be obtainable as Shiny.
Shadow Raids will feature Shadow Cresselia, with a chance of a Shiny encounter, on every weekend in May (May 9-10, 16-17, 23-24 and 30-31). A dedicated Shadow Raid Day for Shadow Entei will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026, from 2 PM to 5 PM (local time), offering a unique opportunity to catch this powerful form Source 5. Shadow Cresselia will also be present on the weekends of May, providing a recurring presence for Shadow Pokémon hunters.
Community Days and the Spring Marathon
May 2026 will feature two highly anticipated Community Days. On Saturday, May 9, from 2 PM to 5 PM (local time), it’s the Lechonk Community Day, offering an increased chance to catch this Pokémon and earn its Candy. On Saturday, May 16, from 2 PM to 5 PM (local time), it’s Deino’s turn to shine during a Classic Community Day, an ideal opportunity for those who want to complete their collection or optimize their competitive teams Source 4. These events will be key moments to stock up on resources and rare Pokémon.
From Tuesday, May 12 at 10 AM to Monday, May 18, 2026 at 8 PM (local time), Trainers can enjoy the spring marathon event. It offers welcome bonuses: XP will be doubled when spinning PokéStops, and Egg hatching distance will be halved for Eggs placed in an Incubator for the duration of the event Source 3. It’s an excellent opportunity for players to maximize their experience gains and hatch plenty of Pokémon.
Additional information and bonuses
May 2026 falls within the continuity of the ‘Memories in Motion’ and ‘Memories in Motion GO Battle League’ seasons, which run from March 3 to June 2. These seasons bring rankings, bonuses and new Pokémon to the GO Battle League, offering a competitive dimension throughout the month Source 4.
With such a busy program, May 2026 proves to be an essential month for all Pokémon GO Trainers, whether they are collectors, competitors or simply looking for new adventures in the real world.
