July 2026 is packed with raid bosses, Spotlight Hours, daily discovery bonuses, and a heavy event schedule. This lineup is based on pre-release info and could change before launch. The strongest raid picks to prioritize are Kyogre, Solgaleo, Kyurem, Mega Lucario, Mega Sceptile, and Mega Salamence, while saving Bidoof Spotlight Hour for transfer candy at the end of the month.
July 2026 Pokémon GO schedule at a glance
Research breakthrough box
prerequisites
- Dragonite
- Axew
- Honedge
- Jangmo-o
- Indeedee
- Clawitzer
The July research breakthrough reward pool includes these six Pokémon as stamp encounter rewards. No special action is noted—simply claim your weekly stamp reward.
Five-star raid rotations
steps
- July 1–5: Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres in five-star raids.
- July 6–12: The Road to Legends, with a wide range of returning raid bosses (specific bosses by day).
- July 13–14: Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres return again.
- July 15–21: Kyogre appears in five-star raids.
- July 22–28: Solgaleo takes over the five-star pool, now available as shiny.
- July 29–August 4: Kyurem is featured in five-star raids.
The screen shows a five-star raid rotation with two flaming bird bosses and the date range July 1st–5th. — Poké Daxi
Raid hours and what to target first
Which raid bosses are highest priority?
- Every five-star raid boss gets a raid hour from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. local time, unless a special event overlaps.
- The Road to Legends week spreads raid-hour coverage across multiple days for the returning bosses.
- Kyogre is the top pick for a water-type attacker.
- Solgaleo is valuable for fusing into Dusk Mane Necrozma, a high-rank steel attacker.
- Kyurem is important for its Black and White Kyurem fusions (meta-leading Ice type).
- Moltres is strong for flying attackers but is not the headline compared to Kyogre, Solgaleo, or Kyurem.
A person is on screen with a raid hour note showing Wednesdays 6–7 PM. — Poké Daxi
Dynamax bosses
comparison
Dynamax Pidove:
June 29–July 5
- Early month Dynamax, no specific meta callout.
Dynamax Chansey:
July 6–12
- Priority for Max battles (evolves into Blissey, top tank).
Dynamax Deino:
July 13–19
- New Dynamax boss, can evolve into Hydreigon (number two Dark attacker as Dynamax).
Dynamax Trubbish:
July 20–26
- Routine rotation, no special focus.
Dynamax Feebas:
July 27–August 2
- New Dynamax boss, less emphasized in the meta.
Spotlight Hours
steps
- July 2: Pidgey Spotlight Hour (two times evolve XP, good for Lucky Egg XP grinding).
- July 9: No Spotlight Hour due to Road to Legends event week.
- July 16: Zubat Spotlight Hour (two times catch XP).
- July 23: Eevee Spotlight Hour (two times catch candy).
- July 30: Bidoof Spotlight Hour (two times transfer candy—ideal to clear storage after GO Fest and catch-ups).
Daily discoveries bonuses
steps
- Tuesday: Showcase Tuesday—up to five showcases instead of three until 8:00 p.m.
- Thursday: Go Battle League Thursday—50 battles available with four times Stardust on PvP win rewards.
- Friday: Friendship Friday—trade bonuses (two extra special trades, 20% less Stardust cost, higher lucky chance, two guaranteed Candy XL for level 31+ trainers).
- Sunday: Scenic Sunday—route bonuses (more regional/route Pokémon, incense boosted on route, reduced buddy distance for route candy, up to three Mateo gifts for eggs).
What to play first if you are short on time
July 2026 raid bosses in Pokémon GO
| Raid Boss | Type | Available As | Recommended For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres | Legendary | Five-star/Shadow | Flying/entry-level |
| Kyogre | Legendary | Five-star/Primal | Top water attacker |
| Solgaleo | Legendary | Five-star | Steel fusion, shiny |
| Kyurem | Legendary | Five-star | Ice fusion meta |
| Shadow Altered Forme Palkia | Legendary | Shadow Raid | Dragon attacker |
| Mega Lucario | Mega | Mega Raid | Fighting/steel attacker |
| Mega Mewtwo | Mega | Mega Raid | - |
| Mega Sceptile | Mega | Mega Raid | Grass attacker |
| Mega Salamence | Mega | Mega Raid | Dragon/dark attacker |
| Mega Aggron | Mega | Mega Raid | - |
| Dynamax Pidove, Chansey, Deino, Trubbish, Feebas | Dynamax | Max Battle | Chansey (tank), Deino (offense/ Hydreigon) |
Spotlight Hours and daily discoveries bonuses are covered above. Event details after July 13 and July 21 are unknown at this time.
FAQ
What are the July 2026 raid bosses in Pokémon GO?
The July 2026 raid schedule includes Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Kyogre, Solgaleo, Kyurem, Shadow Altered Forme Palkia, plus Mega Lucario, Mega Mewtwo, Mega Sceptile, Mega Salamence, Mega Aggron, and Dynamax bosses (Pidove, Chansey, Deino, Trubbish, Feebas).
Which raid bosses get raid hour in July 2026?
Every five-star raid boss gets a raid hour from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. local time, with the Road to Legends week assigning separate raid hours across multiple days for its featured bosses.
What are the July 2026 Spotlight Hours in Pokémon GO?
Spotlight Hours are Thursdays 6:00–7:00 p.m.: Pidgey (July 2), Zubat (July 16), Eevee (July 23), Bidoof (July 30 with two times transfer candy), with no Spotlight Hour July 9 due to event overlap.
What bonuses are in daily discoveries for July 2026?
The daily bonuses are Showcase Tuesday (extra showcase slots), Go Battle League Thursday (50 PvP battles, four times Stardust), Friendship Friday (trade perks), and Scenic Sunday (route and regional Pokémon boosts).
What are the best raid bosses to play in July 2026?
Kyogre, Solgaleo, Kyurem, Mega Lucario, Mega Sceptile, and Mega Salamence are the most valuable raid targets in July, based on their current rankings and fusion potential.
Which Dynamax bosses are available in July 2026?
Dynamax bosses for July are Pidove (June 29–July 5), Chansey (July 6–12), Deino (July 13–19), Trubbish (July 20–26), and Feebas (July 27–August 2). Dynamax Chansey and Deino (for Hydreigon) are specifically highlighted for Max battle purposes.
Sources
Screenshots on this page are frames from the videos below, used to illustrate the steps they describe. All rights remain with their creators.
- The BEST Month in Pokemon GO (don’t miss) — Poké Daxi, June 23, 2026
