The Catch Cup is returning to thePokémon GOBattle League for just one week in August 2024, giving Trainers a fresh challenge to enjoy as they rush to find the best team possible to compete with. This special cup only allows Pokémon that were caught during the ongoing Shared Skies season to take part, meaning most of your old favorites won’t be eligible for a spot on your team.
During the Shared Skies season, Trainers have been able to catch a range of Pokémon through events like Scorching Steps, Ultra Unlock, and, of course, the massivePokémon GOFest 2024. With the season now coming to an end after three long months, it’s time to put all of those Pokémon to work and head to the battlefield in the Catch Cup: Shared Skies Edition.
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Best Team For The Catch Cup: Shared Skies Edition
Lickitung, Talonflame & Charjabug
One of the best teams you can use in the Catch Cup: Shared Skies Edition isLickitung, Talonflame, and Charjabug. All three of these Pokémon can be caught or evolved during the 2024 Pokémon World Championships Celebration event which runs from Friday, August 16 to Tuesday, August 20. Even better, they’ll know their featured attacks, which are essential for their top movesets.
Lickitung is a longtime Great League favorite, so expect to see it often during this edition of the Catch Cup. It has impressive bulk and a great moveset that can hit most opponents with neutral damage. You’ll need tofarm XL Candyto get it as close to the 1500 CP limit as possible, but it’s worth the investment as you’ll also be able to use this Lickitung in the regular Great League.
Talonflame is a relatively cheap Pokémon to power up to the 1500 CP limit, and you’ll be able to get its featured attack Incinerate if you evolve one during the 2024 World Championships event. The same is true for Charjabug, the Bug/Electric-type Pokémon. It has a fast-paced moveset that can easily take out your opponent’s shields, making it great for applying pressure.
Another top team for the Catch Cup would beQuagsire, Skarmory, and Cresselia. Quagsire is available to catch as part of the World Championships event, Skarmory was available during the recent Ultra Unlock: Strength Of Steel event, while Cresselia can currently be obtained by defeating Giovanni inPokémon GO.
Best Pokémon For The Catch Cup: Shared Skies Edition
Mix And Match To Build Your Team
Although you’re limited to Pokémon caught during the Shared Skies season for this edition of the Catch Cup, there are actually quite a lot of classic Great League stars that have appeared in special events over the past few months, meaning they’ll be eligible to compete if you’ve managed to catch them. These include Annihilape, Cresselia, Carbink, and Skarmory, among others.
You can see some of the top Pokémon for the Catch Cup: Shared Skies Edition and their optimal movesets in the table below:
Dragon Breath
Sky Attack & Moonblast
The good news is that many of these Pokémon or their pre-evolutions are available to encounter right now inRaid Battles, as Research task rewards, or as wild spawns as part of the 2024 Pokémon World Championships Celebration event, so keep an eye out for them when you’re exploring in the real world.
Remember that all of these Pokémon will need to be powered up as close to 1500 CP as possible, which could be a struggle for contenders like Carbink and Azumarill, which both require lots of XL Candy and Stardust. If you don’t have enough resources for them, try and focus on Pokémon that are cheaper to reach their full potential, such as Galarian Stunfisk and Annihilape.
Although the Catch Cup is a great way to try out new Pokémon that you’ve recently caught, it might not be worth spending loads of resources on your team, as the cup only lasts for one week. Check if your Pokémon have a place in the regular Great League meta before committing to them.
Ultimately, when putting together a team for the Catch Cup, your options are going to be severely limited based on what you’ve been able to catch this season. Because of that - and because of the short run time - it’s a good idea to approach the Catch Cup as a bit of fun rather than expecting to win every battle. Try some Pokémon you wouldn’t normally use and see how you get on.
Pokémon GO Catch Cup Start & End Date
Just One Week To Compete
The Catch Cup: Shared Skies Edition will go live in thePokémon GOBattle League onFriday, July 17, 2025, at 1 PM PT (4 PM ET / 9 PM BST), and end on Friday, July 12, 2025. It will run alongside the Great League, the Ultra League, and the Master League, so this is a great time to compete as there will be options for Trainers of all levels and experience.
These four GO Battle League formats will also run alongside a special GO Battle Week (Friday, July 28, 2025, to Tuesday, August 19, 2025), where you’ll be able to enjoy bonuses like quadruple Stardust from win rewards and a free set of battle-themed Timed Research. The number of sets you’ll be able to play per day will also be increased from five to 20.
If you fancy a more difficult challenge to make the most of thePokémon GOBattle Week event, you can check out some of the top-ranked Pokémon and teams forthe Master League here, although be aware this is an expensive league to take part in. For beginners, it’s recommended that you stick to the Great League or the limited-time Catch Cup.
