The Catch Cup returns to the Pokémon GO Taking place for just one week in August 2024, the Battle League will offer Trainers a new challenge as they rush to find the best possible team to compete with. Only Pokémon caught during the current Shared Skies season can participate in this special cup, meaning most of your old favorites won’t get a spot on your team.

During the Shared Skies season, trainers were able to unlock a number of Pokémon through events such as Scorching Steps, Ultra Unlock, and of course the huge Pokémon GO Fest 2024. With the season now coming to an end after three long months, it’s time to use all those Pokémon and take to the battlefield in Catch Cup: Shared Skies Edition.

Best Team for the Catch Cup: Shared Skies Edition

Slurp, Talonflame and Charjabug

One of the best teams you can use in Catch Cup: Shared Skies Edition is Slurp, Talonflame and Charjabug. All three of these Pokémon can be caught or evolved during the 2024 Pokémon World Championships celebration, which runs from Friday, August 16, to Tuesday, August 20. Even better, you’ll know their special attacks, which are essential for their best movesets.

Lickitung has long been a Great League favorite, so you can expect to see it a lot during this edition of the Catch Cup. It has impressive bulk and a great moveset that allows it to hit most opponents with neutral damage. You’ll need to farm XL Candy to get it as close to the 1500 CP limit as possible, but the investment is worth it, as you can use this Lickitung in the regular Great League as well.

Talonflame is a relatively cheap Pokémon that can be powered up to the 1500 CP limit, and you can get its special attack Incinerate if you evolve one during the 2024 World Championships. The same goes for Charjabug, the Bug/Electric-type Pokémon. It has a fast moveset that allows it to easily destroy your opponent’s shields, making it ideal for applying pressure.

Another top team for the Catch Cup would be
Quagsire, Skarmory and Cresselia
. Quagsire can be caught during the World Championships, Skarmory was available during the last Ultra Unlock: Strength Of Steel event, while Cresselia is currently available by defeating Giovanni in
Pokémon GO
.

Best Pokémon for Catch Cup: Shared Skies Edition

Mix and match to build your team

Although you’re limited to Pokémon you caught during the Shared Skies season for this edition of the Catch Cup, there are actually quite a few classic Great League stars that have appeared in special events over the past few months, meaning they’re eligible to participate if you caught them. These include Annihilape, Cresselia, Carbink, and Skarmory, among others.

In the table below you can see some of the best Pokémon for Catch Cup: Shared Skies Edition and their optimal movesets:

The good news is that many of these Pokémon or their pre-evolutions are now available in raid battles, as research rewards, or as wild spawns as part of the 2024 Pokémon World Championships celebrations, so keep an eye out for them as you explore the real world.

Keep in mind that all of these Pokémon need to be brought to 1500 CP as much as possible, which could be difficult for contenders like Carbink and Azumarill, both of which require a lot of XL Candy and Stardust. If you don’t have enough resources for them, try focusing on Pokémon that are cheaper to reach their full potential, like Galarian Stunfisk and Annihilape.

While the Catch Cup is a great way to try out new Pokémon you’ve recently caught, it may not be worth spending tons of resources on your team since the cup is only valid for a week. Check to see if your Pokémon have a place in the regular Great League meta before committing to them.

When you’re putting together a team for the Catch Cup, your options are ultimately severely limited depending on what you’ve managed to catch that season. For that reason—and because of its short runtime—it’s a good idea to approach the Catch Cup as fun, rather than expecting to win every battle. Try out some Pokémon you wouldn’t normally use and see how you get on.

Start and end dates of the Pokémon GO Catch Cup

Only one week left until the competition

The Catch Cup: Shared Skies Edition will go live in Pokémon GO Fighting League on Friday, August 16, 2024, 1:00 p.m. PT (4:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 p.m. BST)and ends on Friday, August 23, 2024. It will run alongside the Great League, Ultra League, and Master League, so this is a great time to compete as there will be options for trainers of all levels and experience levels.

These four GO Battle League formats will also run parallel to a special GO Battle Week (Friday, August 16, 2024, to Tuesday, August 20, 2024), where you can enjoy bonuses such as quadruple Stardust from win rewards and a free set of battle-themed Timed Research. The number of sets you can play per day will also be increased from five to 20.

If you fancy a more difficult challenge to get the most out of the Pokémon GO The Battle Week event lets you check out some of the top-ranked Pokémon and teams for the Master League, but keep in mind that this league is costly to enter, so beginners are advised to stick to the Great League or the limited-time Catch Cup.