Pokémon GO will host Catch Mastery: Phantump on September 26, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. The official announcement, published on August 27, confirms the date and the event’s main catch bonuses in the official Pokémon GO announcement.
Phantump anchors the one-day event
Phantump will appear through Field Research, free Timed Research and paid Timed Research. The paid track adds tasks reserved for players who purchase it, but the number of encounters and reward details have not been announced.
Cherubi and Drifloon will also appear more often in the wild, with increased chances of finding their Shiny versions. Niantic has not provided precise odds, so the scale of that boost cannot yet be measured.
Better throws bring the main catch bonus
A Nice Throw or better will double catch XP and increase the Candy earned. The exact quantities are still unknown, which prevents a reliable estimate of the average gain or a detailed comparison between catch results.
Paid tasks must be finished before 8 p.m.
The paid Timed Research expires when the event ends at 8 p.m. local time on September 26. Any incomplete tasks and unclaimed rewards will disappear after that deadline. The ticket can be gifted to a friend at the Ultra Friends friendship level or higher.
The Ultra Ticket Box Catch Mastery: Phantump will include the event ticket and two Rare Candies. Its local price has not been confirmed, so a dollar amount should not be converted into euros. The ticket cannot be bought with PokéCoins, and purchases will be non-refundable except where applicable law or the terms of use provide an exception.
That fixed 10-hour window makes timing important for anyone considering the paid track. The unknown Shiny rate, reward quantities and local price also mean its value cannot be assessed precisely yet. The official event page notes that upcoming events may be changed.
Further reading
- our feature on pokemon-go
- the Pokémon GO game page
- our article on Pokémon GO: Shiny Latios arrives with the GO Pass
Verified sources
- pokemongo.com: official Pokémon GO announcement confirming the date, times, encounters, catch bonuses, wild appearances and ticket conditions; published on 2026-08-27.
- jeu.video: supplementary jeu.video article about the Explorer Gadget. Its publication date is not indicated, and it is not used to establish the event facts.
