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When does Pokémon Champions Season M-3 start, and what can we expect?

A new regulation, Pokémon and platform to play on await.

A Pokémon Champions logo with a textured overlay.
Credit: One More Catch (via The Pokémon Company)
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Season M-3 should mark the biggest change to Pokémon Champions since the game launched back in early April.

Due mid-June, it'll usher in a new Regulation Set - changing which Pokémon are eligible in Ranked Play - the addition of Mega Raichu X and Y, and the launch of Pokémon Champions mobile.

And with each season's short timeframe, it's not that far away. This guide explains the Pokémon Champions Season M-3 release date, and what we can expect.

Update (5th June): Added confirmed new Pokémon as well as a new release platform.


Pokémon Champions Season M-3 release date, time

Pokémon Champions Season M-3 has a release date of Wednesday, 17th June, 2026, with downtime for the season starting at 2:00 UTC, which is the following times in Europe and the Americas:

Downtime takes a couple of hours, going by Season M-2, though the more significant changes to Season M-3 means we could be waiting longer. Either way, I suspect Season M-3 will launch within three hours of the above times.


What can we expect from Pokémon Champions Season M-3?

A lot about Season M-3 is up in the air, but there are some definitives and some hints of what we could expect. Let's go through them one-by-one.

A split image showing Mega Raichu X on the left, and Mega Raichu Y on the right.
Mega Raichu X and Y. Credit: The Pokémon Company
A Pokémon Champions infographic showing what's changing in Regulation Sets M-A and M-B.
Credit: The Pokémon Company

As well as the above, an interview with producer Masaaki Hoshino with Gamerbraves hints at new features coming to the game in the near future - including the possibility of unevolved Pokémon, new arenas and custom tournaments. Whether some of these will roll out with Season M-3 or not is unknown, but know they are likely on the roadmap, alongside the release of a mobile version.


In the meantime, if you're interested in what's new in Season M-2, we have our own patch notes and a list of M-2 Battle Pass rewards to read.

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Matthew Reynolds

Matthew Reynolds

Matthew Reynolds is founder and editor of One More Catch, and has covered Pokémon Go since day one. An award-winning games journalist based in the UK, he has written for Polygon, Eurogamer, Digital Spy, The Guardian, and Retro Gamer magazine.

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