All about Go Battle League in Pokémon Go

Your main goal in Pokémon Go is collecting as many Pokémon as possible. However, there's another element to being a Pokémon Trainer – battling to see who has the strongest team – and Pokémon Go has a whole system for battling called the Go Battle League.

This guide will teach you the ins and outs of the Go Battle League, including how to find it in the game, what sort of competitions are available, and how you can join them. If you've been catching as many Pokémon as you can find while playing Pokémon Go, why not join the Go Battle League and see how strong your new friends are?

Go Battle League is the section of Pokémon Go where Trainers can battle with their Pokémon in sanctioned battles. There are multiple classes in the league that determine the power levels and Pokémon eligible for a particular Go Battle League.

The Go Battle League menu lists your win-loss record, details what rewards you can earn in the next series of matchups, and what Battle League is currently running. You can also do a quick sparring match with one of the three Go Team Leaders – Blanche, Candela, or Spark – by scrolling to the bottom of the Go Menu, or preset a few battle parties before jumping into the first match.

Tap the Poké Ball symbol at the bottom of the main screen, then select the Battle option. You’ll enter the Go Battle League menu. Tap the Battle button, and you can choose which league you want to battle in from the current active offerings. From there, form a party of three Pokémon, and the game will find you a match.

Battling in Pokémon Go is a more streamlined version of battles in the core Pokémon games, but there's still a surprising amount of depth and strategy involved. Before entering a battle, choose three Pokémon that fit into the Class you're competing in. Once you do that, you can move on to battle.

Once your Pokémon appears on-screen and the countdown reaches zero, tap the screen to use your Pokémon’s basic attack. As the move connects, a small meter will appear at the bottom of the screen. When that fills up, you can use your Pokémon’s Charged Attack (a short minigame determines how powerful the attack will be).