Pokémon GO January 2026 Raids: Genesect, Forces of Nature and Shadow Cresselia
By Matt · Published · Updated January 2026 had Shadow Cresselia in Shadow raids all month, Burn and Chill Drive Genesect (5 to 16 January) with Mega Blaziken, Incarnate Forme Thundurus (16 to 25 January) with Mega Sceptile and Incarnate Forme Tornadus (25 January to 4 February) with Mega Ampharos. Mega Sceptile and Mega Blaziken were the best of the bunch.
Here are all the Pokémon that came to raids in January 2026.
The January 2026 raid schedule
- 2 January to 1 February: Shadow Cresselia in 5-star Shadow raids.
- 5 to 16 January: Burn Drive and Chill Drive Genesect in 5-star raids, with Mega Blaziken in 4-star raids.
- 16 to 25 January: Incarnate Forme Thundurus, with Mega Sceptile.
- 25 January to 4 February: Incarnate Forme Tornadus, with Mega Ampharos.
Matt's takeOf all of these, Mega Sceptile and Mega Blaziken were the best of the bunch, but January for me was about trying to get a shundo Shadow Cresselia. Hey, I can aim big, right?
For Shadow Cresselia counters, see my Shadow Darkrai and Shadow Cresselia raid guide.
FAQ
What raids were in Pokémon GO in January 2026?
Burn and Chill Drive Genesect (5 to 16 January), Incarnate Forme Thundurus (16 to 25 January) and Incarnate Forme Tornadus (25 January to 4 February) in 5-star raids, with Shadow Cresselia in Shadow raids from 2 January to 1 February.
Which Megas were in January 2026 raids?
Mega Blaziken, Mega Sceptile and Mega Ampharos.
What were the best January 2026 raids?
Mega Sceptile and Mega Blaziken.
Get Matt's full take
The extended write-up on Patreon has Matt’s commentary, what to prioritise and Matt’s own plan.