Pokémon GO May 2026 Raids: Ultra Beasts Return, Tapus and Shadow Cresselia
By Matt · Published · Updated May 2026 had Tapu Lele (to 5 May), Nihilego (6 to 12 May), the regional Buzzwole, Pheromosa and Xurkitree (13 to 19 May), Tapu Bulu (20 to 26 May) and Tapu Fini (27 May to 2 June), with Shadow Cresselia from 6 May to 2 June and Dynamax Cottonee, Growlithe, Registeel and Combee debuting.
Here’s everything that came to raids and Max Battles in May 2026.
The May 2026 raid schedule
- 29 April to 5 May: Tapu Lele in 5-star raids, with Mega Banette.
- 6 to 12 May: the return of Ultra Beasts with Nihilego, and the first replay of Mega Camerupt.
- 13 to 19 May: Buzzwole, Pheromosa and Xurkitree in their regional areas, with Mega Glalie.
- 20 to 26 May: Tapu Bulu, with Mega Altaria.
- 27 May to 2 June: Tapu Fini, with Mega Medicham. This was during GO Fest Tokyo, so for me it was Mega Mewtwo and more.
- 6 May to 2 June: Shadow Cresselia in Shadow raids.
Max Battle debuts
- Dynamax Cottonee (4 May)
- Dynamax Growlithe (11 May)
- Dynamax Registeel (18 May)
- Dynamax Combee (25 May)
It was a big month, especially with GO Fest included.
For which Ultra Beasts are worth your passes, see my Ultra Beast rankings. For Mega Mewtwo, see my Mega Mewtwo X or Y guide.
FAQ
What raids were in Pokémon GO in May 2026?
Tapu Lele (29 April to 5 May), Nihilego (6 to 12 May), Buzzwole, Pheromosa and Xurkitree in their regions (13 to 19 May), Tapu Bulu (20 to 26 May) and Tapu Fini (27 May to 2 June) in 5-star raids.
What was in Shadow raids in May 2026?
Shadow Cresselia, from 6 May to 2 June.
Which Dynamax Pokémon debuted in May 2026?
Dynamax Cottonee (4 May), Growlithe (11 May), Registeel (18 May) and Combee (25 May).
Get Matt's full take
The extended write-up on Patreon has Matt’s commentary, what to prioritise and Matt’s own plan.