The 2019-2020 Competitive Season Season 2: Calling All Competitors! The Silph League Arena is the premier competitive PvP league in Pokemon GOTM - offering competitors around the world a chance to prove they are the very best in their region, nation, and the world!

Season Roadmap

Overview: 11 Months of Challenges

Get ready to prove your mettle! From October 1st through August 31st the Silph Arena will test tens of thousands of competitors around the world in the ultimate competitive challenge. Come prove your skills and show your region, nation, and the world that you're the very best in the premier Pokemon GOTM PvP league.

Ranked tournaments are held at thousands of local venues each month, are free-to-play, and are open to all ages. Everyone is welcome to compete! Simply find the next tournament near you on the Tournament Map and RSVP with a free Silph.gg account and you're ready to start climbing the leaderboards!

This Season will resemble the 2019 Season in structure, with several new changes and improvements. An explanation of each item can be found below.

* Note: The dates listed below may be impacted by changes in gameplay mechanics, future Niantic live-event schedules, and other factors and will be subject to change. The Arena will, however, attempt to adhere to the posted schedule as closely as possible. Thank you in advance for your understanding and patience!

October Through July: Monthly Cups

Ten monthly themed Cups will challenge competitors from October through July. Cups are designed with unique restrictions (types, limited bans, Generation restriction, etc.) to test your knowledge of Pokemon, strategic creativity, and battling abilities. Each Cup's details will be announced roughly two weeks in advance to provide competitors ample time to prepare their teams.

Your performance in each Cup has a significant impact on your global and national ranking - moreso than most other tournament types, so prepare well! The most skilled competitors can shine in battle no matter the circumstances, so study the Cup's rules and strategic landscape, hone your team, and face the challenge head on!

April: Regionals By Invitation

The strongest competitors in each area will be invited to represent their communities in the Regional Invitationals which preceed the Championship Season events. Qualifications for Regional Invites can be found on the 2020 Regionals Information Page.

Regional Invitationals are "hosted" by local volunteer communities and aim to encompass all communities within a short travel distance. Regional hosting applications are currently open and can be found here. Hosts will be selected and announced with ample time to plan and prepare.

June Through August: Championship Season

Regional Champions and a few of the highest globally ranked competitors will be invited to battle at the Continental Championships held throughout June, July, and August. The competitors who conquer these elite competitions will be some of the most skilled, elite battlers in the world!

In an exciting advancement from last Season... In August the Arena will invite the Continental Champions to the most elite PvP contest ever held - the Silph Arena World Championship! There the first World Champion will be crowned and write their name into legend.

Stay tuned for more details on Continental Championship dates and locations as well as more information on the Silph Arena World Championship!

Player Rank & Qualifying

Increasing Player Rank

Players' ranking will be affected by wins and losses in ranked tournaments hosted by Silph League member communities when played through Silph.gg. Many factors are considered behind the scenes when calculating player ranking, but the fastest way to rank up will be performing well in monthly Cups.

Win/loss ratio, unique players defeated, and many other factors will play a role in determining rank. To a limited degree, this can include performing well in Arena-accredited, non-Cup, ranked open league tournaments - but simply playing more tournaments is not necessary to rank well locally or globally. Cup play is weighted significantly - and performing well in monthly Cups should be the primary focus of those seeking to qualify for a Regional invitation.

For information about player rank in the Arena, read the Guide to Player Rank!

Regional Qualifications

Competitors will have multiple paths to earning an invitation to Regionals in the 2019-2020 Season. Check out the 2020 Regionals Information page for qualifying criteria.

Championship Qualifications

The road to the Continental and World Championships will be tough and few will reach the end. But there are multiple paths to the top. Regional Champions, a small group of the world's highest-ranked competitors, and others will have the opportunity to compete at the prestigious Continental and World Championships at the end of the Season. Specific qualification information will be announced later in the season, so be prepared!

Hosting Local Tournaments

Silph League Community Leaders

Monthly Arena Cups and other accredited open league tournaments can be hosted by Silph League community leaders.

Member communities must abide the Silph League's Code of Conduct and may have their accreditation or League membership revoked for violating the spirit and policies of the League.

For help setting up, hosting, or getting started in the Silph League, join us in the League's Community Leader Discord server and Telegram channels!

To collaborate with other Tournament Hosts and PvP players, join us on The Silph Arena Discord server!