Starting in early 2020, Niantic will let Pokémon Go players compete against each other online in a new Go Battle League for the mobile game. Niantic says the league will let you battle players from around the globe using a matchmaking system, and that it will feature ranks that you’ll have to rise up through.
This won’t be the first time Pokémon Go has let you battle other players, but the current Trainer Battles feature is much more limited in scope. Unless you’ve reached an “Ultra” or “Best” friend ranking with another player (a process which takes 30 days at a minimum) then you can only battle players in your immediate vicinity. The Go Battle League has a more global focus, and it sounds like you could be matched against players regardless of location.
Niantic didn’t share many other details about how the upcoming league will work, or how players will be able to join it beyond saying that “trainers will be able to walk in order to earn entry.” However, the company promised that it will share more details in a new Dev Insights video that’s due to come out soon.