Picture this: you joined Team Instinct because you loved Zapdos, but every gym in your neighbourhood is painted blue or red. Your raids are lonely, your gym coins are rare, and your friends are all on Team Mystic laughing at you from the other side of the fence. Sound familiar? You are not stuck.
Yes, you absolutely can change teams in Pokémon GO — but there are real costs, a strict annual limit, and a few things you need to know before you spend 1,000 PokéCoins and live to regret it. This guide walks you through every step: the Team Medallion method, the free support route for new trainers, what happens to your Pokémon in Gyms when you switch, and how to scout your local team landscape so you make the right call the first time.
Understanding the Three Teams
When you reach Level 5 and visit your first Gym, Pokémon GO asks you to pledge allegiance to one of three teams. This choice is not cosmetic — it determines which Gyms you can defend, who you earn coins alongside, and which leader gives you advice throughout the game.
Team Mystic (Blue) is led by Blanche and uses Articuno as its mascot. Mystic values wisdom, calm strategy, and the study of Pokémon evolution. Statistically, Mystic is the most popular team globally, with roughly 43–45% of the active player base. In most cities, blue gyms dominate the map.
Team Valor (Red) is led by Candela and uses Moltres as its symbol. Valor emphasises raw strength and enhancing a Pokémon’s natural power. It holds around 32% of the global player base, making it the second most popular team.
Team Instinct (Yellow) is led by Spark and uses Zapdos. Instinct focuses on intuition and the mystery of Pokémon hatching. With roughly 25% of players, it is the smallest team worldwide — which, depending on your area, can be either a frustrating disadvantage or a real opportunity to dominate under-contested Gyms.
There is no objectively ‘best’ team in terms of raw gameplay mechanics. All three function identically at the core game level. Your choice matters most for two practical reasons: which Gyms you can place Pokémon in to earn daily PokéCoins, and how easily you can find raid partners who share your team colour for the bonus Premier Balls in Legendary raids.
The Short Answer: Yes — With One Big Catch
The team change feature was introduced in Pokémon GO in 2019 with app version 0.135.0. Before that update, your initial team choice was permanent. Now, switching is possible — but only once every 365 days.
That 365-day lockout is the catch that catches everyone off guard. The moment you activate a Team Medallion and confirm your switch, a rolling one-year timer begins. You cannot purchase or use another Team Medallion until that full year has elapsed. This is a deliberate design choice by Niantic to prevent rapid team-hopping that would destabilise local Gym ecosystems.
The practical implication: treat a team change as a major decision. Scout your local area carefully before committing. If you move cities or your friend group changes a year from now, you may want another switch — but you will have to wait.
How to Change Teams: The Team Medallion Method
The Team Medallion is the primary in-game method for switching teams. It costs 1,000 PokéCoins and is available in the Pokémon GO Shop under the Upgrades section. Here is the exact process:
Step 1 — Earn or Buy 1,000 PokéCoins
You need at least 1,000 PokéCoins in your account before you can purchase the Team Medallion. There are two ways to get them. You can purchase 1,200 PokéCoins for $9.99 USD from the in-app store, which leaves you a 200-coin surplus. Alternatively, you can earn PokéCoins for free by placing Pokémon in Gyms — each defender earns up to 50 PokéCoins per day, so a patient trainer can accumulate 1,000 coins over time without spending real money.
Step 2 — Purchase the Team Medallion
Open Pokémon GO and tap the Poké Ball icon to access the main menu. Select Shop, then scroll down to the Upgrades section. You will find Team Change listed there. Tap it and confirm the 1,000 PokéCoin purchase. The Team Medallion will appear in your item bag immediately.
Important: the Team Medallion is non-refundable. Once purchased, you cannot get your PokéCoins back whether or not you have used the Medallion. Do not buy it until you are certain which team you are switching to.
Step 3 — Activate the Medallion and Choose Your New Team
Go to your item bag, find the Team Medallion, and tap Use. The game will present you with the three team options. Select your new team — Mystic, Valor, or Instinct — and confirm. Your team changes instantly.
You will immediately see your profile colour update, your team leader will change, and any Gyms you are currently defending will now show you as a mismatched defender.
The Free Route: Niantic Support for New Trainers
There is a second method that costs nothing but is only available in specific circumstances. If you are a brand-new trainer who accidentally selected the wrong team when you first reached Level 5, you can contact Niantic’s support team and request a one-time free team change.
This route is not a workaround for experienced players who just want to switch — Niantic reviews each case and will only grant the free change for genuine early mistakes. The typical approach is to open a support ticket with a message such as: ‘I accidentally selected the wrong team when I first started playing and would like to change to [Team Name].’ Lower-level players with minimal progress are far more likely to have this request approved.
Do not waste time submitting this request if you have been playing for months and simply changed your mind. In that case, the 1,000-coin Team Medallion is your only path.
What Happens to Your Pokémon and Progress When You Switch
A common fear before switching teams is losing progress. Here is the reality: changing teams has absolutely no effect on your Trainer XP, your medal count, your Pokémon collection, your item inventory, or your Buddy Pokémon. Everything you have built carries over untouched.
The one area where you will feel an immediate impact is Gyms. If you have Pokémon currently defending Gyms when you switch teams, those Pokémon become stranded in enemy territory. They will remain in the Gym but will stop earning you PokéCoins from that moment forward. Berry feeding will also be disabled for those defenders until they are defeated by an opposing team and returned to your storage.
Practical advice: before you activate the Team Medallion, recall all your Gym defenders first. Visit each Gym where you have a defender so the Pokémon comes home. This prevents you from losing coin income while you wait for your stragglers to be knocked out.
Scouting Your Local Area Before You Switch
The single most important thing you can do before changing teams is research which team dominates your local area. Team statistics are global averages — Mystic leads worldwide — but your city might be a Valor stronghold, or your suburb might have a hyper-active Instinct community that punches above its weight.
Check the Gym map on your normal commute and note which team colour appears most often. Join the local Pokémon GO community on Discord or Facebook and ask which team runs the area — most communities are transparent about this. Pay attention to raid coordination groups, since the team with the most active raid players in your area will give you the most bonus Premier Balls in Legendary raids.
The goal is to find the team that gives you the best practical experience in the places you actually play. If you play mostly at home and work, the gyms on that corridor matter far more than global statistics.
Key Considerations: Is Switching Worth It?
Changing teams is worth it when your current team is genuinely holding your gameplay back. Common legitimate reasons to switch include: all your friends and regular raid partners are on a different team; your current team has no local presence and you cannot earn daily coins; or you have moved to a new city where team dynamics are completely different.
It is probably not worth switching if you are reacting to a single frustrating week where the local rival team took your favourite Gym. Gym control shifts constantly — a team that looks dominant today may be weakened tomorrow. A 1,000-coin, once-per-year decision should be based on a pattern you have observed over weeks, not a moment of frustration.
It is also worth remembering that several popular game modes — GO Battle League, Shiny hunting, completing your Pokédex, and the Friend system — are entirely team-independent. If your frustration with your team is limited to Gym battles, consider whether those hours might be better spent in modes where your team colour simply does not matter.
Quick Reference Summary
Can you change teams in Pokémon GO? Yes. The Team Medallion in the Shop costs 1,000 PokéCoins and lets you switch once every 365 days. New trainers who accidentally chose the wrong team can contact Niantic Support for a free one-time change. Switching does not affect your Pokémon, XP, or items, but Pokémon defending enemy Gyms will stop earning you coins immediately. Scout your local area before committing, and make sure the switch aligns with where you actually play rather than global statistics.
The teams themselves — Mystic, Valor, and Instinct — are functionally equal. Your choice is about community, local dominance, and the people you play with. Choose wisely, because you will be on that team for at least a year.
References
- Bulbapedia. “Team (GO).” Bulbagarden, December 2025. https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Team_(GO)
- ExpertBeacon. “Mystic Remains The Most Popular Pokémon Go Team In 2025.” ExpertBeacon, 2025. https://expertbeacon.com/which-pokemon-go-team-is-most-popular/
- Niantic. “How do I change my team?” Pokémon GO Help Center, 2025. https://niantic.helpshift.com/hc/en/6-pokemon-go/faq/107-how-do-i-change-my-team/
- LocarRun. “How to Change Teams in Pokemon Go? (2025).” https://locarun.com/how-to-change-teams-in-pokemon-go/
- TunesKit. “How Do You Change Teams in Pokémon Go in 2025.” https://www.tuneskit.com/change-location/how-to-change-teams-in-pokemon-go.html
- Esports.gg. “Pokémon GO: Can you change teams?” https://esports.gg/news/pokemon/pokemon-go-can-you-change-teams/