Thousands of athletes, coaches and spectators from all 50 states and the District of Columbia will be traveling to the Twin Cities this weekend for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.

The week-long competition, which will be held Saturday through June 26, will feature more than 3,000 athletes competing in 16 team and individual sports: athletics (track & field), basketball, bocce, bowling, competitive cheer, cornhole, flag football, golf, gymnastics, pickleball, powerlifting, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis and volleyball.

More than 75,000 spectators and 15,000 volunteers are expected at the event, which is being held at the University of Minnesota and at the National Sports Center in Blaine.

“Our goal is to highlight the incredible achievements and the abilities of all these athletes,” said Jessica Poole, director of communications for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.

Poole said the event, one of the largest sporting events being held in the U.S. this year, could have an economic impact of more than $75 million in the metro area.

Airlift

Special Olympics teams from around the country will be arriving at the St. Paul Downtown Airport (Holman Field) throughout the day on Friday and departing on June 27 as part of the 2026 Special Olympics Airlift.

“With an aircraft landing every 2 to 4 minutes throughout the 10-plus hour day, the airlift is highly choreographed,” according to Special Olympics Airlift officials.

The airlift is a nationwide mission led by Wichita, Kan.-based Textron Aviation that mobilizes the owners and pilots of Cessna, Beechcraft and Hawker aircraft to volunteer their time and equipment to transport athletes and coaches to the Special Olympics USA Games.

It ensures that all athletes nationwide can travel to and from St. Paul to participate in the 2026 USA Games, regardless of financial or logistical challenges.

Since the inception of the Special Olympics Airlift in 1987, the pilots have transported more than 10,000 athletes and coaches to various Special Olympics World and USA Games, officials said.

The airlift is considered “the world’s largest peacetime airlift, showcasing the power of aviation collaboration and community spirit,” according to officials.

Opening Ceremony

The Opening Ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the University of Minnesota’s Huntington Bank Stadium; Demi Lovato and Jon Batiste are the featured performers.

The Opening Ceremony programming also will include the Parade of Athletes, as well as the lighting of the 2026 USA Games’ cauldron — the culmination of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg — signifying the official start of the Games.

ESPN will broadcast the opening ceremony and will stream athletics (track & field), powerlifting, swimming and the final of flag football.

Participants

The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games will feature participants ranging in age from 16 to 78.

Athletes had to be at least 16 years of age by the time of the opening ceremony to qualify, Poole said; there is no maximum age limit for Special Olympics participation.

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During the games, athletes will have the opportunity to get free health screenings at different “Healthy Athletes” stations located throughout the University of Minnesota, Poole said. “Something that doesn’t get talked about a lot is that a lot of folks with intellectual disabilities have a hard time getting the medical services that they need,” she said.

Volunteer medical providers will staff the stations and will provide screenings in vision/eye health, audiology, dentistry, prevention/nutrition, emotional health, physical therapy and podiatry, she said.

Fan zones A sign directs visitors to the 2026 USA Special Olympic across the street from Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

In addition, three separate “fan zones” are planned for the duration of the games: one in the maroon lot near Huntington Bank Stadium at the U of M, one at the National Sports Center in Blaine and one at the Mall of America’s Huntington Rotunda.

Each zone will feature different activities. Among them: food trucks, live music, pin trading, a bubble factory and “a curated marketplace showcasing handcrafted goods from the intellectual-disability community,” Poole said.

The MDI Fan Zone at the Mall of America also will have an interactive and educational space celebrating the history of Special Olympics and the USA Games, she said.

Volunteers wanted

This is the second time that Minnesota has been selected to host a major Special Olympics competition; the Special Olympics World Summer Games were held here in 1991.

There are still numerous volunteer shifts that need to be filled; to volunteer, go to 2026specialolympicsusagames.org/volunteer.

Event venues

The University of Minnesota will host athletics (track & field), basketball, bocce, competitive cheer, cornhole, gymnastics, powerlifting, swimming, tennis and volleyball.

The National Sports Center will host bowling, flag football, golf, pickleball, soccer and softball.

For more information about the games and to get tickets, go to 2026specialolympicsusagames.org.