From June 20-26, fans, athletes and on-air personalities will descend upon Minneapolis for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games. Representing all 50 states, nearly 3,000 athletes supported by 1,500 coaches will compete across 16 Olympic-type team and individual sports.
A range of Special Olympics events, including athletics, swimming, powerlifting and flag football, will be available to stream on ESPN+ on the ESPN App. Throughout the week, ESPN will stream 48 hours of live competition.
Additional coverage includes ESPN's presentation of the NFL Network's Flag Football Unified Game, while ABC will air dedicated preview and review programs. Enhanced by ESPN's industry-leading in-app features, including multiview, Special Olympics fans can experience the USA Games like never before.
"For more than four decades, ESPN has partnered with Special Olympics to expand access and opportunity for all athletes, including the immense talent found within the intellectual disability community," said Kevin Martinez, Vice President, ESPN Corporate Citizenship. "Sports have a unique ability to bring people together. ESPN is proud to stream the 2026 USA Games and foster an environment rooted in excellence and acceptance."
Games coverage begins with the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games Opening Ceremony on Saturday, June 20, at Huntington Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota. Coverage will stream on ESPN+ and Disney+, with the ceremony beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET. ABC's Preview Show will air Sunday, June 21 at noon ET, featuring highlights from the Opening Ceremony.
SportsCenter anchor Kevin Connors and features reporter Jen Lada will host ESPN's Opening Ceremony coverage, alongside Special Olympics Nebraska Hall of Famer and contributing reporter Wyatt Spalding. They will be joined by Jess Sims and former Paralympian Victoria Arlen.
Academy Award and eight-time GRAMMY Award-winner Jon Batiste will perform alongside two-time GRAMMY-nominated musician and actor Demi Lovato at the Opening Ceremony.
Each streamed venue will feature commentary and analysis from a former Olympic athlete: Dan O'Brien will host Athletics; Cheryl Haworth will host Powerlifting; Rowdy Gaines will host Swimming. Former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew will host Flag Football.
Play-by-play reporting and analysis during the Games will feature commentary from Sims, Arlen, Drew Fellios, Jason Ross Jr., Kelsey Riggs Cuff, Patrick Kinas, and Eric Rothman. Lada will also serve as ESPN's primary reporter for SportsCenter coverage during the Games.
ABC will also present a "Best of Show" review special on July 25 at noon ET, recapping top moments from across the competition.
ESPN & Special Olympics
ESPN's relationship with Special Olympics spans more than 42 years. Since 2013, that relationship has deepened, with ESPN serving as the official media partner for Special Olympics World Games and USA Games events in Los Angeles (2015), Austria (2017), Seattle (2018), Abu Dhabi (2019), Orlando (2022), Berlin (2023), and Turin (2025), as well as the 50th Anniversary of Special Olympics.
Additionally, ESPN and Special Olympics have a long-standing alliance to use the power of sports to promote social inclusion and acceptance through support and sponsorship of Special Olympics Unified Sports programming. Unified Sports programming, dedicated to promoting social inclusion through shared sports training and competitive experiences, brings together people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. Inspired by the principle that training and playing together fosters friendship and understanding, Unified Sports participation has grown significantly. Since 2013, ESPN has been the Global Presenting Sponsor of Unified Sports, resulting in a 111% increase in Unified participants globally, now reaching over 1.8 million participants.
ESPN employees have volunteered with Special Olympics for more than 42 years.
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About the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games
The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games - scheduled for June 20-26, 2026, across Minnesota's Twin Cities with sports competitions at the University of Minnesota and the National Sports Center in Blaine - is a national celebration of inclusivity, changing perceptions, and the ability of the human spirit rising above limitations. The USA Games, with co-presenting partners Jersey Mike's Subs and UnitedHealthcare, will be one of the biggest U.S. sporting events of the year, drawing tens of thousands of fans to celebrate the ability of nearly 3,000 incredible athletes from all 50 states as they compete in 16 Olympic-type team and individual sports.
Schedule
( Break: 1-2 p.m.)
Source: ESPN
