2026 Special Olympics Opening Ceremony Draws Crowds, Speakers, and Unity

(KNSI) – The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games opened on Saturday, June 20, with a ceremony that drew 3,000 athletes and 1,500 coaches from 52 delegations across the country to Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

ABC News anchor Rebecca Jarvis served as emcee, welcoming athletes and teams as delegations entered the stadium. Marlana VanHoose, a three-time Heritage Award winner, performed the national anthem. Singer Demi Lovato followed with a set that included “Confident,” “Skyscraper” and “Cool for the Summer.” Between songs, Lovato expressed gratitude to the athletes, saying the sight of them uniting for competition inspired her.

Christy Sovereign, chief executive officer of the 2026 games, then addressed the crowd, sharing that her sister, Katie, has competed as a Special Olympics athlete for 40 years. Timothy Shriver, who has served as the organization’s international chairman since 1996, next spoke to the teams.

“All of you here have built the world’s biggest movement for inclusion ever,” Shriver said. “You all are the embodiment of what we want to be as a country. As people are looking for heroes, I say, ‘Look to the athletes of the Special Olympics.’ Today, I invite you to run your races, play for your team and dig deeper than you’ve ever dug before to go for the gold.”

The Special Olympics USA Flag was then carried into the stadium, followed by the recital of oaths by athletes and coaches. The lighting of the cauldron with the Flame of Hope formally marked the start of the competition. Grammy Award-winning musician Jon Batiste closed the program with a short performance before the ceremony concluded.

Competition begins Monday, June 22, with events split between the University of Minnesota and the National Sports Center in Blaine, and runs through Friday, June 26. Schedules and results are available on the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games website.

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