USA GAMES

2026 USA GAMES IN MINNESOTA

2026 USA Games: June 19, 2026 – June 27, 2026

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Special Olympics Arizona is thrilled to announce the start of the nomination process for athletes, partners, and coaches for the 2026 USA Games in Minnesota! This event offers a unique opportunity for individuals to showcase their talents on a national stage. We are seeking nominations for athletes and partners aged 18 and older who can travel independently for an extended period, as well as coaches for each sport.

Special Olympics North America allocated quotas to its 53 programs, including ours, based on various factors such as athlete participation and regional needs. We are proud to have received our share of this allocation, and will begin the selection process based off the quota we received. Whether you’re an athlete ready to shine, a Unified Partner eager to support and engage, or a coach dedicated to leading a team, we encourage you to submit your nominations.

This is an exciting chance to highlight the incredible contributions of our community members and to promote the values of inclusion, sportsmanship, and empowerment. For more information about the nomination process, please see the links below. Let’s come together to make Arizona proud at the 2026 USA Games!

If applying for Bocce, please be sure to include both athlete and partner on the nomination form (1 form per doubles pair).

Please note – the submittal of these nomination forms does not guarantee a spot on the Team AZ Delegation.

The nomination form for additional individual sports and team sports will be sent out upon the completion of each of those sports seasons/state competitions.

Additional individual sports includes:
- Athletics (Track & Field), Golf, and Powerlifting.
Additional Team Sports includes:
- Basketball (Interscholastic Unified Team)
- Competitive Cheer (Unified)
- Flag Football (Unified)
- Softball (Traditional)
- Volleyball (Unified)

Friday, November 15^th, 2024 is the deadline to submit the Coach Nomination form for coaches nomination form for ALL SPORTS.

Friday, December 6^th, 2024 is the deadline to submit the Individual Athlete and Partner Nomination form for ONLY Swim and Bocce.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Athletes and Partners MUST be able to travel, toilet, and feed themselves independently to be eligible for this experience. Please ensure you are only nominating those that are able to be successful and independent at this event. There is minimal access to parents/guardians, and most time is spent with the Team AZ delegation form the time we leave Arizona to the time we return.

If you have any questions about the nomination forms, please reach out to Ryan Betcher, Head of Delegation, at ryan@specialolympicsarizona.org and Sean Williams, Assistant Head of Delegation, at sean@specialolympicsarizona.org.

Find out more about the 2026 USA Games here!

Find out more about the 2022 USA Games in Orlando, FL!

SOAZ PROUDLY SENT 110 ATHLETES, PARTNERS AND COACHES TO THE 2022 USA GAMES.

Special Olympics Arizona athletes, partners and coaches made a triumphant return to Arizona following the completion of the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games, bringing home a total of: 44 medals

16 Gold
20 Silver
8 Bronze

Team AZ also brought home lots of smiles and laughter from the week-long competition that brought together more than 5,500 athletes and coaches from throughout the country. We also want to take a moment to recognize our Youth Leadership Experience team, Health Messengers, medical team, and SONA representative team! All members of Team AZ that did not compete for medals at USA Games, but spent their time ensuring that the event was the very best it could be. WHO BRINGS THE HEAT?? WE BRING THE HEAT! GO TEAM AZ!