Overview
- A volunteer airlift flew about 800 athletes into St. Paul on June 19, using more than 120 private planes and volunteer pilots to give arriving teams a red-carpet welcome.
- The Opening Ceremony on June 20 featured a coast-to-coast torch run, the lighting of the Flame of Hope, and performances by Demi Lovato and Jon Batiste, marking the official start of competition.
- Nearly 3,000 athletes will compete in 16 Olympic-style sports from June 21–26 at the University of Minnesota and the National Sports Center in Blaine, with pickleball and cornhole making their USA Games debuts.
- Organizers say roughly 10,000 volunteers are supporting events, Healthy Athletes clinics are offering more than 15,000 free screenings, and media partners including ESPN/ABC are carrying ceremony and select competition coverage.
- Officials estimate the weeklong Games will bring about $70 million in economic impact to the Twin Cities and draw tens of thousands of fans, boosting hotels, restaurants and local businesses.