The St. Paul and Minneapolis skylines, including Allianz Field, will light up in gold-medal gold Friday evening to mark the one-year countdown for the 2026 Special Olympics, which will be hosted in Minnesota.
Next June, more than 3,000 athletes from across the United States will compete in 16 Olympic-style team and individual sports at the University of Minnesota and the National Sports Center in Blaine.
There are 75,000 to 100,00 people expected to visit Minnesota for the event, said Christine Sovereign, CEO for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.
“It is a celebration of human potential,” Sovereign said. “And it is Minnesota on a national stage where all the athletes that will come to compete are seen, respected and cheered for.”
The 2026 games will be the first time Minnesota has held a Special Olympics event of this size since it hosted the Special Olympics World Games in 1991, according to Sovereign.
“The year-out milestone is more than just a countdown,” Sovereign said. “It really is a call to action to embrace inclusive mindsets … because more inclusive mindsets in our schools and in our communities leave us all in a better place.”
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