What Are the Patriot Games? All About the Athletic Competition for the United States' 250th Anniversary

NEED TO KNOW

• President Donald Trump announced plans for the first Patriot Games as part of America's 250th anniversary celebrations in 2026
• The Patriot Games will feature high school athletes from across the country competing in athletic events
• The four-day event will take place in the fall, along with a myriad of other activities

As part of the United States' 250th anniversary next year, President Donald Trump announced that he is planning a youth athletic competition called the "Patriot Games."

Trump described the event as "an unprecedented four-day athletic event featuring the greatest high school athletes, one young man and one young woman from each state and territory."

Although he did not specify what kind of competitions or sports would take place during the games, Trump noted that "there will be no men playing in women's sports," referring to his continued efforts to ban trans women from competing in women's sports competitions.

Shortly after Trump announced the Patriot Games, many social media users — including the daughter of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy — likened it to The Hunger Games, the bestselling Suzanne Collins young adult dystopian series-turned-film-franchise that follows two tributes from each district fighting to their deaths.

"I will gladly volunteer as tribute to take my sister’s place, Mr. President," wrote Evita Duffy-Alonso, even though the Patriot Games are rooted in sports, not violence, as the fictional Hunger Games are.

Here's everything to know about the Patriot Games and what President Donald Trump has said about the competition.

What are the Patriot Games?

On Dec. 18, Trump released a three-minute pre-recorded video in which he spoke about his plans to throw America "the most spectacular birthday party the world has ever seen" for the country's 250th anniversary next year.

In addition to other plans, Trump shared the news about the first-ever Patriot Games, which will take place in the "historic anniversary year."

"In the fall, we will host the first ever Patriot Games — an unprecedented four-day athletic event featuring the greatest high school athletes," he said in the video.

The Freedom 250 website, which is a "non-partisan organization that leads the delivery of presidential-level national events and initiatives for our nation’s 250th birthday," shared the same details.

"This first-of-its-kind athletic competition will spotlight male and female high school athletes from every state and territory," the website reads. "From opening heats to the live final day in front of a live audience, these competitors will light the torch for a new generation of Americans."

Additional information on what kinds of athletic competitions will be included in the games has not been released.

Who is competing in the Patriot Games?

In the video, Trump explained that "one young man and one young woman from each state and territory" will compete in the tournament, but "there will be no men playing in women’s sports."

"You're not gonna see that. You'll see everything but that," he added, making reference to his February executive order, "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports," and his administration's attempts to stop trans athletes from competing in the sports category that corresponds with their gender.

Trump has not disclosed if or how they will choose the participants.

When are the Patriot Games?

The Patriot Games are slated to take place in the fall of 2026, but the exact dates of the competition have not been released. The Freedom 250 website also has the Patriot Games slated for Fall 2026.

Although the specific dates of the Patriot Games have not been released, Trump has announced several other plans and events for the 250th. Beginning on New Year's Eve, the Washington Monument will serve as the "world’s tallest birthday candle." From Dec. 31 through Jan. 5, "each night the story of the discovery, expansion, independence, and future of our nation will be projected onto the Washington Monument."

In May, Washington, D.C., will host the "One Nation Under God: National Prayer Gathering" event, in which the National Mall will become a place for people to "come together in a public display of reflection, reverence, and prayer for our nation’s future."

From June 25 through July 10, the capital will host the "Great American State Fair" and feature booths from all 50 states and territories to "showcase their food, culture, and pride to one unforgettable, coast-to-coast celebration."

Other events include a fireworks celebration on July 4, a UFC event at the White House, former president Teddy Roosevelt's library opening and a tall ships parade, among others.

In addition to the events, Trump has also announced plans for a "National Garden of American Heroes" that will feature "statues of all-time greatest Americans," as well as a "triumphal arc" that he claims will rival the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

Read the original article on People