Everything we know about the 2026 Patriot Games: How to watch, schedule and more

We're still in the middle of the country's 250th anniversary celebrations, and the latest event to commemorate the occasion is the Patriot Games. While this 3-day sporting event shares its name with a Harrison Ford movie, the internet is abuzz with comparisons to The Hunger Games. The Patriot Games isan athletic competition between high school students ages 14 to 17 — one male athlete and one female athlete representing each participating U.S. state or territory — who will compete in military-inspired challenges similar to boot camp circuits and other tests of strength and agility. Two winners will each be awarded $125,000 in scholarship money. (Applications to participate are now closed.)

Daily competition coverage will stream on ESPN+, and a one-hour primetime special will air on ABC on Thursday, August 13, highlighting the best moments of the competition and revealing the two winners. Here's everything you need to know about the 2026 Patriot Games.

How to watch the 2026 Patriot Games

Dates: Live competitions August 9-11, primetime highlights special August 13

Channel: ABC (primetime special only)

Streaming: ESPN+ (all live events), ESPN Unlimited, YouTube TV, DirecTV and more (primetime special)

When are the 2026 Patriot Games?

The 2026 Patriot Games take place from August 9-11, 2026, at SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio.

How to watch the Patriot Games live:

The Patriot Games' live events will stream on ESPN+ daily from August 9-11. A rough schedule of events is as follows (all times Eastern):

• August 9:

  • 10 a.m.: Boys' Presidential Qualifier

  • 1 p.m.: Girls' Presidential Qualifier

  • 3 p.m.: Boys' Dodgeball

  • 4 p.m.: Boys Kickball

  • 6 p.m.: Girls' Dodgeball

  • 7 p.m.: Girls' Kickball

• August 10:

  • 11 a.m.: Boys Varsity Circuit/Operation Endurance

  • 2 p.m.: Girls' Varsity Circuit/Operation Endurance

• August 11:

  • 9 a.m.: Tug of War

  • 10 a.m.: Pop A Shot

  • 5 p.m. Semifinals, Finals, and Closing Ceremony

How to watch the Patriot Games primetime special:

The Patriot Games primetime special, which will include event highlights and an announcement of the tournament's winners, airs on ABC at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, August 13.

Where to watch the Patriot Games without cable:

To watch Patriot Games events live on ESPN+, you'll need a subscription to either ESPN Select or ESPN Unlimited. To watch the Patriot Games primetime special on ABC, you can watch with ESPN Unlimited, or on a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV or DirecTV,