Fanatics Games returns with $2M prize pool as everyday fans get chance to compete against top athletes

Fanatics Fest isn’t just returning for its third year in New York City with an extra day added to its festivities. It’s bringing back the Fanatics Games with an even bigger prize pool.

During last year’s sports fan festival at the Javits Center in Manhattan, Fanatics Fest introduced the Fanatics Games, bringing together some of the world’s top athletes and everyday fans for a head-to-head competition with a chance to win a $1 million grand prize and other prizes like an exotic car and a rare trading card worth six figures.

"What made Fanatics Games special in year one was seeing fans and world-class athletes compete side by side under the same rules and feed off each other’s energy," Lance Fensterman, CEO of Fanatics Events, said in a press release. 

"In 2026, we’re expanding that competition and giving more fans across the country a direct path to earn their spot. The stakes are higher, the format is sharper and the games are only getting better."

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The expanded format of the Fanatics Games includes new nationwide qualifying opportunities for fans who wish to participate through an exclusive partnership with Dick's Sporting Goods.

The in-person qualifier option will be through visits at select Dick's House of Sport locations across the country, including Knoxville, Tennessee (May 9); Kennesaw, Georgia (May 30); Houston, Texas (June 13); and Boston (June 28). Fans will have a chance to compete in sport-specific challenges tied directly to how the 2026 Fanatics Games format will work at the festival from July 16-19.

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The top three performers at each event will earn a trip to New York to compete at the Javits Center alongside confirmed athletes like NFL legend Rob Gronkowski, NBA guard James Harden and WWE superstars Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan, with more athletes expected to be confirmed in the coming months.

And fans who wish to participate and can’t make the in-person qualifiers will still be able to send in a video application like last year, showcasing their skills and sharing why they feel they deserve to compete.

But perhaps the biggest draw for the Fanatics Games is a rematch between reigning champion and former NFL quarterback Tom Brady and fan champion Matt Dennis, a Philadelphia teacher who wowed the Fanatics Fest crowd last year in the inaugural games. Dennis finished in third place, while UFC fighter Justin Gaethje finished second behind Brady.

Fanatics Games will bring together 50 everyday fans and a total group of 50 athletes, celebrities and creators once more, and they plan on making the competition bigger, faster and more competitive than it was in 2025.

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Fanatics Fest continues to grow as the world’s top sports fan festival, drawing more than 125,000 fans last year to the Big Apple. With even bigger star-studded panels, live programming, autograph sessions and meet-and-greats, Fanatics expects to break that total once more as it continues to give fans opportunities of a lifetime.

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