X Games makes its Sacramento debut this weekend at Cal Expo. Here’s what to know
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- The MoonPay X Games League debuts in Sacramento as the inaugural season start.
- The three-day Cal Expo event features 18 BMX, skateboarding and motocross events.
- Kaskade headlines Friday; Mustard and Subtronics perform together Saturday.
The X Games are set to arrive for the first time ever in Sacramento this weekend, and the action-packed sporting event will come to Cal Expo with a new twist.
The three-day event begins Friday and will kick off the inaugural season of the new MoonPay X Games League, which will feature four teams of five men and five women, as well as almost 50 free agents, battling it out on the road to a late July championship in New Orleans.
The Sacramento stop was initially part of a three-year plan set to begin in 2025, though last year’s games were postponed while X Games officials created the new summer and winter leagues.
Before the creation of the summer and winter leagues, most X Games events were standalone championships, with X Games officials hoping that the new format will create a stronger fan experience, with increased intensity, rivalries and more.
Beyond the 18 events spanning BMX, skateboarding and motocross, Sacramento’s X Games will also feature three headlining music artists, food and interactive entertainment.
Here’s what to expect when the X Games takes over Cal Expo this Friday through Sunday.
How much are tickets?
Tickets are still available for purchase on the X Games website.
Prices range based on how many days of attendance they cover, and whether they include admission to the three music performances.
Parking will cost $10 before 6 p.m. and $15 after 6 p.m., according to Cal Expo.
Entry to the concerts is only for those 18 or older, Cal Expo said.
For the rest of the event, all children under 18 are required to be accompanied by an adult 21 or older upon admission, though teens 14 and older do not need adult supervision at all times, according to Cal Expo’s policy.
Entrants must also comply with the venue’s clear bag policy.
Here are the kinds of tickets available, from least to most expensive:
- Single day, no music: $39 on Friday and Saturday, $19 on Sunday.
- Three days, no music: $69
- Kaskade’s Friday concert only: $69
- Friday entry and Kaskade concert: $89
- Mustard and Subtronics’ Saturday concerts only: $99
- Saturday entry with Mustard and Subtronics’ concerts: $109
- Three days, all three concerts: $189
- One day of Gold Lounge access, with that night’s concert: $189
- Three days of Gold Lounge access, with all three concerts: $475
What music artists are performing?
Electronic artist, DJ and producer Kaskade will perform at 8:30 p.m. Friday, after the first three events of the games have concluded. In the past, Kaskade has performed at sporting events including the Super Bowl and other X Games festivities.
Many of his top songs feature collaborations with artists like Jennifer Lopez and Alicia Keys. Some of his most popular songs include “Escape,” “I Remember” and “In the Morning.”
Ratchet pioneer, DJ and producer Mustard and dubstep artist Subtronics will perform together at 9 p.m. Saturday.
Mustard has two tracks with over 1 billion listens on Spotify — “Pure Water” with Migos and “Ballin’” with Roddy Ricch.
Subtronics is a smaller artist, per Spotify listens, but is known for his live performance ability and creativity when mixing.
What are the events?
Competition kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday, with the men’s BMX park event, and continues with minimal breaks in the action through 7:45 p.m. Sunday, when the games conclude with the women’s skateboard vertical event.
Events kick off in the late morning Saturday and Sunday, with competition ending about 8 p.m. each of the three days.
Most events involve skateboards or BMX bikes and have matching events for the men and women. There are two motocross events, though they are not divided by gender and will not be counted as part of the team format.
Here is a look at what events are coming to Sacramento:
- Park: The standard park events, featured for both male and female skateboarders and BMX riders, sees athletes perform various tricks on obstacles like ramps, bowls, quarterpipes and ledges across a single run through a course. They are judged by the flow of their run, the difficulty of the tricks, variety, style, use of the course and more.
- Street: Street is similar to park, except the course is made using everyday objects like curbs, stairs, handrails and benches to simulate city terrain. Both male and female skateboard athletes, as well as male BMX riders, will compete in the event.
- Vert: Riders perform tricks on a large U-shaped ramp, often called a halfpipe in vert events. They gain momentum by going down the ramp and launching high into the air while executing exciting maneuvers. Competitors are judged on difficulty, execution and overall style. Male and female skateboarders will compete in the event.
- Dirt: Riders soar over about four to six jumps constructed out of dirt, performing flips, spins and other tricks in the air. Competitors are launched high in the air and are expected to clear wide jumps throughout the event. Judges look for amplitude, creativity, style, flow of run and difficulty. Male BMX riders will compete in the event.
- Best trick: Many events have best trick variants or will be exclusively run in best trick forms in Sacramento. Rather than running a course or doing multiple tricks, these events see competitors perform just one trick, typically their most difficult. The format especially favors never-before-done tricks. Best trick variants span all four of the previously mentioned styles.
- Motocross: While motocross (sometimes called “moto-x”) events are not part of the official team competition, there are still two best-trick-style competitions over the weekend, which are not split by gender. The two events are best trick and best whip, which is a stylish jump over a gap.
The full schedule of events and when they will take place can be found on the X Games’ Sacramento website, xgames.com/events/sacramento-2026.
Who is competing?
Almost 100 of the top extreme sports athletes will compete over the weekend, typically in just one event but sometimes in multiple events using the same vehicle.
Among the headliners, Davis native and 2020 Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Nyjah Huston will compete in the skate street event for the New York club.
The games will see many of the sport’s legends, like 11-time gold medalist BMX rider Ryan Williams, as well as the next generation, including 11-year-old Mia Kretzer, who became the youngest competitor in the X Games ever when she competed in the skateboard vertical in 2024.
Garrett Reynolds, who has the most gold medals in X Games history with 16, will compete in his signature BMX street event during the Sacramento games.
How does the team format work?
The four teams of 10 competing over the weekend represent New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo and São Paulo, Brazil. Those teams’ rosters were created during the first-ever X Games draft in March.
The second stop of the league will be in Japan in early July, followed by the championship from July 24-26 in New Orleans.
Points are awarded at each of the three stops and take into account each club’s competitor in every event, or best-performing competitor if multiple from the same team compete in a single event. Podium finishes are rewarded, though officials said they made the scoring to “create the most competition possible.”
The winning team earns extra prize money if it finishes the season with the most points.
