Virtus 2026 Pan American Games in the State of Mexico, Digi Mart USA News (State of Mexico, Mexico): The State of Mexico will host the first Virtus 2026 Pan American Games, an international competition bringing together athletes from ten countries across the Americas from November 21 to 27 at the Zinacantepec Sports City.
The event will feature athletics, swimming and table tennis competitions involving athletes with intellectual disabilities, Down syndrome and autism. The gathering is organized by the Mexican Federation of Special Athletes, with support from the State of Mexico Sports Institute and the National Commission of Physical Culture and Sport (Conade).
Beyond promoting inclusion, the competition will award points for the international ranking and allow Mexican athletes to strengthen their preparation for the 2027 Parapan American Games in Lima and the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
Virtus is the international federation responsible for promoting, organizing and regulating high-performance sport for people with intellectual disabilities. Founded in 1986 as INAS, the organization is a founding member of the International Paralympic Committee and currently has a network of more than 500,000 athletes from over 90 countries.
Since its creation, Virtus has promoted international competitions and classification mechanisms to ensure athletes can compete on equal terms. Its major events include the Virtus Global Games, held every four years as part of international sporting development ahead of the Paralympic Games.
In 2019 the organization adopted its current name as part of a strategy to increase visibility for the abilities and achievements of athletes with intellectual disabilities.
For this first Pan American edition, Mexico will field a delegation of approximately 80 athletes, 45 of whom come from the State of Mexico. The State of Mexico’s delegation will consist of 45 representatives.
Activities begin November 21 with training sessions, and the opening ceremony is scheduled for November 23. Competitions will take place from November 24 to 26, and delegations will depart on November 27.
With this event, the State of Mexico aims to consolidate its position as a host for international competitions and to help open new spaces for high-performance inclusive sport.
