Monster Energy Unveils Athlete Roster for X Games Sacramento 2026

Are you ready for the next evolution of X Games? Monster Energy, the official energy drink partner of X Games, is ready to Unleash the Beast with its elite team of world-class athletes at X Games Sacramento. This press release announces the official line-up of competing athletes for the event.

From June 26–28, MoonPay X Games Sacramento 2026 marks the first official event of the new MoonPay X Games League (XGL) 2026 Summer Season. Supported by Monster Energy as an X Games League Founding Partner, XGL is the world's first year-round, team-based, co-ed league in action sports, where city-based clubs and individual athletes rack up points across the season for a shot at the championship.

As the next evolution of the X Games contest series originally launched in 1995, the inaugural XGL Summer Season unfolds across three stops — kicking off at X Games Sacramento (June 26–28), traveling to X Games Japan (July 4–5), and culminating in the first-ever X Games Championship at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans (July 24–26), where the club with the highest cumulative score will be crowned the inaugural XGL Champion.

MoonPay X Games Sacramento 2026 brings together more than 100 athletes from across the globe to compete in Skateboard, BMX, and Moto X. Over three action-packed days, athletes will battle for 54 medals across 18 medal events while stacking points for their XGL clubs. At the same time, Cal Expo transforms into a full-scale "X-Fest" festival village blending action sports, music, and culture, with nightly concerts headlined by Kaskade, Mustard, and Subtronics.

Look out for the following Monster Energy athletes at X Games Sacramento 2026:

Skateboard

The action in Sacramento kicks off on Friday with the Women's Skateboard Park event, where 16-year-old Arisa Trew from Palm Beach, Australia, drops in with a score to settle: After missing the podium at X Games Salt Lake City 2025, Trew is back to reclaim gold and add to her impressive list of nine X Games medals (eight gold, one silver). She will face heated competition from last year's silver medalist, 17-year-old Cocona Hiraki from Hokkaido, Japan, and former Women’s Skateboard Park World Champion Raicca Ventura (Monster Army) from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

On Saturday, prepare for boundary-pushing moves in the Men's Skateboard Vert Best Trick event. Podium favorites include Moto Shibata from Japan, the owner of three silver medals in the event, and looking for his first Best Trick gold. Expect a heated progression session when Tom Schaar from Malibu, California, and new Monster Army recruit JD Sanchez from Pleasanton, California, bring their tech tricks to the vert ramp.

Witness history in the making in the Men's Skateboard Street final, when Nyjah Huston from Laguna Beach, California, looks to boost his record of most gold medals in X Games skateboarding history (15) and 26 medals overall. Huston will battle the up-and-coming young gun and last year's bronze medalist, Julian Agliardi, from Long Beach, California. Don't count out Brazilian tech innovators Filipe Mota and Giovanni Vianna, as well as Japanese tech prodigy Toa Sasaki. It's going to be lit!

The bar will be raised in the Women's Skateboard Vert Best Trick final, when Trew seeks to defend last year's gold medal by possibly unleashing yet another never-been-done trick. When it comes to new trick creations, definitely watch out for Asahi Kaihara from Osaka, Japan, in this bound-to-be-classic session. Don't miss this one!

Next, the Men's Skateboard Park final will unfold with Schaar looking to repeat his gold finish from X Games Osaka 2025 after settling for bronze in SLC last year and expand his haul of 17 X Games medals (4 gold, 4 silver, 9 bronze). Schaar will go run-for-run against reigning 2025 World Champion and Monster Army recruit Egoitz Bijueska from Spain to close out the second day of skate at X Games Sacramento 2026.

On Sunday, all eyes will focus on the Women's Skateboard Street final. Monster Army’s Jessica Ready is looking to expand on her 2025 bronze medal in the discipline. After missing the podium in 2025, will Liz Akama from Miyagi, Japan, claim her first X Games gold medal? She already owns six X Games medals (three silver, three bronze), as well as a silver medal from the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Both athletes also have a chance to claim a win later in the Women's Skateboard Street Best Trick event. Let's go!

For an epic showdown, it gets no better than Men's Skateboard Vert featuring a heavy Monster Energy squad. After closely finishing off the podium in 2025, Schaar returns to battle for medals against a stacked field, including previous gold medalist and teammate Shibata. And with young guns Sanchez and Bijueska dropping into the halfpipe, the stage is set for classic X Games moments. Can't wait!

Intense does not come close to describing the energy in the Men's Skateboard Street Best Trick event. Sparks will fly when the previous year's gold medalist, Mota, revisits his rivalry with silver medal finisher Huston on the street course. All it takes to win is landing one heavy-hitting trick, so look for Vianna and Sasaki to bring the goods to Sacramento. 

The skate action in Sacramento will culminate in the Women's Skateboard Vert final with another score to settle for Trew: After finishing in second place at X Games Salt Lake City 2025 (her only silver medal to date), the Australian vert prodigy wants to return to her winning ways. And could this be the year for Ventura to add an X Games medal to her expansive resume? Tune in and don't miss it!  

BMX

The BMX action in Sacramento kicks off on Friday with an absolute banger in the Men's BMX Park final. Be on the lookout for Kevin Peraza from Tucson, Arizona, hungry to get back on the podium in the discipline this year. Direct competition includes three-time X Games medalist Jose Torres of Argentina and two-time BMX Park gold medalist Daniel Sandoval of California

On Saturday, trick progression is the name of the game in Dave Mirra BMX Park Best Trick when Peraza drops in to defend his gold medal from a mind-bending performance at Salt Lake City 2025. For a wildcard, expect heavy-hitting trick creations courtesy of Ryan Williams from Sunshine Coast, Australia, as well as four-time X Games medalist Brady Baker from Toms River, New Jersey. Also bringing the stoke, Canada's Mike Vargawill throw down in an all-star final also featuring Sandoval. Let's get it!

In a chance to make history, the team is looking to repeat the previous year's podium sweep in Men's BMX Dirt, where in 2025, Williams took gold, Baker silver, and Sandoval bronze. The competition is off the charts with certified threats Varga hitting the course next to Australia's Jaie Toohey and Monster Army rider Kaden Stone from Lake Elsinore, California.

All bets are off in the Men's BMX Street final on Sunday when Jordan Godwin from Cardiff, Wales, defends the previous year's gold medal from his upset victory at Salt Lake City. Also gunning for the podium, multi-terrain master Peraza, German tech innovator Felix Prangenberg, and 2023 gold medalist Boyd Hilder from Australia will put their street skills on full display.

The Women's BMX Park event returns in Sacramento, with Kim Lea Mueller from Remscheid, Germany, looking to expand on her 2024 bronze medal in the discipline. She is hungry after taking fourth place at X Games SLC 2025. Olympic athlete Macarena Perez Grasset of Chile and Miharu Ozawa of Gifu, Japan, will also compete amongst the world's best female riders. 

Closing out the BMX contingent at X Games Sacramento on a high note, BMX Dirt Best Trick has all the elements of an X Games history moment: Last year, Williams stomped the world’s first triple backflip on dirt for the gold medal, joined by Monster Army recruit Stone in silver medal position. Also looking for shiny medals on the dirt track, trick innovators Baker, Sandoval, Toohey, and Varga are headed to California with a few new moves up their sleeves. Be there when it goes down on Sunday!

Moto X

The roar of dirt bike engines will close out Friday in Sacramento in the Moto X Best Whip event. In this showcase of stylish and contorted airs, Julien Vanstippen from Ophain, Belgium, drops in as the defending gold medalist from X Games Salt Lake City 2025, looking to expand his count of five X Games medals (two gold, one silver, two bronze). Also known for his stylish airs, Japan's Genki Watanabe already owns the silver medal in the discipline and returns hungry for more. Holding it down against the male competition, female Moto X trailblazer Vicki Golden from San Diego, California, brings some of the most stylish whips to the table—and we're here for it!

On Saturday, the state of the art in freestyle riding is on display in the Moto X Best Trick final. Last year, Tom Richards from Wagga Wagga, Australia, earned silver as his first X Games medal, joined by his brother Ben Richards taking bronze. The brothers will battle Moto X icon and six-time X Games medalist Taka Higashino, who will be celebrating his 20^th year competing in FMX at X Games, and Japan’s Watanabe, who is ready to drop hammers over the jumps. Prepare for a classic chapter of freestyle motocross history!

Don’t miss the action at X Games Sacramento 2026 when the Monster Energy team proceeds to Unleash the Beast!