Background
Origins and event-planning
To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States, the UFC plans to hold a historic mixed martial arts event on the South Lawn of the White House in June 2026. [1] While initial reports suggested a July 4th date, the event was later rescheduled for June due to logistical reasons. [4] The weigh-ins are expected to take place at the Lincoln Memorial. [2] The event will represent the promotion's third visit to Washington, D.C., and first since UFC on ESPN: Overeem vs. Rozenstruik in December 2019. [5] During a speech at Naval Station Norfolk on October 6, 2025, President Trump announced that the event would take place on June 14, 2026, coinciding with his 80th birthday, as well as the Flag Day holiday. [6] The card is expected to air on Paramount+, with only a few preliminary bouts also featured on CBS. [7]
The event was first announced by President Donald Trump on July 3, 2025, during a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds: [8]
Does anybody watch UFC? The great Dana White. We’re going to have a UFC fight on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there. Dana’s going to do it. Dana’s great, one of a kind. We’re going to have a UFC fight, a championship fight, like full fight, 20, 25,000 people and we’re going to do that as part of 250 also.
— Donald Trump
On August 29, 2025, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed via social media that plans for the event had been finalized, stating, "We had the meeting at the White House... The White House fight is on." [9] The announcement followed President Trump's remarks at the rally, where he referenced his long-standing friendship with White. Trump has frequently attended UFC events in recent years, including UFC 316 in New Jersey, where several fighters greeted him cageside. [8]
In an interview on September 11, 2025, White stated that the seating capacity for the event would be under 5,000 people, citing security concerns. This marked a significant revision from President Trump's earlier estimate of 20,000 to 25,000 attendees. White also mentioned plans to set up large screens at The Ellipse capable of hosting up to 85,000 spectators for a public viewing experience. [10] In a February 2026 interview, TKO Group Holdings CEO Ari Emanuel stated that there would be 3,000 to 4,000 people in attendance. [11]
The promotion is expected to cover the full cost of the event, including roughly $700,000 to restore the South Lawn after use, and no public tickets will be made available. [12] [13] In January 2026, it was reported that no taxpayer funding is being sought, and the overall expense of the event is projected to exceed the $21 million budget required to stage UFC 306's Sphere show in September 2024. [14] [15]
Marc Ratner, the UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, revealed that due to the White House property being federal land, the District of Columbia Combat Sports Commission (which has overseen procedure for the promotion's previous visits to Washington in 2011 and 2019) will not regulate the event. The UFC is expected to self-regulate the card as the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation is responsible for regulation of such events in the District of Columbia. [16]
Fight card planning
In a February 2026 interview, Ari Emanuel said the event would feature six or seven fights and be simulcast on CBS and Paramount+. [11]
