Sep 22, 2025
The US Cyber Games embody the very essence of the American sports spirit as a living philosophy demonstrated through every action, every game, and every victory that perseverance, sportsmanship, and appreciation for the tradecraft will make a better world. Our unwavering commitment to this principle is evident in our relentless pursuit of excellence, showcasing a winning mentality that not only dominates the cyber field but also serves as a force for good in the world. By embracing competitive athletics and esports, we aim to ignite a passion for the athletes and fans that equips them with the skills and instincts to safeguard our nation's digital prosperity. With every line of code, every strategic play, and every innovative, custom-built tool, we hack on…pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the realm of cybersecurity and AI, always with the unwavering belief that America's cybersecurity prowess will continue to lead the world.
Over the past five years, with the support of partial funding from the US government, along with investments by Katzcy PlayCyber and sponsorships from corporate and academic institutions, we have developed and commissioned an outstanding program featuring two distinct teams: one comprising diverse top talents from across the nation, and the other a newly formed all-women team.
My experience managing these two separate teams has consistently reinforced our foundational belief that to achieve cyber dominance, brilliant minds know no gender. Training collectively, without regard to gender, based on skill and focus, will enable us to more effectively deploy winning teams to a variety of games here at home and abroad.
Looking ahead to Season V, we will scout, train, and equip one national team that will compete globally in a variety of ‘serious games’ and cognitive sports, aimed at developing our collective workforce as global athletes. We plan to draft a mix of talent from all genders, age ranges, technical areas, and student status for our Season V, US Cyber Team to support an expanded 2026 competitions schedule. Our Coaching team, along with Captains, will partner to train for this upcoming season in a variety of areas such as: AI, hardware, cloud, teamwork, game management, traditional Jeopardy areas, network security offense and defense skills, custom tooling, and other emerging areas relevant to our evolving landscape. Coaches will change depending on each game’s format and needs. This more flexible approach will serve to enable our team to build winning strategies with depth and breadth in skill to help champion a scalable program for our country.
Cyber athletes participate in competitions at a higher level, driven by a mission that requires technical expertise, cognitive endurance and awareness, the instinct to solve complex problems, and the honing of intuition through hours of practice to assert cyber mastery. These cyber athletes are better positioned to transition to impactful employees and entrepreneurs who actively seek to provide value, given this unique, global experience. These future leaders and experts will drive our nation's future economic prosperity, as well as fill today’s important jobs that protect our most critical assets in both the public and private sectors.
Special Note on the US Cyber Women’s Team Status
With this move to drafting a single team, we are not decommissioning the US Cyber Women’s Team; we are ensuring all athletes train together to ensure both equal opportunity and ultimately the best training experience for all athletes. While the women will train as one team, they will compete as the US Women’s Cyber Team at many events and games (co-ed and women-only) to win and continue to inspire our nation. Funding for these women’s games and activities will be provided separately by donors and corporate sponsors to cover the costs of travel and game fees - sponsors are needed.
On September 25, 2025, at the District E facility in Washington, DC, we will draft the TOP 40 cyber athletes, aged 26 or younger, to compete in the 2026 games. Register here to join this event either in person or via a virtual link to be shared before the event.
Finally, I extend my sincere thanks to the many volunteers, coaches, training partners, and mentors who are instrumental in strengthening and enhancing this vital national program.
Commissioner, US Cyber Team