USA Ninja Challenge Ends 2025 With 20 Units Awarded, Expanded Leadership Team and a Strong Foundation for a Landmark 2026

The kids' ninja fitness franchise celebrates a transformative year of development, organizational investment and coast-to-coast expansion as the sport prepares for its Olympic future.

CONCORD, N.H., Dec. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- USA Ninja Challenge, the nation's leading children's ninja fitness franchise, is closing out 2025 with record momentum, marking a pivotal year of growth, franchise expansion and strategic investment that positions the brand for a "breakout" 2026.

"Big picture, 2025 was really our breakthrough year in terms of organization and growth," said Dale Grant, president of USA Ninja Challenge. "This is the year where we set the foundation for everything that 2026 is going to bring. We spent a lot of time strengthening our programs, our training and the support structures that allow our franchisees to thrive."

USA Ninja Challenge's growth outpaced many other family- and fitness-focused franchise brands in 2025. The company will finish the year with 20 new unit sales and 11 new openings, bringing the system to 46 open locations nationwide.

"We opened up California for the first time this year, and we now have four locations open there," Grant said. "That milestone officially makes us a coast-to-coast brand."

Other key openings included Kansas City, Missouri — a move that Grant says will "start to open up more of the Midwest" — along with continued expansion across Texas and the Northeast. The brand also has six additional locations set to open in the first quarter of 2026, part of a strategic rollout that reflects stronger, more proactive territory planning thanks to new data tools and market insights.

One of the most transformative stories of 2025 for USA Ninja Challenge was its investment in building out a robust, scalable corporate team. The brand added key leadership roles and expanded its operational infrastructure — moves designed to dramatically enhance franchisee support.

"We took on some investment this year, which allowed us to create the staff we really needed," Grant said. "In the last five months alone, we put a new COO in place, built our own in-house IT and software development team, expanded our site search and buildout department and just this week added a CMO with many years of franchise experience."

USA Ninja Challenge also expanded its training organization by adding a new team member specializing in Learning Management System (LMS) development and technical training. "Getting these people in place helps us stop wearing so many hats," Grant said. "It allows us to provide better support to franchisees and brings more consistency to our overall growth rhythm." In early 2026, the team will continue to strengthen with the addition of a new controller.

To deepen franchisee capabilities, USA Ninja Challenge rolled out several new initiatives this year — most notably ProfitSoup, a financial training program designed for franchisees with little to no business background. "It's based on helping franchisees understand their business better and truly understand their numbers," Grant said. "It's one of the most important tools we introduced this year."

The brand also launched its first franchise advisory council, composed of a blend of new and experienced owners, giving franchisees a stronger voice in operational decision-making. "We have a great group involved," Grant said. "This level of collaboration is going to help us improve the business as a whole."

In October, USA Ninja Challenge celebrated these milestones with its first annual franchisee conference, drawing nearly half the system — including locations not yet open. "The turnout was fantastic," Grant said. "We rolled out all of our new initiatives, invited key vendors and had incredible feedback from owners."

With its infrastructure strengthened and foundational work completed, USA Ninja Challenge enters 2026 with its sights set on major expansion.

"We're currently on track to install and open two locations per month," Grant said. "We already have the first four months scheduled. Our goal is to open 24 locations next year and award between 30 and 35 new units."

The brand is also increasing its presence in youth athletics, particularly as the sport of ninja prepares for its debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. "As an Olympic sport, Ninja is going to need a roadmap," Grant said. "The level system in which we train athletes is going to have to be universalized — and we're going to be part of shaping that future." With youth fitness on the rise, enrollment surpassing 8,000 nationwide and the brand's top athletes continuing to compete at elite events, USA Ninja Challenge is positioned to lead the category into a defining decade.

"2025 was about building," Grant said. "2026 will be about implementing. We now have the people, tools and structure to elevate this brand to an entirely new level."

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About USA Ninja Challenge
Ninja Challenge is the leading kids' Ninja franchise, offering an exciting obstacle-based fitness experience for children across the United States. Since its founding nearly a decade ago, USA Ninja Challenge has grown into a trusted brand nearing 40 gyms and more in development. The franchise combines fun and fitness by teaching kids agility, balance, and problem-solving through a series of structured obstacle courses. As the only Ninja franchise partnered with the USA Pentathlon Multisport Olympic Team, USA Ninja Challenge is helping raise awareness for Ninja as an official sport, set to debut in the 2028 Olympics. With low initial investment, high margins, and rapid ROI, USA Ninja Challenge offers franchisees the opportunity to build profitable businesses while making a lasting impact on children's physical fitness and confidence. For more information on USA Ninja Challenge or to learn about franchise opportunities, visit www.usaninjachallenge.com/franchising/ninja-franchising.

SOURCE USA Ninja Challenge