Arizona’s annual 9/11 Tower Challenge will bring first responders, military personnel, families and supporters to State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Friday morning, marking the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
The event runs from 6 to 10 a.m. Sept. 11 at the stadium, 1 Cardinals Drive. Registration begins at 6 a.m., doors open at 6:30 a.m. and the program starts at 7 a.m., according to the organizer’s registration page. Participants and spectators should use the Bud Light Gate 3 entrance and allow time for security screening.
Participants will climb 110 flights, or 2,071 steps, representing the height and stair count New York City firefighters faced while responding at the World Trade Center. The 100 Club of Arizona organizes the challenge for law enforcement officers, firefighters, active and retired military members, their families and other supporters.
Registration and entry
Online registration remained open Thursday morning. A climber ticket costs $45 and includes a T-shirt and commemorative coin. A $40 walker option uses the stadium concourse without stairs. Virtual participation costs $45.
Spectators may register at no charge as non-participant attendees. State Farm Stadium requires everyone entering for the event to have a wristband, so family members and friends who plan to watch must also register and check in, the organizer says.
The climb serves as a physical memorial. Photographs of fallen public-safety personnel line the stair route, allowing participants to pause and read their names.
Why the route has 2,071 steps
Each of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers had 110 floors. The challenge’s 2,071-step route represents the stairs responders climbed on Sept. 11, 2001.
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum records 2,977 people killed in the attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and aboard Flight 93. Friday marks 25 years since the attacks.
The Glendale challenge is among the public anniversary observances scheduled across metro Phoenix. Other communities are holding ceremonies, memorial displays, name readings and educational programs.
Questions about the challenge may be directed to Events@100club.org. Attendees should review the registration page for the parking map, packet-pickup details and stadium bag policy before leaving home.
Image: AI-generated editorial illustration created for West Valley Post. It does not depict the actual 2026 event, its participants or State Farm Stadium.
Sources: 100 Club of Arizona event page; official registration and event details; National September 11 Memorial & Museum; Axios Phoenix event roundup.