Press Releases
Special Olympics is a global movement that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sports, every day around the world. Here's what's happening world wide.
Special Olympics Enters into Multi-Year Grant Agreement with Toyota Mobility Foundation, Focused on Unified Programming
[Washington, DC, USA – 19 March 2026] Special Olympics announced a three-year grant agreement with Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF), whose mission is to create a truly mobile society that will help people around the world live better lives.
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Empowering the Next Generation: Special Olympics Is Scaling Youth Leadership Globally
[Johannesburg, South Africa - 24 February 2026] Today, the Special Olympics Africa Regional Youth Leadership Summit kicked off in Johannesburg, bringing together youth with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to build leadership skills and strengthen youth-led change across schools and communities.
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Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Face Critical Mental Health Care Gaps, New Study Finds
[Washington, DC - 20 February 2026] Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are over nine times more likely to report a diagnosis of anxiety or depression and experience significantly higher mental health symptom burden, according to a new study published today in JAMA Network Open.
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24 Teams Announced to Compete in the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup Paris 2026
[Paris, France - 19 February 2026] On 19 February, more than 200 Special Olympics athletes, Unified partners (athletes without intellectual disabilities), and media convened at the City Hall in Paris, France for a landmark moment: the official unveiling of the 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams selected to compete in the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup Paris 2026.
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Special Olympics International Names Sven Albrecht Regional President and Managing Director, Special Olympics Europe Eurasia
[Washington, DC, USA – 30 January 2026] Special Olympics International has named Sven Albrecht Regional President and Managing Director of its Europe Eurasia region, effective 1 April 2026.
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ACE and Special Olympics International Extend Partnership to Advance Inclusive Fitness Education
[San Diego, California, USA - January 29, 2026] The American Council on Exercise (ACE) and Special Olympics International have announced a two-year extension of their partnership to further promote inclusion and accessibility in fitness.
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FanSided Redraws the Playbook for Inclusion with Unified Super Bowl Week and Big Game Coverage
[Washington, DC, USA - January 28, 2026] For more than a decade, Special Olympics has claimed its place on Super Bowl Radio Row, bringing Special Olympics athletes alongside international celebrity supporters and partners to challenge perceptions and raise the standard for what true inclusion looks like.
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Special Olympics World Games Santiago 2027 Logo Unveiled
[Santiago, Chile - 26 January 2026] Special Olympics World Games Santiago 2027 revealed the event logo, a powerful, multifaceted symbol reflecting the dynamism of the global movement and the Chilean spirit.
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Special Olympics Chairman Declares 2026 the Year of the Teacher: Teaching Inclusion in a Divided World
[Washington, DC, USA - 22 January 2026] Special Olympics has issued a powerful global call to action, warning that the world is facing a critical shortage of teachers that threatens the future of millions of students, most critically, learners with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
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Special Olympics Unified 3x3 Basketball World Cup Opens with Powerful Celebration of Inclusion
[San Juan, Puerto Rico, 4 December 2025] The inaugural Special Olympics Unified 3x3 Basketball World Cup tipped off this evening with an inspiring Opening Ceremony in San Juan, uniting hundreds of athletes, dignitaries, performers and fans for an unforgettable celebration of sport, culture and inclusion.
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Puerto Rico Welcomes the World to the First-Ever Special Olympics Unified 3x3 Basketball World Cup
[San Juan, Puerto Rico - 4 December 2025] The wait is almost over. This week, Puerto Rico will make history as it welcomes basketball players from around the world to the first-ever Special Olympics Unified 3x3 Basketball World Cup, a global celebration of sport, inclusion, and equality, taking place December 5 – 7, 2025, at Distrito T-Mobile, San Juan.
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Paris to Host 3rd Edition of the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup 2026
[Paris, Washington DC - 4 November 2025] Special Olympics International and Special Olympics France have finalized the hosting agreement of the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup 2026.
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