[Katowice, Poland, 14 October 2025] The first-ever Special Olympics Unified Volleyball World Cup took place 5 – 8 October in Katowice, Poland. Sixteen international teams competed, with Slovakia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) taking the men’s/mixed and women’s crowns, respectively.
Special Olympics Unified Sports® joins together people with and without intellectual disabilities to compete on the same team. Athletes competing without intellectual disabilities are known as Unified partners.
Hosted by Special Olympics International, Special Olympics Poland, and the Polish Volleyball Federation, with The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) as a key partner, the event welcomed thousands of people to Spodek Arena, a hub for professional volleyball in Europe, to support inclusion over four days of play. The FIVB provided €50,000 in support funding to help deliver this inaugural event.
The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to inclusive sport at the highest level.
“Hosting high-level sport events like our first-ever Unified Volleyball World Cup, especially when directly supported by the respective international and national volleyball federations, serve as critical catalysts for sport development,” shared Lou Lauria, Special Olympics Chief of Sport and Competition.
“These events help dispel stereotypes and implied limitations of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities both on and off the court.
“With the FIVB’s support and involvement, events like the Unified Volleyball World Cup propel volleyball forward not just for our athletes, but for anyone who aspires to play and compete anywhere around the world,” he added.
FIVB President Fabio Azevedo praised the tournament’s spirit, stating:
“The Special Olympics Unified Volleyball World Cup was a powerful demonstration of volleyball’s unique ability to bring people together. What we witnessed in Katowice went far beyond sport—it was a celebration of unity, respect and shared humanity. The FIVB’s Strategic Vision 2032 is built on the principles of collaboration, integration, peace and solidarity, and this event perfectly embodied those values. Through volleyball, we can bridge differences, empower individuals and create opportunities for all.
“We are incredibly proud to have partnered with Special Olympics and the Polish Volleyball Federation to deliver such an inspiring event. This Unified World Cup carries a fantastic mission and purpose, and we look forward to supporting many more initiatives that reflect the inclusive spirit of our sport. Together as One, we continue to build a better, more connected world through volleyball.”
Aside from the gold medal winners, Special Olympics allocated three awards for the best Unified team, the Fair Play award, and the best Coach award in each division.
Fair Play Team Award: awarded to the team who exemplified the best gameplay based on FIVB guidelines and Special Olympics Sport philosophy.
- Women’s Team: Special Olympics Kenya
- Men’s/Mixed: Special Olympics USA
Unified Team Award: awarded to the team or Unified Pair that best exemplifies the principles of meaningful involvement and inclusion on and off the field of play.
- Women’s Team: Special Olympics United Arab Emirates
- Men’s/Mixed: Special Olympics Finland
Best Coach Award: awarded to the coach based on coach excellence and sport values presented.
- Women’s Team: Special Olympics Italy
- Men’s/Mixed: Special Olympics Slovakia
Final Results (Women’s)
- Special Olympics United Arab Emirates
- Special Olympics Ukraine
- Special Olympics Kenya
- Special Olympics Bharat
- Special Olympics Namibia
- Special Olympics Italy
- Special Olympics Serbia
- Special Olympics Mongolia
Final Results (Men’s/Mixed)
- Special Olympics Slovakia
- Special Olympics Saudi Arabia
- Special Olympics Poland
- Special Olympics Iraq
- Special Olympics Serbia
- Special Olympics Finland
- Special Olympics Austria
- Special Olympics United States of America
The legacy plan of the Unified Volleyball World Cup focuses on three main areas:
- Develop Local Programming
- Expanding key relationships with sport ministers while implementing Unified Volleyball across four regions of Poland.
- Sharing the athlete experience to highlight the human impact of the event.
- Improve Sport Quality and Reach
- Increase participation and opportunities in Unified Volleyball through quality coach education and regular events in Poland and Europe targeting new and existing schools in the process.
- Build the Brand
- Leverage partnership with FIVB, National Federations, and national media to raise awareness of Special Olympics and showcasing the values of sports and inclusion.
The tournament also marked the 40th anniversary of Special Olympics Poland. Around 500 students, along with 100 family members, 100 guests and 30 media representatives attended the Cup. Thousands more tuned-in live over the four-day event to catch the action.
