[Paris, France – 16 April 2026] The road to the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup Paris 2026 took a major step forward as the official tournament Draw Ceremony was held at the headquarters of the French Football Federation in Paris on 16 April.

The Draw determined the group-stage matchups for both the Men’s and Women’s competitions of the landmark tournament. On the Men’s side, France is set to face Senegal in the opening match at Charléty Stadium on 6 July, followed by the opening game for the Women’s tournament on 7 July.

Present at the Draw Ceremony were Minister of Sports, Youth and Community Life of France Marina Ferrari, French Football Federation President Philippe Hamidou Diallo, Special Olympics Europe Eurasia President & Managing Director Sven Albrecht, Special Olympics Sargent Shriver Global Messenger Margaret Turley, along with representatives from the Unified Football World Cup Local Organizing Committee, Special Olympics France, and Cup partners.

This will be the third edition of the Unified Football World Cup, following Chicago 2018 and Detroit 2022.

The Cup will feature 24 teams, 12 Men’s and 12 Women’s, and a champion will be crowned in each category. Each team will include players with intellectual disabilities aged 16 – 23, alongside Unified partners, who are players without intellectual disabilities. Representing host nation pride, Unified partners for Special Olympics France will come from the Paris FC Academy, adding top-tier talent and local legacy to the global stage.

The Draw was conducted using a lottery system, designed to ensure balanced representation from different Special Olympics Regions across the three group levels in both genders, highlighting the global reach of the Special Olympics movement. As the host nation, Special Olympics France was automatically placed into Group A for both the Men’s and Women’s tournaments.

Each division will have three groups of four teams, with round-robin play determining which teams advance to the semi-finals, and then the finals.

The Men’s and Women’s Division 1 championship matches will take place on 11 July at Charléty Stadium. The Men’s Division 1 final is set for 3pm followed by the Women’s Division 1 final slated for 5:15pm.

Sven Albrecht, President & Managing Director of Special Olympics Europe Eurasia, added, “Football has a unique way of bringing people together. Today we celebrate that power here at the French Football Federation, as we take another step towards Paris 2026.”

“At a time when the world is facing divisions and conflicts, sport reminds us of something simple but powerful: that people from different backgrounds, nations, and abilities can come together on the same field, with the same respect, and the same goal.”

“Thank you to the French Government, the local authorities, the entire French Football community, the Local Organizing Committee, our partners, and of course the great team at Special Olympics France, for their strong commitment.”

As part of the application process and criteria for selection in the Cup, teams were selected based on ongoing football development plans with their home Special Olympics Programs/country football clubs and national federations. This requirement ensures that participation in the Cup will extend far beyond the competition itself, serving as a powerful catalyst for sustained investment, expanded opportunities, and long-term growth of inclusive football in each country for years to come.

Sargent Shriver Global Messenger and Special Olympics Ireland athlete Margaret Turley said, “For athletes like me, sport is about opportunity. It is about being part of a team, making friends, and showing the world what we can do. Unified football is powerful because we play together, players with and without intellectual disabilities, on the same team, supporting each other every step of the way.”

“When people watch the Unified Football World Cup in July, they will see great football. But they will also see something even more important: courage, teamwork, and respect.”

With the Draw now complete, teams will begin their final preparations ahead of the tournament this summer. From 6 – 11 July 2026, Paris will welcome teams from around the world to celebrate the power of football.

The full list of matchups from the Draw will be available on the official website.

Each Men’s team will consist of 16 players: 9 athletes and 7 Unified partners.

For the Men’s teams, 11 footballers play at the same time, meaning there will always be 6 Special Olympics athletes and 5 Unified partners on the field.  

Each Women’s team consists of 11 players: 6 athletes and 5 Unified partners.

For the Women’s teams, 7 footballers play at the same time, meaning there will always be 4 Special Olympics athletes and 3 Unified partners on the field.  

There will be 2 coaches per team.