Special Olympics fosters a vibrant global community through year-round athletic events. While local competitions happen daily worldwide, our international calendar features major events including the World Games, World Winter Games, and the Unified Football World Cup. Building on this legacy, 2025 will mark the debut of the Unified 3x3 Basketball World Cup and the Unified Volleyball World Cup. Discover the confirmed upcoming international events in the timeline below.
Our athletes eagerly anticipate future additions, including the DanceSport World Championship and the Unified Tennis Global Tournament, among others.
Interested in bringing the spirit of Special Olympics to your community? Special Olympics operates an ongoing bid process to guide any interested party through hosting an international event. We welcome your inquiry and encourage you to reach out to Lou Lauria, Chief of Sport and Competition, for an introductory discussion.
“Just bidding for the World Winter Games opened new doors for us as we were able to have conversations on the level of our national government that were not there before.”
“Special Olympics [events] are a great platform of friendship. Everyone is a messenger of the Special Olympics spirit, so let’s share the warmth of the Special Olympics family and write together a new page of human civilization.”