PARIS, France — Four years after lifting the trophies at the Special Olympics Unified Cup Detroit 2022, Special Olympics Jamaica and Special Olympics Guatemala will return to the biggest stage in Unified football with their Division 1 titles on the line.
On Saturday, 11 July 2026 at Charléty Stadium, reigning men's champion Jamaica will face Libya in the Men's Division 1 Final, while defending women's champion Guatemala will take on Costa Rica in the Women's Division 1 Final.
The championship matches bring a sense of history to Paris 2026. In Detroit, Jamaica captured the Men's Division 1 title with a 2-0 victory over Paraguay, becoming the only men's team in the tournament not to concede a single goal while scoring 23 times enroute to the championship. Guatemala was equally dominant in the women's competition, defeating the United States 5-1 in the title match and finishing the tournament with 33 goals scored while shutting out every opponent they faced.
Now both programs have the opportunity to become the first teams to successfully defend Division 1 Unified Cup crowns.
Jamaica enters the final after another impressive tournament run. The Caribbean side advanced to Saturday's championship match following today’s 3-1 victory over Israel, demonstrating the same balanced attack and disciplined defending that made them champions in 2022. Jamaica generated 18 shots and three goals in the semifinal while limiting Israel's opportunities throughout the contest to 3.
Standing in their way is a determined Libyan squad that secured its place in the championship with a 2-0 victory over Paraguay. Libya's defense has been particularly impressive, and the team showed clinical finishing in the semifinal, converting its opportunities to punch a ticket to the gold-medal match.
The women's final features another compelling match up, with Guatemala seeking to add a second consecutive Division 1 title to its Unified Cup legacy. Guatemala arrives in the championship after a commanding 6-0 victory over Slovakia, continuing the attacking form that has made the Central American nation one of the most successful programs in Unified Cup history. The Guatemalans overwhelmed Slovakia with 17 shots and six goals in the semifinal to book their place in the final.
Costa Rica, meanwhile, earned its championship opportunity with a 2-0 win over Thailand. A disciplined defensive performance and timely finishing delivered the victory and set up an all-Central American showdown for the Division 1 crown.
While trophies will be on the line, the finals will also showcase the essence of Special Olympics Unified Sports®, where athletes with and without intellectual disabilities compete together on the same team. Throughout the week in Paris, teams from around the world have demonstrated that sport can unite people across backgrounds, cultures and abilities while breaking down barriers of exclusion.
Saturday's finals offer the possibility of history for Jamaica and Guatemala, but Libya and Costa Rica have their own ambitions of claiming the most prestigious title in Unified football. By day's end at Charléty Stadium, two nations will leave Paris as Division 1 champions, adding their names to the growing legacy of the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup.
