Although the Special Champions League project, which began in July 2022, has drawn to a close, its legacy will live on for the almost 550 athletes and coaches involved for many years to come. These teams, as a legacy, will continue to train and compete even though the project has been completed. The project achieved its aim of developing a team for players with intellectual disabilities in each of the eight professional football clubs involved from Belgium, Spain, Germany, Netherlands and Portugal. These clubs worked alongside expert partners in Special Olympics Belgium, Special Olympics Europe Eurasia (through its SO Europe Eurasia Foundation arm) and the European Football Development Network (EFDN) to prepare these teams to compete in local and international tournaments. Through the invitations extended to other professional clubs and Special Olympics National Programmes for the tournaments, a further 250 athletes with intellectual disabilities were directly impacted by the project.
The project, which was delivered over the course of three football seasons with weekly training sessions and matches at the professional clubs, was so successful that project activities have been integrated into ongoing community work at those clubs. Speaking about the highlights of the project, Colin Kenny, Director, Projects & Grants with Special Olympics Europe Eurasia said, “The players particularly enjoyed the three Special Champions League Match Days and the Special Champions League Festival in Ghent in 2024 which featured players with intellectual disabilities from the project consortium as well as teams from other high profile professional clubs such as Ajax, Manchester City and Juventus.”
Back in February 2023, the first international event of the project was organized in Lison, Portugal featuring young female and male players with intellectual disabilities from AFC Ajax, Werder Bremen, Benfica, KAS Eupen, SD Huesca, Levante UD, NEC Nijmegen, Foundation 92, Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, Everton and Special Olympics Portugal. Speaking at the time, NEC Nijmegen coach Job Bakhuis said: “The group has come closer together through the travel and football experiences at the Special Champions League; great to experience and see this up close as a trainer!"
SD Huesca player Noel Esteban added: “It's the first time I've travelled to Portugal and being able to go with my friends has been great fun, and even more so wearing the SD Huesca kit.
Beyond the excitement of the high profile international events, the project will have a lasting legacy in the clubs involved. Colin Kenny continued, “It’s really gratifying to know that, thanks to training by Special Olympics experts, the coaches in the professional clubs involved have enhanced their skills when it comes to coaching and developing teams for athletes with intellectual disabilities.”
Special Champions League project in numbers:
- 551 players and coaches took part in 890 coaching sessions with the eight professional clubs
- An additional 240 participants benefitted from the project via Special Olympics national programmes
- 38 local or national Tournaments
- 4 international tournaments.
A number of guides and best practices have been developed through the project and can be used by any sports organisation or club looking to develop inclusive programming.
Clubs involved:
- Netherlands: NAC Breda, NEC Nijmegen
- Germany: Werder Bremen, Bayer 04 Leverkusen
- Spain: Levante UD, Huesca (Fundación Alcoraz)
- Portugal: SL Benfica
- Belgium: KAS Eupen
