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Adopt an athlete and be part of the moment their training, passion, and dream come to life on the pitch during the Unified Football World Cup in Paris!
Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup Paris 2026 Logo

In 2026, for the first time, France will host the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup in Paris. This, the third edition of the Cup, will take place 6 – 11 July across venues in the heart of Paris. There will be 24 teams, 12 men's and 12 women's teams, consisting of athletes with intellectual disabilities and Unified partners (athletes without intellectual disabilities), competing for the Unified Football World Cup title.

Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup Paris 2026 Day 4 Highlights
Behind the scenes of the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup, Match Commissioner Álvaro Brochero is helping create an environment where fairness, respect, and inclusion are at the heart of every game. Because every player deserves the chance to compete, belong, and shine. Together, we're building a more inclusive world through the power of sport.

Get to know Álvaro
The Competition Schedule
(M) Men's Tournament • (W) Women's Tournament
4 Stadiums: Charléty • Puc • Dalmasso • West

From July 6 – 11, 20226—4 Stadiums, 24 Teams, 60 Matches
Monday 6 July

Training Day and Day 1

Charléty Stadium

Opening Ceremony
6:00PM

Game 1
6:45PM
France vs Senegal (M)

Game 2
8:45PM
France vs Cote d'Ivoire (W)
Tuesday 7 July

Day 2 - Group Stage

Charléty Stadium

Game 3
Field A
8:00AM
USA vs Guatemala (W)

Game 4
Field B
8:00AM
Azerbaijan v Namibia (W)

Game 8
Field A
9:30AM
Slovakia vs Egypt (W)

Game 9
Field B
9:30AM
Canada vs Hong Kong (W)

Game 13
Field A
11:00AM
France vs Thailand (W)

Game 14
Field B
11:00AM
Azerbaijan vs USA (W)

PUC Stadium

Game 5
Field A/B
8:00AM
Libya v Ecuador (M)

Game 10
Field A/B
9:45AM
Israël vs China (M)

Dalmasso Stadium

Game 6
Field A/B
8:00AM
UAE vs Paraguay (M)

Game 11
Field B
9:45AM
Cote d'Ivoire vs Costa Rica (W)

Game 15
Field A
11:00AM
Namibia vs Guatemala (W)

West Stadium

Game 7
Field A/B
8:00AM
Spain vs Bharat (India) (M)

Game 12
Field A/B
9:45AM
Jamaica v Brazil (M)
Wednesday 8 July

Day 3 - Group Stage

Charléty Stadium

Game 16
Field A/B
8:00AM
Senegal vs Jamaica (M)

Game 25
Field A/B
9:45AM
Israel vs UAE (M)

Game 30
Field A/B
11:30AM
France vs Brazil (M)

PUC Stadium

Game 17
Field A
8:00AM
Cote d'Ivoire vs Thailand (W)

Game 18
Field B
8:00AM
Slovakia vs Canada (W)

Game 22
Field A/B
9:30AM
China vs Paraguay (M)

Game 28
Field A
11:30AM
Slovakia vs Hong Kong (W)

Game 29
Field B
11:30AM
Thailand vs Costa Rica (W)

Dalmasso Stadium

Game 19
Field A
8:00AM
Egypt vs Hong Kong (W)

Game 20
Field B
8:00AM
Azerbaijan vs Guatemala (W)

Game 23
Field A
9:30AM
Namibia vs USA (W)

Game 24
Field B
9:30AM
France vs Costa Rica (W)

Game 27
Field B
11:00AM
Egypt vs Canada (W)

West Stadium

Game 21
Field A/B
8:00AM
Spain vs Libya (M)

Game 26
Field A/B
9:45AM
Bharat (India) vs Ecuador (M)
Thursday 9 July

Day 4 - Group Stage

PUC Stadium

Game 31
Field A/B
8:00AM
Spain vs Ecuador (M)

Game 34
Field A/B
9:45AM
Israel vs Paraguay (M)

Dalmasso Stadium

Game 32
Field A/B
8:00AM
China vs UAE (M)

Game 35
Field A/B
9:45AM
France vs Jamaica (M)

West Stadium

Game 33
Field A/B
8:00AM
Bharat (India) vs Libya (M)

Game 36
Field A/B
9:45AM – 11:00AM
Senegal vs Brazil (M)
Friday 10 July
DAY 5 SEMI-FINALS & FINALS

Charléty Stadium

GAME 37
Field A/B
8:00AM
Division 1 Men
Jamaica v Israel

GAME 43
Field A/B
10:00AM
Division 1 Men
Libya v Paraguay

GAME 49
Field A
12:00PM
Division 3 Women
Final Winner

GAME 50
Filed B
12:00PM
Division 3 Women
Bronze Medal

PUC Stadium

GAME 38
Field A
8:00AM
Division 3 Women
USA v Hong Kong

GAME 39
Field B
8:00AM
Division 3 Women
Azerbaijan v Cote d'Ivoire

GAME 42
Field A/B
09:45AM
Division 2 Men
Ecuador v Senegal

GAME 47
Field A
11:45AM
Division 1 Women
Costa Rica v Thailand

Dalmasso Stadium

GAME 40
Field A/B
8:00AM
Division 3 Men
Spain v China

GAME 44
Field A
10:00AM
Division 2 Women
Namibia v France

GAME 45
Field B
10:00AM
Division 2 Women
Egypt v Canada

GAME 48
Field A
11:45AM
Division 1 Women
Guatemala v Slovakia

West Stadium

GAME 41
Field A/B
8:00AM
Division 3 Men
Bharat (India) v France

GAME 46
Field A/B
10:00AM
Division 2 Men
Brazil v UAE
Saturday 11 July

◆ FINALS

Charléty Stadium

GAME 51
Field A/B
8:00AM
Division 1 Men
FINAL WINNER

GAME 55
Field A
10:00AM
Division 1 Women
FINAL WINNER

GAME 56
Field B
10:00AM
Division 1 Women
FINAL BRONZE

PUC Stadium

GAME 52
Field A/B
8:00AM
Division 1 Men
BRONZE MEDAL

GAME 57
Field A
10:00AM
Division 2 Women
FINAL WINNER

GAME 58
Field B
10:00AM
Division 2 Women
BRONZE MEDAL

Dalmasso Stadium

GAME 53
Field A/B
8:00AM
Division 2 Men
BRONZE MEDAL

GAME 59
Field A/B
10:00AM
Division 2 Men
FINAL WINNER

West Stadium

GAME 54
Field A/B
8:00AM
Division 3 Men
BRONZE MEDAL

GAME 60
Field A/B
10:00AM
Division 3 Men
FINAL WINNER
Results and Statistics

Journey to the Cup—Inclusion On and Off the Field

Every team at the 2026 Unified Football World Cup has a story to tell. In this series, meet the athletes, Unified partners, coaches, and officials whose journeys to Paris are filled with determination, friendship, and inclusion. These stories celebrate the power of football to bring people together, on and off the field.

Defending Champions Set for Division 1 Finals Showdown in Paris

The women’s Special Olympics Guatemala team and the men’s Special Olympics Jamaica squad look to capture the championship titles for the second time in a row.

Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup Paris 2026 Day 4 Highlights

Behind the scenes of the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup, Match Commissioner Álvaro Brochero is helping create an environment where fairness, respect, and inclusion are at the heart of every game. Because every player deserves the chance to compete, belong, and shine. Together, we're building a more inclusive world through the power of sport.Get to know Álvaro

Azerbaijan Women Claim Division 3 Gold After Dramatic Win Over USA

Special Olympics Azerbaijan captured the women’s Division 3 gold medal at the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup Paris 2026, defeating Special Olympics USA 3–2 in a hard-fought final on 10 July.
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With the Involvement of

324

Players

48

Coaches

12

Men's Teams

12

Women's Teams

500

Families

500

Volunteers

Football

Football is the world's most popular sport. It's also Special Olympics' most popular team sport. This page draws together football-related information for all of Special Olympics, including news, stories, calendar events and competition results.

Unified Sports

Over a million people worldwide take part in Unified Sports, breaking down stereotypes about people with intellectual disabilities in a fun way.

Football Resources

Coaching guide, rules, and other materials for coaches.
"Football is the world's most popular team sport—across the globe and in Special Olympics. Every year, over 630,000 players participate in 16,000 Special Olympics football events run in over 190 countries worldwide."
Jon-Paul St. Germain, Vice President Sport Development, Sport & Competition