Special Olympics is the world’s largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, promoting diversity and inclusion, and providing year-round training and competitions to more than 4.2 million athletes in 170 countries. The Special Olympics World Games, which alternate between summer and winter games, are bi-annual and are often the largest sporting event to take place in the world during that year.
The 2019 Special Olympics World Games will be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates as athletes from more than 170 countries take to the global stage between March 14th and 21st, 2019. Athletes will compete across 24 sporting events including aquatics, athletics, cycling, football (soccer), tennis and volleyball. By living out their dreams in front of the world, they will open hearts and minds, and expand our collective sense of acceptance and inclusion.