Special Olympics & UEFA: a Partnership in a League of its Own

Photo by Reese Bland

It has been quite the year for the Special Olympics and UEFA partnership. In June and July, hundreds of individuals with intellectual disabilities were at the heart of celebrating UEFA’s flagship events, through their participation in the UEFA fan festivals organised during the UEFA club competition finals, and across the 10 UEFA EURO 2024 fan zones.

There is no doubt that Special Olympics athletes benefit immensely from UEFA’s support—and showing their skills during UEFA’s top competitions is only one example. In return, UEFA is also inspired by Special Olympics’ knowledge, expertise and vision for a more inclusive world. Never was this more evident than during this year’s UEFA EURO 2024 tournament, where a ground-breaking tandem volunteering programme was introduced, directly inspired by the inclusivity of Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023. Each UEFA EURO 2024 host city implemented this tandem volunteer concept, with the programme in Cologne being particularly successful.

Photo by Florian Schmitt

Needless to say, Special Olympics athletes across the country jumped at the opportunity to get involved in the programme. Tandem pairs in Berlin, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Frankfurt and beyond supported the volunteering effort by checking tickets, greeting and directing fans, supporting fans with disabilities and generally helping to create a more sustainable and inclusive event. Arthur, aged 19 and a swimmer with Special Olympics Hessen, was partnered with his brother, Karl, as part of the programme. They checked tickets at Frankfurt Arena and were simply delighted that they were involved with such a high-profile football spectacle right on their front door. “The great thing is that it takes place in Frankfurt!” Arthur said ahead of the tournament.

Before the excitement of the UEFA EURO 2024, football fans were buzzing for the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League finals—and Special Olympics athletes were front and centre again. At the respective finals in London, Dublin and Athens, UEFA offered the athletes a coveted spot on dedicated fan zone pitches where they showed off their ball skills to appreciative football fans.

Special Olympics Hellas athlete Ioanna Tarkaziki was among the football players who demonstrated their prowess at the fan zone in Athens ahead of the UEFA Conference League Final. Speaking about the experience, she said, “Playing in front of so many people with my Unified team was an unforgettable experience! The support we received from the spectators was overwhelming, and it really boosted our confidence and motivation.”

Speaking about the fan zone opportunity, Michele Uva, UEFA Director Social and Environmental Sustainability, added, “We are committed to providing disabled players with a platform to show-case their skills whenever the opportunity arises. Special Olympics has been a very dedicated UEFA disability partner for many years, and we are delighted to collaborate with the organisation also in the context of our top competitions.”

Photo by Special Olympics Ireland/Photos by Ricardo

Meanwhile, Colm Kinsella from Carlow in Ireland was thrilled to play in the fan zone at Dublin Castle ahead of the UEFA Europa League Final. He said, “It was an unreal experience for me. I enjoyed every minute of it and I will always remember that it was so much fun!”

Speaking from the buzzing Somerset House fan zone ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final in London, Special Olympics Great Britain athlete Mark Thompson reflected on the joy that football brings to him. He said, “My favourite thing about football is that it gives me lots of confidence and helps me to socialise with other people.”

Exciting as it was, this summer was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the long-standing and ever-evolving partnership between Special Olympics and UEFA. Special Olympics now includes 110,000 football players and over 6,000 coaches as part of our football family across Europe. Of the 55 UEFA countries where football is played, 41 count UEFA member associations as a partner. Together, they work to deliver coach education and support local and national activities, as well as participation in international events throughout the year, every year. In season 2023/24 and in addition to participating in UEFA’s flagship events, we also organised the Special Olympics European Football Week, worked on Unified with Refugees football events in Spain and Cyprus, implemented a women’s football project with Nike in Serbia and an “I Coach Girls” football initiative in Slovakia.

Reflecting on our powerful partnership, Michele Uva, UEFA Director Social and Environmental Sustainability, noted, “As part of our “Football for All” policy, we take responsibility for making the football environment and its infrastructure accessible for everyone who wants to take part, welcoming players and fans of all abilities. Together with our national associations and expert organisations such as Special Olympics, a long-standing and accomplished UEFA disability partner, we work towards ensuring that more and more people with special needs find their rightful place within the football community. We applaud Special Olympics for the organisation’s tireless efforts on behalf of disabled footballers and greatly value our partnership.”