Paris to host Unified Football World Cup at Charléty in July | OneFootball

Paris will host the third Unified Football World Cup at Stade Charléty from 6 to 11 July, uniting players with and without intellectual disabilities. According to L'Équipe, the Special Olympics event began in 2018 in Chicago.

Special Olympics, founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, promotes inclusion through sport across 200 countries. In France it works mainly with medico-social establishments, introducing sport and guiding those keen to join clubs.

Both men’s and women’s tournaments will feature 12 national teams for athletes aged 16 to 23. Men’s squads number 16, including nine players with intellectual disabilities, while women’s squads have 11, including six.

France’s selections draw from Île-de-France establishments as training is in Orly on Paris FC facilities, with academy players completing the squads. The French Football Federation has backed the project and hosted the group draw in mid-April.

Organisers expect 324 players, 100 staff and officials, and 450 volunteers for 60 matches at Charléty and three other southern Paris venues. Free tickets are due to be released in the coming days.

Public bodies are covering about a third of the budget of €three million for this World Cup, with the remainder from sponsorship, philanthropy and the movement’s own funds. The City of Paris is providing Charléty, while the state has granted major international event status.

Special Olympics views football as the most universal and accessible route to inclusion. It aims to deepen links with federations, with a partnership already in place with judo and talks ongoing with triathlon.

Source: L'Équipe