Special Olympics Great Britain celebrates the announcement that Santiago, Chile will be the host site for the 2027 Special Olympics World Games, marking the first time in Special Olympics’ 55-year history that a World Games will take place in the Southern Hemisphere.
In less than four years, Santiago will welcome more than 6,000 Special Olympics athletes from over 170 nations to compete in 22 Olympic-type sports at Santiago’s state-of-the-art competition venues. They will be supported by over 2,000 coaches and thousands of volunteers. The Games will also attract 6,000 family members, more than 2,000 international media, and 500,000 spectators.
Further information on Team Special Olympics GB's athlete allocation for Santiago 2027 and subsequent selection is expected to be released in 2025.
At a press event at the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, D.C. today, Special Olympics Brazil Athlete Leader and International Board Director Emanuelle Dutra de Souza announced that the Special Olympics 2027 World Games has been awarded to Santiago de Chile.
“We are thrilled that our 2027 World Games has been awarded to Chile’s capital city – Santiago. In less than 15 years, our Program in Chile has reduced the fear of difference and worked tirelessly to build systems that advance inclusion in sports, health, and education for one of the world’s most marginalized populations,” said Dr. Timothy Shriver, Special Olympics Chairman. “Bringing these Games to the region will leave a long-lasting legacy of sport for development.”
The Federal Government of Chile and the City of Santiago have committed a budget of approximately US$134 million to plan and deliver the World Games, which contribute to several UN Sustainable Development Goals including No Poverty, Good Health & Well-Being, Quality Education, Gender Equality, Reduced Inequalities, and others.
“The 2027 Special Olympics World Games are already making history, because they are coming to Santiago!” said Emanuelle Dutra de Souza, Special Olympics Brazil athlete in a phone call to Gonzalo Escobar, Athlete Leader, Special Olympics Chile, to deliver the news. “The significant inputs in the bid from Special Olympics Chile athletes showed us that there is a keen understanding of what it means to put inclusion into action.”
"The impact a Special Olympics World Games can leave on a country and a region is undeniable, as we saw with Abu Dhabi 2019 and Berlin 2023. Now, we break new ground in Latin America with Santiago 2027 and an event that will leave a lasting impact on our athletes and their families and communities for years to come,” said Lou Lauria, Chief of Sport and Games, Special Olympics International.
“Our athletes deserve to be celebrated with the opportunity to compete at the highest level on a world stage. We use high-visibility events like World Games to raise awareness about the abilities and gifts of people with intellectual disabilities and leave a legacy of increased inclusion, understanding, and opportunity in communities throughout the world.”
The original bid was a joint effort led by Special Olympics Chile, supported by the City of Santiago, the President of Chile Gabriel Boric Font; the Minister and Undersecretary of Sport, Jaime Pizarro and Antonia Illanes, respectively; the Governor of Santiago Claudio Orrego; the President of the National Olympic Committee of Chile, Miguel Angel Mujica.
The legacy of the 2027 World Games in Chile includes developing Unified Schools programming in at least 200 municipalities and 1,000 schools; increasing training about people with intellectual disabilities (ID) for law enforcement; improving education of primary healthcare professionals treating people with ID; expansion of Special Olympics Chile into all 16 regions of the country; and a series of actions to mobilize awareness and political commitment throughout Latin America.
Every two years, thousands of Special Olympics athletes worldwide come together to showcase their athletic skills and celebrate the spirit of Special Olympics, which celebrates over 50,000 games and competitions every year.
The first Special Olympics World Games took place in 1968 and since then have evolved into a world-class sporting event. Alternating between Summer Games and Winter Games, Special Olympics World Games bring public attention to the talents and abilities of people with intellectual disabilities, helping to change attitudes and break down stereotypes.