The second UAE Games for People of Determination will take place in June, with more than 1,000 athletes, students, unified partners, coaches and officials expected to take part.
The event is being organised by Special Olympics UAE and will begin with artistic and rhythmic gymnastics in partnership with Wellfit Gymnastics Academy at Circle Mall in Dubai. The rest of the programme will be staged in Abu Dhabi at ADNEC and Khalifa International Bowling Centre in Zayed Sports City.
Athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities from across the UAE will compete in a programme that includes men’s basketball, women’s 3×3 basketball, seven-a-side football, badminton, powerlifting, bocce and bowling. The Motor Activity Training Program will also form part of the schedule.
There will also be overseas involvement. Special Olympics Morocco are due to compete in seven-a-side football, while Special Olympics Malta will take part in bocce and bowling.
The games are held every two years. The first edition in 2024 brought together more than 600 athletes across six sports. It was supported by 96 referees and technical officials, as well as volunteers from the Emirates Marshals Program, who contributed 5,760 hours.
Talal Al Hashemi, national director of Special Olympics UAE, said the games had grown through collective support from across the country.
“The success of the UAE Games since its launch reflects the strength of national collaboration across both the public and private sectors,” he said.
“These partnerships play a central role in supporting People of Determination, the continued development of the games and their wider community impact.”
He said the 2026 edition would build on the platform created by the first event and widen its reach.
The games will also bring together a broad mix of sports bodies from around the UAE, including the basketball, football, bowling, badminton, aquatics, athletics and cycling federations, along with clubs from Abu Dhabi.
A series of side programmes will run alongside the competition, including the Young Athletes Program, esports and Games of the Future, and the Fit 5 fitness programme.
The Golisano Health Leadership Awards will also be presented during the event, recognising healthcare institutions that have helped improve access to health, fitness and wellness services for People of Determination.
