Special Olympics UAE has confirmed its programme for the UAE Games 2026, with more than 1,000 athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities due to take part.
The second edition of the Games will be held in Abu Dhabi from June 6 to 10, with international delegations also joining the event.
The Games will include sports competitions, health screenings, family events and community sessions. It follows the first edition in 2024 and will again bring together athletes, families, government bodies and private partners.
Gymnastics will start before the main programme, with artistic and rhythmic gymnastics taking place at Wellfit, Circle Mall in Dubai on June 3.
International delegations are scheduled to arrive in Abu Dhabi on June 5, before taking part in host city activities.
Technical meetings, preparatory sessions and training for the Healthy Athletes programme will take place on June 6. The sports involved include basketball, bocce, badminton, football, bowling and esports.
Competition begins on June 7 with divisioning sessions across the sports. The opening ceremony will be held later that day at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
A Family Recognition Ceremony will also take place on June 7, acknowledging the role families play in supporting athletes during their sporting and personal development.
The Healthy Athletes programme will run at ADNEC from June 6 for three days. It will provide health screenings for athletes and promote awareness around prevention, wellbeing and quality of life.
On June 8, the Games will include the Fit 5 programme, delivered with Active Abu Dhabi. The programme is aimed at athletes with lower physical abilities and will include training workshops for more than 250 participants.
The Motor Activity Training Programme will also be included in the UAE Games for the first time on June 9. The same day will feature a bocce competition for members of government People of Determination centres linked to the Ministry of Family.
Majlis sessions will run alongside the sport programme, bringing together athletes, families, partners and participants. The sessions will cover inclusion, sport, health and the role of young people in raising awareness.
The Games are supported by ADNOC and Aldar, with official support from AD Ports Group, Abu Dhabi Mobility, ADNEC Group, Appolonia World Dentistry and Zayed Sports City.
NEDAA and Wellfit, Circle Mall are providing logistics support.
Several agreements and MOUs are also expected to be signed through the Games’ Partners Platform on June 8, with the aim of strengthening support for sport for People of Determination.
Talal Al Hashemi, National Director of Special Olympics UAE, said the Games mark “an important milestone” in the development of sport for People of Determination in the UAE.
He pointed to the rise in athlete numbers, the range of sports and the wider support from public and private partners as signs of progress.
The UAE Games 2026 will close on June 10, after five days of competition and community events in Abu Dhabi.
