Vienna, Austria — April 21, 2026
The 9th national Summer Games of Special Olympics Austria will take place from June 25 to 30 in Vienna, featuring a record 1,800 athletes and 600 coaches competing across 19 sports at 12 venues.
Largest Gathering in Event History
This year’s edition marks the highest participation in the games’ history, with athletes and coaches converging on Vienna for the weeklong event. The newly opened Sport Arena Wien will serve as the central hub for competitions, highlighting the growing prominence of inclusive sports in Austria.
Special Olympics Austria, which organizes 250 training sessions and over 250 sports competitions annually, has seen steady growth in engagement since its inception. The national games build on the legacy of the World Games, which Austria hosted twice—in 1993 and 2017. Laurenz Maresch, reflecting on the 2017 event, noted that it demonstrated how "the topic of inclusion has arrived" in mainstream consciousness.
Promoting Inclusion Through Sport
Ambassadors like Mirna Jukic-Berger and Arvid Auner have been vocal advocates for the transformative power of sports for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Jukic-Berger emphasized, "Sport ist der beste Weg für Inklusion und Integration auf allen Ebenen" ("Sport is the best way for inclusion and integration on all levels").
Auner, a cameraman who documented the World Games three years ago, continues to spotlight athletes’ stories. "Wir müssen die Sportler auf die Bühne holen" ("We need to bring the athletes onto the stage"), he said, underscoring the importance of visibility.