The Special Olympics organization was created in 1968 and supports 5.5 million athletes who participate in 244 national and U.S. programs in 193 countries . Special Olympics fights against the intolerance, injustice, inactivity and social isolation that their athletes face.
Unified Soccer is an inclusive sports program that unites Special Olympics athletes with partners as teammates for training and games. Athletes are individuals with intellectual disabilities who are paired with partners without intellectual disabilities. The goal of Special Olympics is to provide year-round training and athletic competition for its athletes. It gives them opportunities to develop physical fitness, become leaders and find a community for themselves.
Real Salt Lake has had a Special Olympics Unified soccer team since 2016. The team will play at America First Field with their lone home-match of the year on July 9. The team will then travel to San Jose to face Earthquakes Unified on July 30, following RSL’s match against the San Jose Earthquakes.
