Tarragona to host Special Olympics in October with over 1,600 athletes, highest number since 1992

The Special Olympics Tarragona 2026 Games will bring together more than 1,600 athletes with intellectual disabilities from 10 countries and 12 autonomous communities to compete in 15 disciplines from October 9-12. 

The organizers announced these details on Tuesday during the presentation of the 13th edition of the Games at the Palau Robert in Barcelona. ​​The event was chaired by Catalonia's Minister of Sports, Berni Álvarez, and the Minister of Social Rights and Inclusion, Raúl Moreno. 

Organized by the ACELL Federation and Tarragona City Council, this year's Games will have the second-highest participation in the history of the event, surpassed only by the 1992 edition. 

The director of the Games, Manel Algeciras, revealed that two weeks prior to the competition, the torch will travel through several municipalities in Catalonia and Andorra la Vella between September 24 and October 8. The aim is to build excitement, warm up the engines and encourage civic participation.

The president of the ACELL Federation, Pepa Muñoz, linked the large number of participants to an increase in the number of athletes with intellectual disabilities who want to compete. "We are talking about the right of people with intellectual disabilities to train, to compete, to progress and to be part of the sport of this country," she said.

Moreno said that the Games serve to showcase the capabilities of the participants and stressed that inclusion must be put into practice in schools, at work, in cultural activites and in leisure spaces.

For his part, Álvarez announced that his department is preparing a Strategic Plan for Sports for People with Disabilities. Its goals include improving the accessibility of sports facilities and promoting the presence of athletes with disabilities in elite competitions. Álvarez said that the Games will be "a powerful tool" for social inclusion and equal opportunities.