Special Olympics National Games Saarland 2026 — St. Wendel

Special Olympics — Sport for People with Intellectual Disabilities

Special Olympics is the world's largest sports movement for people with intellectual and multiple disabilities. Unlike the Paralympics (for athletes with physical disabilities), Special Olympics is aimed at athletes with cognitive impairments. In Germany, Special Olympics Deutschland e.V. organizes the National Games every two years — in 2026, for the first time in Saarland.

A Major Event for the Entire State

The 2026 Games will take place in ten host cities spread across Saarland — from the state capital Saarbrücken to the rural St. Wendel region. This means the whole of Germany will be a guest for a week with athletes:

• 4,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities and Unified Partners
• 9,000 coaches, volunteers, and support staff
• 13,000+ participants in total — incl. 1,500 coaches and 2,500 participants in the non-competitive program
• 27 sports in the competition program
• ~100,000 visitors expected

St. Wendel as Host in the St. Wendel Region

Several competitions will be held in the St. Wendel district. The district town itself hosts three prominent sports venues:

• Wendelinus Golfpark — venue for the golf competition
• Gestüt Welvert — venue for the equestrian competitions
• St. Wendel Cycling Course — venue for the cycling competitions

Mayor Peter Klär has announced that St. Wendel will present itself as a host “with heart and commitment”. The nearby Bostalsee lake in the municipality of Nohfelden is also a venue for competitions.

Competition Program and 27 Sports

The Special Olympics include a wide range of sporting disciplines:

• Athletics
• Swimming
• Basketball
• Football
• Tennis & Table Tennis
• Handball
• Equestrian
• Cycling
• Golf
• Bowling and Bocce
• Judo
• Dance Sport
• Chess
• Triathlon
• Volleyball, Badminton, Beach Volleyball
• Roller and Inline Skating disciplines
• Canoeing, Rowing
• Cross-country skiing demonstrations
• And many more — a total of 27 sports

More Than Competition — The Supporting Program

In addition to the competitions, Special Olympics offers a dense supporting program:

• Opening Ceremony with athletes' parade
• Specialfest — a large meeting festival in the city center
• Healthy Athletes Program — free health checks for athletes in five areas (eyes, ears, teeth, feet, mental health)
• School Projects with Saarland schools
• Non-competitive Program — taster sports activities for 2,500 additional participants
• Closing Ceremony

Slogan “Dabeisein ist Saarland!” (Being there is Saarland!)

The 2026 Games are under the slogan “Dabeisein ist Saarland!” — a deliberate allusion to the global Special Olympics slogan “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” The Saarland version emphasizes inclusion and community as its hallmarks.

Free Admission to All Events

Remarkable: All events are free to attend. Saarland and Special Olympics Germany are sending a clear message — inclusion should be open to everyone, without financial barriers. Anyone who wants to cheer, celebrate, and experience athletes in person should simply come to the competition venues in St. Wendel, at Bostalsee, in Saarbrücken, or one of the other host cities in 2026.