Soccer is one of our most popular sports. It is appropriate for a wide range of age and ability levels because it is easy to learn. Athletes who participate in soccer are able to improve their overall physical fitness through training and competition, and athletes learn firsthand the benefits of playing as a team, which promotes communication, camaraderie, and friendship. Played in just about every country, the sport’s success is due to the fact that it can be played by boys, girls, men, and women of just about any physical build and ability. Soccer requires little in the way of specialized equipment and is organized using simple, intuitive rules.

Soccer requires little in the way of specialized equipment and is organized using simple, intuitive rules. Soccer is perfect for Unified Sports®, in which people with and without intellectual disabilities train and compete together on the same team. Special Olympics Maine provides State and Regional level competitions for athletes to compete in individual skills, 5-A-Side games and also 5-A-Side Unified games.

Find a Special Olympics Area program near you to participate. Contact your Area Manager if you’re interested in starting this sport in your Area.

Get an overview of the sport of Special Olympics football.  View the Football Fact Sheet

It’s so fundamental to the future of Special Olympics’ growth plans that it is the focus of our Global Football initiative.