The UAE Special Olympics team is set to compete in the Middle East and North Africa Regional Games in Cairo, entering under a new format that spreads events across several countries for the first time. The team will take part in four sports as part of this updated approach.
This year's games, held from 17 to 23 September 2026, will see 15 UAE athletes competing in rhythmic gymnastics, artistic gymnastics, powerlifting, and equestrian. The full delegation includes 28 people, with technical, administrative, medical, and media staff supporting the athletes. According to WAM, the UAE's participation is part of a wider effort to create more opportunities for athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the region.
"The Cairo phase of the 10th Special Olympics MENA Regional Games will bring together 173 athletes and delegation leaders from 12 countries, alongside 42 participants in the Athletes' Preparation Conference for people with disabilities."
Egyptian Gazette
The regional games have moved away from the old model of a single host city every four years. Now, competitions are distributed across five countries, with Cairo as the second stop after Sousse, Tunisia. This change is meant to give more athletes a chance to compete in more sports and to strengthen Special Olympics activities throughout the region. Egyptian officials have confirmed that the Cairo phase, called "Performance Sports," will include key figures such as Minister of Social Solidarity Maya Morsy, according to the Egyptian Gazette.
Preparation for the UAE athletes has been intensive. Training has focused on technical drills and physical conditioning tailored to each sport, aiming to build skills and confidence. The UAE delegation's schedule in Cairo includes arrival on 17 September, training and divisioning on 18-19 September, finals and award ceremonies on 20 September, participation in the Host Town Program and Egyptian Cultural Day on 21 September, closing on 22 September, and departure on 23 September 2026, as reported by WAM.
National director Talal Al Hashemi described the team's goal: "This participation marks a new milestone in empowering our athletes and building their self-belief by giving them more opportunities to compete regionally and showcase their skills and experience. We have great confidence in their readiness and ability to represent the UAE with distinction and to benefit from this experience both athletically and personally."
"The 10th Special Olympics MENA Regional Games are officially structured in two phases and distributed across five countries, with the Cairo stage scheduled for 17-23 September 2026. This new format replaces the traditional single-city, four-year cycle, aiming to embed Special Olympics activities more deeply in local sporting calendars and increase year-round engagement."
WAM
Al Hashemi also pointed out that the regional games are a key step toward the 2027 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Santiago, Chile. The Cairo event will give UAE athletes a chance to test themselves and adjust their approach ahead of the world stage.
The new multi-country format marks a major change for the Special Olympics in the region. By spreading events across several cities and holding competitions throughout the year, the model aims to make Special Olympics activities a regular part of local sports calendars.
The UAE's approach is similar to other recent sporting efforts, such as the national karate team's medal-winning trip to Amman. But the Special Olympics delegation faces a different challenge: adapting to the new regional structure and proving themselves under changing conditions.
With the Cairo games shaping the path to Santiago 2027, the UAE's focus on athlete development and the new competition model shows a clear goal: to turn every opportunity into real progress for athletes and the national program. The results in Cairo will offer a measure of how far the UAE's Special Olympics movement has come.
