2027 Special Olympics World Summer Games

The 2027 Special Olympics World Summer Games, officially known as the XVII Special Olympic World Games or the Special Olympics World Games Santiago 2027 (Spanish: Juegos Mundiales de Verano de Olimpiadas Especiales 2027), will be 17th summer Special Olympics from 19 to 31 October 2027. Scheduled to be held in Santiago, Chile, will be the first time in the organization’s 55-year history that a World Games will take place in the Southern Hemisphere.^[1] It will also be the first World Games in Latin America, and in a Spanish-speaking country.

Bids

Confirmed host city

•  Chile

• Santiago

After the success of the 2023 Pan American Games the Chilean President Gabriel Boric announced that the Chilean government will apply to host the 2027 Special Olympics World Summer Games.^[2][3] It was confirmed on 24 April 2024 that Santiago will host the games. This will be the first time the Special Olympics World Games (summer or winter) will be held in the Southern Hemisphere, and only the sixth Special Olympics World Summer Games outside the United States.

Non-selected bids

•  Indonesia

• Jakarta

Youth and Sports Minister Dito Ariotedjo gladly welcomed the offer from Special Olympics International (SOI) for Indonesia to take the opportunity to host the 2027 Special Olympics World Games.^[4] This would've been the first time the Special Olympics World Games (summer or winter) would be held in the Southern Hemisphere, and only the sixth Special Olympics World Summer Games outside the United States.

Cancelled bids

•  Australia

• Perth

Special Olympics Australia had been proactively briefing State and Federal Ministers and Members of Parliament who have expressed their interest and support on a bipartisan basis.^[5] Dr. Timothy Shriver, Chairman of the Special Olympics International Board of Directors, called upon governments, businesses, philanthropists and the local community to rally behind Australia’s bid to host the 2027 Special Olympics World Games in Perth.^[6] Funding, however, was in limbo with both state and federal governments refusing to support the bid. ^[7]

References