Football (Soccer) Football is considered the world's most popular sport for children and adults around the world. Similarly, it is one of the most popular sports for Special Olympics athletes. Athletes are able to improve their overall physical fitness through training and competition. Nicholas Danino of Special Olympics Gibraltar battles Dave Broad of Special Olympics Canada during a match at the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games. [Photo by Matt Browne, IRELAND OUT] In addition to offering traditional football, Special Olympics Football offers individual skills competition to allow athletes to train and compete in basic football skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to team competition. These skills include dribbling, shooting, and the run and kick. A player's final score is determined by adding together the scores achieved in each of the events. Special Olympics athletes can also participate in Unified Sports® football team competition. Special Olympics Unified Sports is a program that combines Special Olympics athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (partners) on sports teams for training and competition. In Unified Sports football team competition (eleven-a-side, seven-a-side, and five-a-side) the roster shall contain a proportionate number of athletes and partners. During competition, the line up shall never exceed six athletes and five partners at any time (three athletes and two partners for a five-a-side). Each team shall have an adult non-playing coach responsible for the line-up and conduct of the team during competition. As in all Special Olympics sports, athletes are grouped in competition divisions according to ability level, age and gender. Football Facts Football was introduced to Special Olympics in 1979. At the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland 1,066 athletes from 83 Programs competed in football. As of the 2005 Special Olympics Athlete Participation Report, 282,498 Special Olympics athletes, from all seven Special Olympics regions, compete in football. Football Events Eleven-a-side team competition according to FIFA rules Five-a-side team (outdoor). Indoor Football (Futsal) competition according to FIFA rules Seven-a-side team (outdoor) Unified Sports 11-a-side team competition Unified Sports 5-a-side team competition The following events provide meaningful competition for athletes with lower ability levels: Individual Skills Competition Related Links Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)