ESPN Named Global Broadcast Partner for 2027 Special Olympics World Games in Chile

ESPN will continue its longstanding partnership with Special Olympics as the Global Broadcast Partner for the 2027 Special Olympics World Games in Santiago, Chile.

What's Happening:

• ESPN has been named the Global Broadcast Partner for the 2027 Special Olympics World Games, taking place October 16-24, 2027, in Santiago, Chile.
• The event will mark the first time the Special Olympics World Games have been held in Latin America and a Spanish-speaking country.
• More than 6,000 athletes from over 170 countries will compete in 23 sports at Santiago’s National Stadium Park.
• ESPN has partnered with Special Olympics for more than 42 years, with its broadcast coverage beginning in 2013. The network has covered numerous World Games and USA Games events, including the 2025 Winter World Games in Turin and the 2026 USA Games in Minneapolis.
• ESPN also serves as the Global Presenting Sponsor of Special Olympics Unified Sports, which brings athletes with and without intellectual disabilities together on the same teams to promote inclusion.
• Since 2013, ESPN has helped increase global participation in Unified Sports by 111%, reaching more than 1.8 million participants.
• Beyond live competitions, ESPN provides year-round coverage highlighting Special Olympics athletes, coaches, communities, and their inspiring stories.

What They're Saying:

• Zehra Sayin, Chief Marketing, Communications, and Development Officer at Special Olympics International: “Media coverage of the World Games represents an opportunity for millions of people to discover our athletes, witness their talent and challenge perceptions of what people with intellectual disabilities can achieve. ESPN has helped bring Special Olympics athletes and their stories to global audiences for decades, and we look forward to working together again to showcase this historic first World Games in Latin America.”
• Burke Magnus, President of ESPN Content: “ESPN and The Walt Disney Company are incredibly proud to once again showcase the inspiring stories of Special Olympics athletes representing their home countries and competing on the global stage in Santiago next year. Special Olympics represents so much of what makes sports special — the ability to unite communities and positively impact lives. We look forward to celebrating these remarkable athletes and sharing their stories across our platforms through powerful storytelling.” 
• Rodrigo Gardella, Executive Director of the Special Olympics World Games Santiago 2027 Local Organizing Committee: “It is a source of pride for us that ESPN, with more than four decades alongside Special Olympics, is part of Santiago 2027. Having our athletes’ stories reach audiences around the world is an opportunity to change how people view intellectual disabilities and an incentive for Chile to make significant progress on inclusion.”

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