Special Olympics Unified Sports® soccer players to compete for the seventh time in the West vs. East All-Star game at the National Sports Center as part of MLS All-Star week festivities in Minnesota
NEW YORK (July 17, 2022) – MLS WORKS, Major League Soccer’s social responsibility platform, ESPN and Coca-Cola announced the complete rosters for the 2022 Special Olympics Unified All-Star Game, which will be played prior to the 2022 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target in Minnesota. Player rosters for each conference can be viewed here.
As part of the Special Olympics Unified Sports® All-Star experience, MLS WORKS, ESPN and Coca-Cola will host 40 Unified team members, representing 20 MLS clubs for an 11 v. 11 competitive match. The teams, comprised of players with intellectual disabilities (Special Olympics athletes) and without intellectual disabilities (Unified partners) will play two 40-minute halves and will be outfitted in authentic uniforms provided by adidas.
The Special Olympics Unified All-Star Game presented by MLS WORKS, ESPN and Coca-Cola will take place on Wednesday, August 10 at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota at 3:30 p.m. CT. MLS Greats will serve as celebrity coaches for the game.
The Unified All-Star Game is part of the season-long Special Olympics Unified Soccer Exchange program that provides opportunities for Unified soccer teams to participate in a first-team MLS experience. MLS Unified soccer teams travel for exhibition matches, scheduled in conjunction with MLS first-team matches, to reinforce inclusivity and showcase the talents and abilities to MLS fans. MLS clubs provide authentic MLS first-team experiences such as signing days, jersey unveils, practices and scrimmages with MLS front office staff and first-team players, and game day recognition. Unified teams are outfitted in authentic uniforms provided by adidas.
The Unified All-Star Game is free and open to the public and will be streamed on ESPN3. The West and East Unified All-Star teams will also be recognized on-field during the MLS All-Star Game presented by Target taking place at Allianz Field at 7:30 PM CT. Tickets are available for purchase at SeatGeek.com.
Just prior to the Unified All-Star Game, the Special Olympics Unified Cup 2022 will show the world how the power of sport builds and shapes a diverse community that unites and empowers people of all abilities, from all backgrounds. The 2022 Special Olympics Unified Cup will be held in Detroit, Michigan from July 31 to August 6. A total of 22 teams will compete, including Special Olympics USA, which will be represented by two composite Unified teams: one all-male 11-a-side team and one all-female 7-a-side team. Athletes and Unified partners from eight U.S. Programs were selected to be part of Special Olympics USA after being nominated by their Special Olympics Program and their corresponding MLS Club, completing interviews, as well as in-person and virtual tryouts.
The Special Olympics Unified Cup 2022 in Detroit is made possible thanks to support from partners such as ESPN and The Coca-Cola Company, amongst others. For more information, visit unifiedcup.org.
About MLS WORKS
Major League Soccer is dedicated to addressing important social issues and improv ing communities where we live and play our games. Through MLS WORKS, the league’s social responsibility platform, Major League Soccer and its clubs seek to improve the lives of those in need across the United States and Canada. To learn more visit MLSsoccer.com/MLSWORKS and follow @MLSWORKS on Twitter & Instagram.
About ESPN
ESPN is proud of its relationship with Special Olympics, which spans over 35 years. Over the past nine years, ESPN has continued to deepen its relationship with the Special Olympics movement. ESPN is the Global Presenting Sponsor of Unified Sports since 2013 and has been the Official Media Broadcast Partner for games since 2015, including the USA Games in Orlando (2022) and Seattle (2018), the World Winter Games in Austria (2017), and the World Summer Games in Los Angeles (2015), Abu Dhabi (2019) and the upcoming 2023 World Summer Games in Berlin.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our hydration, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our nutrition, juice, dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
About Special Olympics
Founded in 1968, Special Olympics is a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. We foster acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health and leadership. With more than six million athletes and Special Olympics Unified Sports® partners in over 190 countries and territories and more than one million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics delivers more than 30 Olympic-type sports and over 100,000 Games and competitions every year. Engage with us on: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn and our blog on Medium. Learn more at www.SpecialOlympics.org .
