Libya has been crowned champions of the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup after defeating Jamaica 3-1 in the final in Paris, completing an unbeaten campaign to secure one of the country’s most significant international sporting achievements.
The Libyan national team produced another outstanding performance in the championship match, overcoming Jamaica to lift the prestigious trophy after winning every game throughout the tournament. The victory capped a dominant run that highlighted the team’s quality, discipline, and teamwork on the world stage.
Libya reached the final after defeating Paraguay 2-0 in the semifinals. Earlier in the competition, the national team topped its group with a perfect record, recording victories over Spain, Ecuador, and India to qualify for the knockout rounds without dropping a single point.
Following the final, the French Embassy in Libya congratulated the Libyan team and the Libyan people on the historic achievement. The embassy shared a photograph of the newly crowned champions on its official Facebook page, praising the team’s remarkable success at the tournament in Paris.
The Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup is one of the world’s leading competitions promoting inclusion through sport. Unlike traditional football tournaments, unified football brings together athletes with intellectual disabilities and athletes without intellectual disabilities on the same team, competing as equal partners.
The format is designed to encourage inclusion, equality, mutual respect, and teamwork by ensuring that players are of similar age and skill levels. Matches are played under the standard Laws of the Game with additional organizational guidelines that promote balanced and fair competition.