Play Inclusive
Uniting people of all abilities, through sport and inclusion.
Last updated 22 May 2026
Play Inclusive is back this year!
Play Inclusive is a meaningful celebration of inclusive play, where individuals of all abilities come together through sport to connect, compete, and grow. The event brings together persons with intellectual disabilities and special needs, students from mainstream and SPED schools, youth, corporate volunteers, and educators. Through shared sporting experiences, participants build friendships, foster empathy, and cultivate acceptance.
Athletes with intellectual disabilities are paired with persons without disabilities, called “Unified Partners.” Through a structured “divisioning” process, participants are grouped by similar ability levels to ensure fair and meaningful play. Unified partners play a vital bridging role, as they encourage participation, facilitate teamwork, and create balanced game play.
Play Inclusive is organised by SportCares in partnership with Special Olympics Singapore and the Singapore Disability Sports Council, with support from the Ministry of Education.
What does a Unified Partner do?
Unified Partners play a key bridging role in Play Inclusive by teaming up with athletes to create inclusive, supportive environments for play. As individuals without disabilities, they encourage participation, build confidence, and help foster meaningful connections through shared sporting experiences.
Through divisioning, teams are grouped by similar ability levels to ensure fair and balanced gameplay. Unified Partners support this by facilitating teamwork and engagement, ensuring that all participants are empowered to contribute, without dominating the game.
Check out Play Inclusive in 2025!
Highlights at Play Inclusive 2025
SportCares, Special Olympics Singapore and Singapore Disability Sports Council, supported by the Ministry of Education, have joined hands to organise the annual Play Inclusive competition since 2018 to promote inclusion in the community through shared sporting experiences between persons with and without intellectual disabilities and special needs.
At Play Inclusive, athletes with intellectual disabilities are teamed up with unified partners (who are persons without disabilities). A process called ‘divisioning’, where athletes are assessed for their playing abilities and then placed in a division where the athletes’ skills are similar, is used to ensure equal and quality participation. The presence of unified partners in each team is to encourage and facilitate meaningful game play, and penalties are imposed if unified partners dominate the game
SportCares has hosted the following sport at Play Inclusive 2025:
Badminton | Basketball | Boccia | Floorball |
Football | Goalball | Soundball / Tennis | Wheelchair Rugby |
Wheelchair Rugby at Play Inclusive
Goalball at Play Inclusive
Unified teams have to train together in the respective sports for a minimum of eight weeks to qualify for Play Inclusive. Sports featured in Play Inclusive include badminton, basketball, football and floorball. In 2019, the sport of goalball was included in the competition, and fielded, for the first time, athletes with visual impairment.
For more information on past editions of Play Inclusive, see below:
Floorball at Play Inclusive
Supporters at Play Inclusive
Let's Play Inclusive!
Interested to be a participant for our next event in 2026? Indicate your interest below!