At its last meeting, the Board of Trustees of Special Olympics Switzerland designated Yverdon-les-Bains as the host city for the National Summer Games 2030. With 1,498 participants from across Switzerland at the 2026 edition in Zug, the event is considered the largest national sports event for people with intellectual disabilities. The decision recognizes the quality of the project submitted by the organizing committee as well as the city’s exemplary commitment to inclusive sport. The event, supported in particular by the Canton of Vaud, will bring together several thousand participants and visitors from June 12 to 16, 2030, and will leave a lasting legacy for sport and inclusion in the region.
The Board of Trustees of Special Olympics Switzerland has decided to award the National Summer Games 2030, the largest national multi-sport event for people with intellectual disabilities, to Yverdon-les-Bains. This recognizes the city’s long-standing commitment to inclusive sport as well as its pioneering role in the areas of accessibility and social participation. The Office of Sport and Movement of the City of Yverdon-les-Bains is currently implementing the “Sport and Inclusion 2025–2030” strategy. Its priorities include hosting Special Olympics events, collaborating with Swiss Inclusive Sport on the inclusive certification of sports clubs and sporting events, and establishing its own department for promotion and inclusion within the office.
This major event, scheduled to take place from June 12 to 16, 2030, will bring together several thousand athletes, coaches, volunteers, and visitors from across Switzerland. Competitions in 16 different sports, including soccer, athletics, and swimming, will take place at various sports facilities in Yverdon-les-Bains and the surrounding area. The region’s main sports facilities will be used, and the Parc des Rives du Lac will serve as the Olympic Village.
Yverdon-les-Bains’ bid documents were convincing due to the quality of the infrastructure, the dynamic network of clubs, and the ambitious vision of an event that is both socially and environmentally sustainable.
The president of the organizing committee, Olympian Anne-Sophie Thilo, is delighted about this wonderful project: “I am very pleased that the Canton of Vaud has the opportunity to host an event of this magnitude and thus put sport for people with intellectual disabilities at the center. Having grown up with a younger, blind brother, I know from personal experience the positive impact that sport can have. Whether in competitive or recreational sport, it not only strengthens the physical and mental health of the athletes, but also has a positive effect on their entire environment. I hope that as many people as possible will be inspired by this special event and experience the power of encounter, exchange, and inclusion.”
Special Olympics Switzerland, represented by its president Simon Ammann, welcomes this collaboration with Yverdon-les-Bains, which was initiated several years ago: “We are extremely pleased that Yverdon-les-Bains will host the National Summer Games 2030. With the city and its partners, we have strong allies at our side who share our vision of inclusion through sport. This award is an important signal for the establishment of Special Olympics Switzerland in French-speaking Switzerland. Together we will create a unique sports festival and provide the athletes with a stage on which they can showcase their skills and create unforgettable experiences.”
For François Armada, Mayor of Yverdon-les-Bains, the award of the National Summer Games 2030 is a significant milestone: “The fact that Yverdon-les-Bains will host this important event fills our city with great pride. With our ambitious and forward-looking sports policy, which places inclusion and national visibility at the center, we understand the National Summer Games 2030 as recognition of our long-standing commitment to equal opportunity and social cohesion. At the same time, this event offers the opportunity to highlight the strength of our club network, the dedication of our volunteers, and our city’s ability to successfully host national events with high social relevance.”
This event will be financially supported by the Canton of Vaud. For Christelle Luisier, President of the Vaud State Council, “organizing major sporting events makes it possible to highlight certain areas of our cantonal sports policy. In this sense, the National Summer Games will help to promote inclusion and access to sport for all population groups in the canton in the best possible way, and we are delighted about that.”
Beyond the competition, the National Summer Games 2030 will be a true public festival, open to all and offering a rich program of entertainment, cultural activities, and encounters that promote exchange between participants and the public. The event will also have significant tourist importance, as a large number of participants and spectators from other cantons in French-speaking Switzerland, Ticino, German-speaking Switzerland, and abroad will travel to the region and discover its many attractions.
The City of Yverdon-les-Bains and its partners will begin planning work immediately to make this event a highlight that gives the region significance and a lasting legacy. The event’s budget amounts to around 4 million Swiss francs, which will be jointly funded by Special Olympics Switzerland, the Canton of Vaud, the City of Yverdon-les-Bains, and sponsors. All companies and partners interested in supporting the project and associating their image with this extraordinary event are invited to contact the organizing committee of the National Summer Games 2030.
CONTACTS
Anne-Sophie Thilo, OLY, President of the Organizing Committee of the National Summer Games 2030, anne-sophie.thilo@ekkut.com, 079 771 87 23
Irene Nanculaf, Media Officer at Special Olympics Switzerland, nanculaf@specialolympics.ch, 079 401 71 48
François Armada, City Councilor responsible for Sport and Movement of the City of Yverdon-les-Bains, francois.armada@yverdon-les-bains.ch, 024 423 62 86
