FAQ

Special Olympics World Games 2023 tickets are now on sale. You can find them at our ticketing page here.

We do not offer refunds on tickets sold. The Special Olympics World Games is a charity organisation and all money raised goes towards our athletes and our charity's aims.

If you have tickets for ceremonies, special events or all competition passes: no exchanges are possible.

Competition Day Passes: You may request to exchange your ticket to another competition day until 23:59 on 31 May 2023. After this date, no exchanges are possible. In order to do this, please follow these steps:

1. Purchase tickets to the new day. Make sure to purchase them under the same account.
2. Submit a request to our support team through your ticket log in or email visit@berlin2023.org confirming you would like an exchange.
3. We will confirm the new tickets and refund the older tickets.
4. Note the 1 euro per a ticket system fee will not be refunded.
5. Tickets must be of same or higher value than original booking.

Our standard policy is that lost tickets cannot be replaced. However, in some circumstances, as an act of goodwill, replacements can be arranged.

Please contact our support team through your ticket account or email visit@berlin2023.org confirming that you have lost your tickets and our team will be in touch to discuss your options.

You can buy a ticket to the Special Olympics World Games 2023 the following ways:

1. Purchase online at www.berlin2023.org/en/tickets
2. Call our Spectator hotline at +49 (0)30-629336084
3. Purchase at the entrance to the venue (please note these points will accept card only)

Yes! If not sold out, every venue will have a ticket and information point at the entrance where you can buy your ticket. Please note only card payment is possible at the venue. We recommend you buy in advance so you are not disappointed and can receive important information pre-event.

Yes. If you are unable to attend, you're welcome to transfer your ticket to a friend or family member. Please see our Terms and Conditions for restrictions around commercial selling.

To transfer your ticket, you must change the personalisation of the ticket, to do so, open the download link to your ticket and select 'change personalisation'.

In the case of a concession ticket transfer, the person receiving the ticket must also qualify for a concession ticket. There is no ability to 'upgrade' the ticket and pay the price difference to become a standard ticket.

The individual must have their proof of concession available to show if requested when at the venue.

If your child is 2 years and under, they do not require a ticket, they may enter any event for free.

If attending the Opening Ceremony, if your child requires a seat, please purchase a Concession ticket. Children 2 years and under attending the Opening Ceremony without a ticket must be held in the adults lap.

Please note the Ceremonies will include loud music and bright lights.

Opening Ceremony: Tickets for wheelchair users can be purchased through our website or please call our team on +49 (0)30-629336084. When booking online for someone using a wheelchair and others, please select the additional seats in the block in front of the wheelchair seat to sit together.

Closing Ceremony: Tickets for wheelchair users can be purchased through our website or please call our team on +49 (0)30-629336084. The event is general admission and is largely wheelchair accessible. A viewing platform will be available.

Competitions: These events are general admission and no reservation of wheelchair seats is required. Please book a concession ticket. If you require a companion ticket, please email or call our team.

Our events are a mixture of indoor and outdoor events. In most instances, the event will continue regardless of wet weather. We recommend you check the weather forecast on the day of attending and dress appropriately.

If the weather is deemed too extreme and it is not safe to continue, a session may be rescheduled or cancelled. Announcements will be made on our app (to be released in coming months) and on our social media.

Yes! Your ticket permits you entry to every sport, from open to close. But remember that not all sports require a ticket, check the ticketing page on the website for more information. Each sport will also have different start and finish times, depending on the schedule. Detailed schedules will be released in the coming months.

No, your ticket is an overall day ticket that gives you access to our venues, but not to a specific sport or time. You can use the ticket to move across our sports and watch a little bit of everything. Access to a particular session will be on 'first arrived' allocation. If the capacity of a venue is reached, we will recommend you visit another venue close by or you can wait until seating becomes available.

If there is a particular session you wish to see, we recommend you arrive early to secure your seat.

Purchased tickets and Fans in the Stands tickets: Yes. Your ticket includes free public transport within Berlin zones A, B and C for the day of your ticket's validity. The ticket must be personalised with the travelling individual's name and must have the VBB logo on the ticket. You can present the ticket both physically and digitally.

Complimentary tickets: free tickets do not include free public transport. If in doubt, look for the VBB logo on your ticket. This does not include Fans in the Stands tickets.

No. You have the ability to download your ticket as a pdf or use Apple Wallet to store it. We recommend you do so before you arrive to the venue as we cannot guarantee phone reception at all venues for all providers.

Print@home tickets do not need to be printed, they can be shown digitally at the venue.

After purchasing your tickets, you will be required to personalise your ticket and then you can download it as a pdf. Once this is done, you can send this pdf to your friends or family to use.

Check the ticketing page for more information on whether a ticket is required. The free events for the Special Olympics World Games include:

- Special Olympics Festival
- Basketball 3x3
- Beach Volleyball
- Cycling
- Golf
- Kayaking
- Open Water Swimming
- Sailing

Nearly all sports are available to watch. However, due to venue restrictions, the Bowling sessions are not open to the general public.

Make sure you check the ticketing page to confirm if you require a ticket for each day.

The first schedule is available here.

Please note this is subject to changes. More detailed schedules will be published in the coming months.

Updated schedules will be published online, however notifications of any changes will not be communicated. It is the responsibility of the ticket holder to keep up to date with the latest schedule.

If you have purchased a ticket, they must be personalised with the name of the individual ticket holder before they can be downloaded/send by mail. This is allow the tickets to be used for public transport and to assist with Covid precautions.

Tickets do not need to be personalised immediately, you can log into your account at any time to do so. Names can also be changed if your plans change.

Competitions: No! You can simply show your accreditation at the gate to enter any sport as a spectator (pending capacity).

Opening Ceremony: Athletes and those in the parade do not require a ticket. All others sitting in the stands require a free ticket, which will be provided free of charge.

Closing Ceremony: You can show your accreditation at the gates to allow entry.

Special Olympics World Games will be following the regulations regarding public events set out by the Berlin Senate at the time of event.

The regulations can be found on the Berlin Senate website here. Currently no proof of vaccination will be required to gain admittance, but this is subject to change.

If the Berlin Senate updates it's Covid restrictions and you are unable to use your ticket due to being unvaccinated (without medical exemption), you are not eligible for a refund as the risk of policy change was explained to you at the point of purchase. You are welcome to pass your ticket on to a friend or family member.

For support with your tickets, please call our ticketing hotline +49 (0)30-629336084 . Or send a message to our support team via visit@berlin2023.org.

Tickets will be posted from 1 May 2023. If you have requested that your tickets were mailed to you by post and they are yet to arrive, please send us an email at visit@berlin2023.org and we'll be able to assist.

If your digital tickets are yet to arrive. Please check that your email address was correct and that the tickets are not in your spam folder. The tickets should also be available in your ticket account under "Orders". You can also contact our Support team through your ticket account or email visit@berlin2023.org.

Our venues are a mix of indoor and outdoor events. We will be following the guideance of the Berlin Senate at the time of the event and masks may be required.

 
No, there are no sports open to the public on Saturday 17 June 2023 (divisioning or competitions). Our doors will open from 18 June 2023 and you are warmly welcome to buy a ticket to join from that date.


This includes the 'All Compeition Pass' which is only valid from Sunday 18 June 2023

Competitions and Closing Ceremony: waterbottles are allowed onsite. The bottle must be 500ml or smaller. Glass bottles are not permitted. We reserve the right to inspect the contents of all bottles and request they be emptied if it is suspected to contain alcohol. Any bottles that do not fall within our conditions must be disposed of or left at our storage facilities.

Opening Ceremony: no plastic, glass or metal waterbottles are allowed onsite. Tetra packs with less than 250ml of liquid are accepted only.

Only foldable umbrellas are allowed. Straight umbrellas (non-collapsible) cannot be taken into the venue.

Competitions: Strollers and prams are permitted onsite at all competition venues. We reserve the right to inspect all carriages and bags at venue entry points. Dedicated storage points will be available at each venue. These locations will not be staffed and the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 take no responsibility for any loss, damage or theft.

Ceremonies: Strollers and prams will not be permitted on site at the venue.

No, we cannot allow solid furniture on site.

Yes. All our venues will have food and drink stalls available.

Competition: You may bring your own food and drink, on the provision that it is limited to one small portion for 1 individual's immediate consumption on site. Any food or beverage brought that is deemed to be larger than this will not be permitted and we will ask you to leave it with our Storage team or dispose of it. Food and beverage kiosks will be available at every venue.

Ceremonies: Food from outside sources is forbidden. Exemptions will be made in the instance where the food is required for medical reasons.

Please refer to our Terms and Conditions available on here.

Yes.

Competitions: With your ticket you can visit as many different venues and sports as you would like in one day. Your ticket will provide you entry to all spaces.

Ceremonies: You are able to leave and re-enter the venue. However you must be sure to scan out your ticket before leaving the venue to ensure re-entry. If you do not scan out, we cannot permit you to re-enter.

We love to receive feedback both positive and constructive. To leave feedback, you can contact us at visit@berlin2023.org or you can visit one of our Info Points and the team will be happy to listen and to assist.

Children under the age of 14 shall be admitted if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Children over 14 years of age who are not accompanied by a parent or legal guardian may be required to present an appropriate official ID to prove their identity.

If your child is 2 years and under they do not require a ticket. If attending the Opening Ceremony and your child is under 2 they must not occupy a seat. If they require a seat you must buy a ticket for them.

Yes. We have storage facilities available onsite at all venues. Facilities are free of charge for all competitions and the Closing Ceremony. For the Opening Ceremony, the storage service costs 2€ per item. You can pay by cash, giro/debit card, credit card, and ApplePay and GooglePay. SOWG 2023 takes no responsibility for any loss, damage or theft that may occur while using these services.

The first schedule (all subject to change) is available here.

Our Spectator Support hotline is open Monday - Friday 10am - 5pm.

Yes, all venues will have First Aid services available.

Yes! We encourage you to bring your own posters and banners to cheer on our athletes. If your poster is large, we'll work with you to make sure it does not impact other spectators.

Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023 maintains a smoke- and tobacco-free space. No smoking or other use of tobacco products (including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes or vaping devices, pipes, cigars, snuff, or chewing tobacco) is permitted in any part of the all Venues (Competition and non-Competition Venues) or in vehicles owned parking at Venue.

All our venues are accessible by wheelchair and wheelchair viewing platforms are provided where possible. More information about each venue will be available on the website shortly.

Yes. Most venues will have wheelchairs available for free loan during the event. Numbers are limited so it's recommended that you reserve in advance.

To reserve a chair, please email visit@berlin2023.org and state the date, venue and time you would like to reserve a wheelchair.

Yes. Companion tickets are free of charge and must be booked at the same time as booking the ticket for the individual being accompanied. The individual being accompanied must possess a Schwerbehindertenausweis (Disabled Person Card) with a B designation on the card (Begleitperson).

There are two ways of booking a Companion ticket:

1. Call +49 (0)30-629336084
2. Email visit@berlin2023.org

Please be in touch with our team to discuss, as some venues cannot accomodate large scooters.

Ceremonies: Allocated spaces exist for wheelchair users. Please note that all wheelchair seating for the Opening Ceremony is currently sold out. We cannot promise any major changes. Please contact us by phone +49 (0)30-629336084 or email visit@berlin2023.org for more information.
Competition: All seats across our venues are general admission and are not reserved. You do not need to contact our team, you are welcome to book a concession ticket and explore our program. All venues are wheelchair accessible.

We will be publishing further information about each venue's accessibility in the coming weeks. If you have a specific question, please email visit@berlin2023.org and we'll be able to assist you.

If you have a specific seating requirement, please be in touch with our team on +49 (0)30-629336084 or visit@berlin2023.org and we can assist.

Please note most of our venues are general admission and no reserved seating is possible, but our team will work with you to make your visit as comfortable as possible.

We offer several services during the games. We will be providing speech-to-text interpretation for the Opening Ceremony, as well as partnering with Mycrocast for audio description.
We are a partner with the Hidden Disability Sunflower and our staff and volunteers will recognize the Sunflower for any special needs that may arise. If you wish, you can check out a sensory backpack at the info points that contains sensory toys, wayfinding maps, and other tools. Please see our Accessibility page for a full overview.

We recommend you download our app, which will be launched close to the Games. There you will be able to find maps, timetables and information. With much of it in Easy English.

Sign language interpretation will be provided at the following events:

1. Opening Ceremony
2. Closing Ceremony
3. Special Olympics Festival (certain stage events only, program to be confirmed)
4. Athletics 5. Swimming The interpretation schedule can be found on our accessibility page.

For the following events, there will be audio description devices provided at certain sessions:
1. Opening Ceremony

2. Athletics

3. Swimming

4. Gymnastics-Artistic

5. Equestrian

6. Football

7. Basketball

8. Beach-Volleyball

9. Volleyball

10. Closing Ceremony

The audio description schedule can be found on ouraccessibility page. It is also possible to reserve a device in advance using the following online registration form. We recommend that you reserve a seat in Block A1 to ensure that the devices connect to the audio stream without interference.

Guide dogs and assistance animals are allowed at most venues as support for people with disabilities if they are required for medical purposes. Please visit the Venue/Sports section of our website for more information.

Should you be dependent on a walker, you can bring it with you. Once you have found your seat, your walker will be kept safe for the duration of the competition.

Fans in the Stands is our free group engagement and education program that brings groups of 10 or more people from around the world to experience the magic of the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023.

Groups can sign up from any organization or community group. You'll receive free tickets to one competition of your choice with opportunities for educational activities, cheering for the visiting athletes and their delegations, getting active and most of all: fun! Visit our page for more information.

Yes. This program is only for organizations. That includes:

1. Schools, Youth Groups and Universities
2. Sporting Clubs and Associations
3. Community groups (e.g. Workshops and other facilities for people with disabilities or church groups)
4. Corporates, Foundations
5. Embassies

The program is divided into two streams:
1. Schools
2. Organizations

Family or friend groups are not eligible to register as a fan team. If your group is not associated with an organization, please purchase tickets through our website. Group discounts are available for groups of 6 or more.

You can find our sign up forms here:

Sign up form for Schools & Organizations
Sign up form in Easy English

If your organization is struggling to find 10 people to be involved, please email us at fansinthestands@berlin2023.org. However, we might not be able to accommodate your group. You also have the opportunity to purchase discounted tickets. We offer group discounts, when you buy 6 or more tickets.

Every person you are bringing counts as a team member. May it be students, teachers, members of a club, their trainer, an accompanying person for people with disabilities, employees etc. - everyone, including the Team Captain, counts as a member. When registering, please count every person that is going to come and provide the total group number.

If your group size changes after your registration, please contact us via fansinthestands@berlin2023.org until 4 June 2023. We will adjust your group size and tickets accordingly, which will be sent to you at a later stage. Please be aware, we cannot guarantee additional availability if your team grows. We will have to check case by case, if we can accommodate more people than originally planned for capacity reasons.

Benefits include:

1. Free tickets to one competition of your choice
2. Free tickets for the public transport in Berlin on the day of your visit
3. Activity ideas in the lead up
4. Option to take part in our Non-Competitive Sports Offer
5. Educational resources to share with your team and help them become Inclusion Ambassadors

No, we do not provide accommodation for Fans in the Stands teams if they stay in Berlin overnight. It is your responsibility to ensure you have a place to stay during your visit.

You can visit the website of our partner "visitBerlin", to find accommodations and activities for your trip to Berlin.

No, you can just visit the Games for free once as a Fans in the Stands team.

However, you are welcome to purchase tickets in our ticket shop. We offer discounted group tickets for 6 - 10 people and you can purchase them multiple times, dependent on your group size. With those, you can watch a full day of competitions.
With our "All Competition Pass" you can visit all completions during the Games.

Registrations for the Fans in the Stands program close on 14 May 2023. After this date, it will not be possible to sign up to Fans in the Stands.

The Team Captain will be the main point of contact between us and your team.

• We'll work with you to put together your schedule
• We'll confirm your ticket requirements and issue your group ticket
• You'll arrange to lead the group to the venue
• We'll send you the access link to our learning platform, where you'll have access to interesting learning materials around the Special Olympics, our sports and our mission. It would be wonderful, if you could share these with your team members to help them become Inclusion Ambassadors and get excited for your visit
• You'll lead your team during the visit, acting as our point of contact on the ground.
  

Fans in the Stands is available for the following sports:
Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Basketball 3x3, Beach Volleyball, Bocce, Equestrian, Football, Futsal, Gymnastics - Artistic, Gymnastics - Rhythmic, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Kayaking, Open Water Swimming, Powerlifting, Roller Skating, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, and Volleyball.

NOT available for Fans in the Stands:
Bowling, Cycling, Golf, and Sailing. However, you can visit Cycling, Golf, and Sailing for free as a spectator.

Yes. You'll check in at the Fands in the Stands desk on arrival (near the information booth), where our team will brief you, answer any questions and make sure you have an amazing time onsite. For questions during your visit you can contact us or talk to our friendly volunteers.

You can email us at fansinthestands@berlin2023.org or call us on +49 (0)30-629336084 (Mon-Fri 10am - 5pm).

Yes. Every person that participates in Fans in the Stands will receive free public transport (zones A, B and C) on the day they attend. To use this, each individual's ticket must be personalized and they must carry it with them (digitally or physically) when on public transport.

Every Team Captain will receive all relevant information about the groups' day on site closer to the Games. You will arrive according to your booked time frame (morning - afternoon - evening) and check in either at a specific Fans in the Stands counter or at the general Info Point. Your tickets and group size will be checked, questions answered and if you wish, you can be accompanied to your seats. You can participate in several activities at your venue, such as the Non-Competitive Sports Offer (at Messe Berlin), and enjoy your time on site.

No, we do not provide meal packages for Fans in the Stands groups.

However, there will be food and drink stands available at every venue where you can purchase meals. You may bring your own food and drink, on the provision that it is limited to one small portion for 1 individual's immediate consumption onsite. Any food or beverage brought that is deemed to be larger than this will not be permitted and we will ask you to leave it with our team or dispose of it.

Each venue will have areas where you can sit and relax. But please, do not bring any big or prohibited items like chairs, picnic baskets or similar.

The Non-Competitive Sports Offer takes about 1.5 hours, if you want to participate in all stations. However, this is not a must. Everyone may attend as many stations as they wish.