Last month the Inter Miami CF Special Olympics Unified Team closed out their 2025 season with a special private viewing of an Inter Miami CF First Team practice at the Florida Blue Training Facility. This opportunity came in celebration of another successful season displayed by the team that saw the program soar to new heights.
The Special Olympics Unified Team watched as some of their favorite players prepared for their upcoming MLS match. After practice concluded, they even had the chance to spend time with Inter Miami’s First Team players, taking pictures with the squad and creating a memorable moment for all.
With this private viewing the Inter Miami Special Olympics Unified Team had a spectacular end to their season, but let's not forget the moments on the pitch that really made these athletes shine.
Regular Season Highlights
The Inter Miami CF Special Olympics Unified Team kicked off their season preparing for their first match on the road against CF Montréal on July 5. With a stellar performance by Inter Miami, the team ended the match with an astounding 5-3 win over Montréal. Inter Miami’s Special Olympics team took control of the pitch, maintaining 56.9% of possession throughout the match, with 15 shots on goal and 7 noteworthy saves by Inter Miami CF goalkeepers Ivan Cadavid and Patrick Hicks.
The team’s second match of the season was held back on the team’s home soil of Fort Lauderdale on August 16 where the team took on LA Galaxy’s Special Olympics team for the first time ever. The match was well fought by both sides, resulting in a 2-2 tie at the final whistle.
It was at this match that Inter Miami CF also earned the esteemed honor of being named Sports Organization of the Year by Special Olympics Florida, an award that was presented to the Club during the pre-match ceremony. The award recognizes the sports organization that has gone above and beyond in making contributions to the mission of Special Olympics Florida and demonstrated a commitment to improving the lives of Special Olympics athletes and all people with intellectual disabilities.
Genuine Cup
Between regular season matches, the Inter Miami CF Special Olympics Unified Team also traveled to Houston, Texas on July 29 where they were welcomed back for another year of competition at the Genuine Cup, a global tournament for athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
This year, the tournament brought together a total of 38 teams spanning across 23 countries and 4 continents, with athletes representing Spain, Portugal, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom and United States.
The Inter Miami Special Olympics Unified Team was placed in the HEB Division where they faced Rangers FC, AJAX, Club Brugge and Club Querétaro. Inter Miami came out on top with a 4-1 record, placing Gold in the division with the team’s 3-1 win in the Championship match against Rangers FC.
MLS Special Olympics Unified All-Star Game
In July, Inter Miami’s very own Special Olympics Unified Team athlete, Darian Sierra and Unified Partner, Emeric Leon were called up to represent the Club at the 2025 MLS All-Star Week in Austin, Texas.
Darian and Emeric played for the East All-Stars in the MLS Special Olympics Unified All-Star Game. Both had memorable performances in the match, with Emeric as one of the team’s starting players and Darian assisting the second goal for the East side. At final whistle, both teams were evenly matched, netting out with a 4-4 tie.
Congratulations to all Inter Miami CF Special Olympics Unified Team athletes on an amazing season! Now, onto the next!
