Visit and Participate
The Abilympics Helsinki 2027 competition for people with special needs will take place at Messukeskus Helsinki (Messuaukio 1, Helsinki, Finland), from 10 to 13 May 2027. The competition will be held together with the Taitaja 2027 competition, creating the Skills Games mega-event.
We warmly welcome competitors, supporters, and international visitors from around the world to the Abilympics Helsinki 2027.
Information about participation in the competition, registration fees, registration schedule, and visa process can be found below.
Further details about visiting the competition will be available closer to the event.
For the public: The event is free of charge and open to all from 11 to 13 May.
Info sessions/Abilympics Helsinki 2027
We are hosting a series of international info sessions covering key updates on Abilympics Helsinki 2027 – including the latest on participation, event planning, and other important topics. The sessions will be held on Microsoft Teams.
We warmly encourage you to take part!
Please note that these are info sessions; cameras and microphones will be turned off for participants. No registration is required. All sessions will be recorded and made available on this website for later viewing.
All times are in Finnish time (EET/EEST). The webinar topics are preliminary and may change.
22 January 2026
13:00–14:00 (EET)
Topics:
- Welcome to Helsinki, introduction of the Abilympics Helsinki Team
- Skills, timeline and tasks, documents, and judge application
- Website and newsletter
- Participation, registration timeline, scholarship programme
- Brief hotel info
28 April 2026
13:00–14:00 (EEST)
Topics:
- Participation, registration, scholarship programme, hotels
- Judge nomination period
- New skills, documents, and discussion forum
- Communication
- Other relevant topics
27 August 2026
13:00–14:00 (EEST)
Preliminary topics:
- Technical description, layout, greetings from the Skill Managers
- Registration
- Other relevant topics
If you would like to receive the calendar invitation and webinar link by email, you can register using the link below. Registration is optional.
17 December 2026
13:00–14:00 (EET)
Preliminary topics:
- Test project and marking, judge training timetable
- Hotels and transportation info
- Other relevant topics
Webinar link will be added here.
24 March 2027
13:00–14:00 (EET)
Topics:
- Welcome to Finland
- Greetings from SCM’s and judges
- Hotels and transportation info
Webinar link will be added here.
Who can participate?
International Abilympics is a skills competition for professionals in need of special support. All Abilympics competitors must have a disability (mental or physical) to participate. This can mean any developmental, cognitive, psychological, physical, and/or sensory challenge that can affect an individual’s ability to function and interact in daily life. Competitors must be able to prove their need for special support in the registration by submitting a medical certificate. Competitors must be at least 15 years old or have completed compulsory schooling.
All countries/regions participating in the Abilympics must be members of the International Abilympic Federation (IAF). If a country/region wishes to take part in the Abilympics 2027 competition, it must apply for IAF membership for an organisation using the form below.
Each country/region is invited to send one delegation to the competition, and each delegation may enter up to two competitors per skill. Please note that for skills with more than 20 total participants, the number of competitors from each delegation will be limited.
Apart from competitors, the delegation normally consists of judges, competition officials, technical advisers, interpreters and at least one team leader. The country/region may also send observers to the competition. More detailed information will be added to this page later.
Competition time
At the Abilympics Helsinki 2027 competition, professionals with special needs compete in tasks requiring skills in their respective professions. The competition features 43 different skills.
In the competition, competitors complete a task or tasks that last up to six hours in total. The overall competition time is divided across 1–3 days, depending on the skill.
Registration fee
The registration fee is 480 € per participant. The fee covers the competition, snacks during the event, lunch, dinner, excursion and ceremonies, as well as transportation from the airport to the hotel and back.
Scholarship Programme
Delegations participating in International Abilympics Helsinki 2027 competition can apply for funding to participate and travel to Helsinki. If approved, the Scholarship Programme can cover 30-50 % of total costs (participation fees, flights and accommodation for the delegation). The delegation must be able to cover the rest of the costs themselves.
The application period for the Scholarship Programme ran from 2 March to 8 May 2026. All applicants will be contacted directly by 29 May 2026.
Judge nomination period
Organisations are invited to nominate qualified professionals as Judges for Abilympics Helsinki 2027 competition.
Nominations must be submitted by 31 August 2026.
Judges ensure fair, respectful, and confidential assessment in line with approved marking schemes. Nominees should have recognised professional expertise, and prior judging experience is considered a strong advantage. Each skill requires at least three Judges and one Chief Judge, with no country or region in the majority. Chief Judges lead judging teams and must have good English skills.
Contact the IAF Member organisation representing your country or region for more details.
Registration and Visa Process
Registration period for the competition is from 1 September to 31 October 2026. All necessary information regarding participants will be collected through the registration system managed by WSI. Instructions on how to register will be sent to IAF members before September 2026.
Please note that individuals cannot register for the competition themselves. Each country’s IAF member organisation selects the participants.
We will support delegations with the visa process. Schengen visas can be applied for up to six months before the event. Our goal is to send visa invitation letters in November 2026, based on registration data, to all delegations that require a visa to travel to Finland. We strongly recommend applying for the visa as early as possible.
Medical Certificate
All competitors must provide a medical certificate confirming their eligibility to participate in International Abilympics Helsinki 2027 competition. The certificate must be signed by a licensed healthcare professional. The completed certificate is uploaded to the registration system in image format during the registration in autumn 2026.
Certificates are stored securely with restricted access, handled in compliance with GDPR requirements, and are not shared with third parties.
Event venue
The Abilympics 2027 will take place at Messukeskus Helsinki.
Address: Messuaukio 1, 00520 Helsinki, Finland.
Further information about arriving at the event venue will be provided on this page in the coming months.
Contact person
