Team SOCOM members huddle following an indoor rowing competition at the 2024 Department of Defense Warrior Games at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, June 25, 2024. The Warrior Games are designed to enhance the recovery journeys of wounded, ill, injured service members and veterans outside of traditional therapy settings, bringing the community together for recovery in real time. The 10-day event is composed of more than 200 wounded, ill and injured service members and veteran athletes competing in 11 adaptive sporting events June 21-30, 2024 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Monique Stober)
The 2027 Warrior Games (Website) will return to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista for the event’s third time at the resort and its 16th year overall. The announcement comes one year ahead of the competition, which will run August 7–14, 2027.
The Warrior Games bring together wounded, ill, and injured military personnel and veterans competing in several sports, while representing all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, including the Army, Marine Corps, Navy/Coast Guard, Air Force/Space Force and Special Operations Command. All sporting events are free and open to the public, with no ticket required for entry.
“The Warrior Games is more than an event — it is a powerful journey of healing, resilience, and connection for our competitors, staff, sponsors, and supporters,” said David Paschal, director of the Warrior Games, according to the official press release. “As we return to the Orlando area for the third time, we’re honored to partner once again with the Disney team, whose unwavering support and shared commitment to our mission have made them part of the Warrior Games family.”
“Having the Warrior Games return to Walt Disney World means a lot to us,” said Adam Ball, vice president of Disney Sports. “The athletes competing here are incredible examples of perseverance and strength, and the support they show one another is truly inspiring.”
Competitors will compete in 12 adaptive sports, including archery, cycling, field, indoor rowing, powerlifting, precision air sports, sitting volleyball, swimming, track, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby. Pickleball will join the lineup as a new official sport for 2027.
Legacy sponsors for the 2027 Games include Fisher House Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project and Under Armour.
“Behind every Warrior Games competitor is a family that has supported their journey,” said Ken Fisher, chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation. “One year from now, Fisher House Foundation will be proud to stand alongside these competitors and their loved ones who helped them reach this moment.”
Wounded Warrior Project CEO Walt Piatt added that the organization remains “continuously inspired” by the athletes’ resilience, while Under Armour’s Flynn Burch, director of Global Community Impact and UA Next, said the games showcase “the extraordinary resilience, discipline, and heart” of the nation’s wounded, ill, and injured service members.
More information, including the event schedule, volunteer opportunities, and team details, is available on the Warrior Games website linked above.
