Project Inspire is dedicated to improving the well-being and inclusivity of people with intellectual disabilities through sports. We provide opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities to compete in a year-long soccer league.

Project Inspire offers various programs and services tailored to our target community, focusing on the growth of opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities within an organized and competitive soccer league. Our primary program is the Inspire Soccer League, a national soccer league designed exclusively for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

The Inspire Soccer League is the first year-long national soccer league for athletes with intellectual disabilities. The league features teams representing various cities and regions across the United States, promoting diversity and inclusion in professional soccer.

For the 2025 season, the competition includes five regular-season fixtures, one playoff fixture, and a championship fixture. Each fixture comprises three matches played over a weekend. Teams are grouped into East Coast and West Coast divisions, with all teams initially in the same group. Points are awarded based on the outcome of each period within a match, and a FAIR PLAY competition is also included.

Matches are played in the Football-8 format with four periods of ten minutes each. The offside rule applies within a designated zone, and referees are flexible with throw-ins, free-kicks, goal-kicks, and corner-kicks to accommodate players’ abilities. Each team must field players of different levels, ensuring balanced competition.

Clubs must complete the registration annexes for their Inspire team in a timely manner. The Inspire Soccer League reviews all registration requests and issues the final list of eligible teams. Minor formal defects in applications can be corrected within a brief period.

Matches are played on fields with natural or artificial grass, meeting specific dimensions and marking requirements. Goals must be regulation size and securely fastened with appropriate nets.

Each match is divided into four periods of ten minutes each. Points are awarded based on the outcome of each period:

Winning a period earns 3 points.
Tying a period awards both teams 2 points.
Losing a period earns 1 point.

The score resets to 0-0 at the beginning of each period, ensuring that each period is crucial for the overall league standings. The team with the most points at the end of the season is declared the winner. Additionally, there is a FAIR PLAY competition where teams earn points based on their sportsmanship, with the top teams receiving a FAIR PLAY trophy.

Head coaches must have a USSF C License or higher, or equivalent qualifications, and must complete a SafeSport course and training on managing athletes with intellectual disabilities. The technical staff must have relevant academic training and basic first aid knowledge.

Athletes can enroll in the competition through their respective clubs. Clubs must complete the registration process for their athletes, including submitting the necessary documentation to prove eligibility, such as evidence of intellectual disability and a minimum soccer skill score. The Inspire Soccer League then reviews and approves these registrations to ensure all criteria are met.

The IASP involves a two-stage assessment to evaluate and classify athletes based on their soccer skills and intellectual abilities. Players are categorized into three levels, with teams required to field players from each level to ensure balanced competition.

- Players must have turned sixteen (16) years old on or before the date the call is issued for the phase in which they are to participate.

- Players must possess a minimum soccer skill score of 3 in Special Olympics Rating form or equivalent.

-Teams must register at least 15 players, with no restrictions on the number of foreign players.

- Players must provide proof of ONE of the following:

A) Significant impairment of intellectual function and limitations in adaptive behavior, defined as:

i) Full-scale IQ score of 75 or lower, AND
ii) Performance score at least two standard deviations below the mean on a standardized assessment of one or more of the following: conceptual, social, or practical skills.

OR

B) A formal diagnosis of Trisomy 21 or Translocation Down Syndrome.