The wheelchair rugby competition will be held from Thursday, August 29 to Monday, September 2 at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.

At the Paralympic Games, there is one mixed-team tournament for wheelchair rugby. Like standing rugby, this sport is full contact. 

Wheelchair rugby incorporates elements of basketball, rugby and handball. Players must carry the round ball, not oval, across the opponent's try line to score. The player in possession of the ball must dribble it once or pass it after 10 seconds. After taking possession of the ball, teams have 40 seconds to score a try.

Each player is assigned a point value, similar to wheelchair basketball, based on their abilities. A player with a low number (0.5) has the least physical abilities and the highest number (3.5) is reserved for athletes with the most. The total on-court value for a team must not exceed 8 points.

The wheelchair rugby competition will be held within the host city, steps away from the Eiffel Tower, inside the Champ de Mars Arena. This temporary structure was set up on the Champ de Mars in 2021 for use as a venue for art, fashion and sports while Paris' iconic Grand Palais undergoes renovations.

Paris 2024

Open 8-team tournament (mixed)

Sarah Adam will be the first American woman to ever compete in wheelchair rugby at the Paralympics. The sport has been a mixed event since its Paralympic debut in 2000. The 33-year-old Naperville, Illinois native described her style of play as “cerebral” by using her mind and strategy to keep up with the physical abilities of male players. 

“If I can have even a little bit of a part in opening doors for females to join the sport, then I am happy to do that and I’m excited to have the opportunity," Adams said.

Chuck Aoki will be the first American wheelchair rugby athlete to play in four Paralympic Games (2012, 2016, 2020, 2024). Aoki, 33, will also be one of the captains of the team alongside Eric Newby.