The 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games were awarded to Los Angeles on September 15, 2011, beating a bid by South Africa.

Amongst other receptions held during a visit by the selection committee to Los Angeles, a group of Special Olympics athletes participating in the World Summer Games in Athens were honored between quarters at a Los Angeles Lakers basketball game that the committee were attending, resulting in an ovation from fans in attendance.

"[2][3] These Games were primarily held on the campuses of the University of Southern California and University of California, Los Angeles; USC hosted athletics (Cromwell Field and Loker Stadium), aquatics (Uytengsu Aquatics Center), and basketball (Galen Center) events, while UCLA hosted 5-a-side football (Intramural Fields) 11-a-side football (Drake Stadium and the North Athletic Field), badminton, gymnastics, judo, softball, tennis (Los Angeles Tennis Center) and volleyball (Pauley Pavilion).

[4][5] The use of USC and UCLA was based on their abilities to provide accommodations for the large number of athletes that participated in the Games, as well as their existing sports facilities.

Pussycat Dolls lead singer and Special Olympics ambassador Nicole Scherzinger sang the American national anthem.