Football

Disability football in England is growing fast and it works because of the people who show up. Whether you want to play, coach, volunteer, or simply support a session in your community, there is a place for you in the game. This page brings together the key resources and organisations across the disability football landscape in the UK.

Volunteering in Disability Football

You don’t need coaching experience or football knowledge to volunteer. The FA has a wide range of roles to suit different needs and abilities, including coaching, refereeing, welfare, administration, and leadership, both on and off the pitch. Disabled people are actively encouraged to get involved.

Register your interest in volunteering with The FA

• Disability Football Hub – The FA – the FA’s central resource covering volunteering, coaching, and player pathways
• How to Volunteer for Disability Football – Disability Horizons – our full guide to getting started, written in partnership with The FA

Find a Session Near You

Sessions run across England in a wide range of formats including pan-disability, blind football, powerchair, Deaf football, cerebral palsy football, frame football, and learning disability football. Use the tools below to find something local.

• Disability Football Club Finder – England Football – search by postcode for sessions near you
• Session Finder – Inclusive Football – a directory of inclusive football sessions run by clubs and community organisations
• Comets – Disability Football for Children (aged 5 to 11) – a safe, fun programme for disabled children at grassroots clubs

Key Organisations

These organisations run programmes, leagues, and development opportunities for disabled players and volunteers across the UK.

• The Football Association – national governing body for disability football in England
• Wheelchair Football Association – national body for powerchair and wheelchair football
• Special Olympics GB – Football – football for people with intellectual disabilities, regularly seeking volunteers
• Disability Sports Coach – community sessions and festivals, open to volunteer helpers

Training and Coaching

The FA provides free training for anyone wanting to get involved. You don’t need prior experience and most clubs will support you through the process.

• Introduction to Coaching Disabled Footballers – free 60-minute e-learning course, a good first step
• Disability Training for Clubs – free workshops and toolkit to help clubs open their doors to disabled players
• FA Safeguarding Courses – free safeguarding training, usually arranged by your club

Disability Football Stories from Disability Horizons

First-hand experiences, interviews, and practical guides about disability football from our community of writers and contributors.

• England blind footballer and entrepreneur Azeem Amir – we speak to Azeem about playing for England and founding his disability consultancy business
• Disability football: so much more than just a sport – how disability football supports physical and mental wellbeing
• Accessible football stadiums reviewed: part 1 – wheelchair user Nick Bishop rates accessibility at Wembley, Old Trafford, and more
• Cerebral palsy: how to get active and into football – a guide to cerebral palsy football programmes and how to get involved
• Could a wheelchair user be a football referee? – we speak to Nathan Mattick, the UK’s first wheelchair-using qualified football referee
• My power chair football story – a first-hand account of life as a powerchair footballer
• My life as a disabled football fanatic – the joys and frustrations of following football as a disabled fan