FIFA has launched the Disability Football Toolkit, a comprehensive guide to help associations, clubs and organisations around the world establish and expand opportunities for players with disabilities. The initiative is part of the governing body’s wider efforts to make football more inclusive and accessible.
The toolkit was developed under FIFA’s Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination department. It aims to provide practical steps for stakeholders to increase participation, share best practices and create sustainable programmes that welcome disabled players at every level of the game.
Why the Disability Football Toolkit is needed
An estimated 1.3 billion people, or about 16 per cent of the global population, live with some form of disability. Research consistently shows that disabled people are less likely to participate in sport than non-disabled people, often due to barriers such as lack of opportunities, limited awareness, inaccessible infrastructure and insufficiently adapted programmes.
Football, as the most popular sport worldwide, has both the reach and the responsibility to address these gaps. The new toolkit is designed to support this effort by offering knowledge, structure and a clear roadmap for action.
The Disability Football Toolkit structure
The document is divided into three main sections. The first focuses on understanding disability, setting out definitions and explaining the importance of recognising physical, sensory, intellectual and other forms of disability. This section highlights the barriers individuals may face and the principles needed to remove them.
The second section explores disability football itself, outlining the various disciplines, including blind football, cerebral palsy football, powerchair football, and deaf football. It describes how these formats are organised and adapted, providing examples of how they can be introduced in local contexts.
The final section offers a phased plan for implementation, designed to take place over 24 months. It is presented as a five-stage roadmap, guiding organisations from initial research to long-term sustainability.
The five phases
The roadmap begins with preparation and research in months one to three. This involves identifying existing initiatives, mapping resources and consulting with disabled people to understand needs and expectations.
The second phase, programme development, runs from months four to six. It covers designing initiatives, selecting football disciplines, securing partnerships, budgeting and training staff.
In months seven to twelve, organisations move to pilot programmes and testing. This stage allows for small-scale launches, monitoring of outcomes and refinement based on participant feedback.
The fourth phase, expansion, takes place in months 13 to 18. It focuses on scaling up successful pilots by reaching more players, introducing additional formats and integrating with mainstream football structures.
Finally, months 19 to 24 emphasise sustainability and growth. The focus here is on embedding disability football into long-term strategies, securing funding, retaining trained personnel and ensuring programmes continue beyond their initial launch.
Who is the toolkit for?
Although primarily targeted at FIFA’s 211 Member Associations, the toolkit is designed for wide use. It can be applied by regional confederations, grassroots clubs, coaches, volunteers, multi-sport disability organisations and players themselves.
The guidance ranges from broad strategic advice to specific practical measures, such as how to make facilities accessible or how to monitor participation effectively. It also encourages knowledge-sharing between countries by showcasing good practices that can be adapted to different settings.
Benefits beyond sport
The expected benefits of disability football extend beyond the playing field. Increased participation can improve physical health, reduce risks associated with inactivity and enhance mental wellbeing through social interaction and community belonging.
The programmes are also intended to promote inclusion and equality, challenging stereotypes and reducing stigma associated with disability. In addition, they can contribute to economic opportunities by creating demand for coaches, volunteers and accessible infrastructure.
Challenges identified
While the toolkit provides a structured pathway, FIFA recognises that significant challenges remain. Funding is a key issue, as are shortages of trained staff and the lack of accessible facilities. Attitudinal barriers and stigma around disability also continue to limit opportunities in many regions.
The guide addresses these issues by stressing the need for local adaptation and the direct involvement of disabled people in planning. It emphasises that programmes must reflect community realities, rather than relying on assumptions.
A roadmap for disability inclusion in football
The launch of the Disability Football Toolkit represents both a practical resource and a clear signal of FIFA’s commitment to inclusion. By offering a combination of knowledge, structure and phased planning, it seeks to ensure that disability football moves from isolated projects to sustainable, mainstream opportunities.
As football continues to expand globally, the new resource is intended to guarantee that people with disabilities are part of that growth. The message of the toolkit is straightforward: the game must be open to all, and the steps to achieve that are now clearly set out.
Check out and share the FIFA Disability Football Toolkit.
Meet some disabled footballers
In June 2025, we had the pleasure of speaking with five disabled footballers ahead of their upcoming appearances in the Disability FA Cup finals. Want to find out more about what it’s like to compete at the eighth level of disability football? Then check out these interviews:
- Everton’s Sina Saman Nejad Shares Journey Ahead Of Amputee Football Disability FA Cup Final
- John McDougall: A Partially Sighted Football Legend Aiming For More Success At The Disability FA Cup 2025
- Mo Ahmed: Blind Football Star Aiming For Treble Glory In The 2025 Disability FA Cup Final
- Luke Vosper: From Wheelchair User To Thriving CP Footballer Heading To The Disability FA Cup Final 2025
- Rosie Hodgson: Most Decorated Female In European Powerchair Football Heading To Another Disability FA Cup Final
Also, read our match report of the deaf football final: St John’s DFC Clinch Emphatic Victory In Disability FA Cup Deaf Football Final
UK disability football associations
If you’re based in the UK and want to find out more about joining a disability football club, check out these organisations and associations:
- England Amputee Football Association
- Partially Sighted Football League (PSFL)
- National Blind Football League Facebook page
- CP Sport
- Wheelchair Football Association website
- England Deaf Football
- The FA – Pan Disability Football
If you are a disabled footballer, we’d love to hear from you. What has your experience been in accessing disability football — whether through clubs, schools, or community programmes? Your insights can help highlight the progress being made, as well as the challenges that remain, in making the game truly inclusive. Let us know in the comments box, on social media or contact us to share your personal story.