Kiitan Bayo-Awonaike is a visually impaired footballer from Haywards Heath, West Sussex and has a condition called Oculocutaneous Albinism with Nystagmus. He plays partially cited football as a winger and pivot for Bolton Futsal Club, who will be competing in their first FA Cup final.
The EE Disability FA Cup Finals return to St. George’s Park on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th June 2026. Now in its 10th consecutive year, the weekend sees some of the best impairment-specific footballers in the country compete in six finals over two days, including amputee, partially sighted, blind, cerebral palsy, powerchair and deaf.
Ahead of the FA Cup final, our editor Emma Purcell got the opportunity to interview Kiitan about his love for partially sighted football, his achievements at Bolton Futsal and his hopes for the future of disability football.
Kiitan Bayo-Awonaike on discovering partially sighted football
Kiitan Bayo-Awonaike first experienced disability football at the age of eight when his parents took him to a pan-disability football summer camp run by Brighton & Hove Albion FC. However, his involvement remained limited as he found some sessions were not challenging enough, so he continued playing mainstream football throughout his childhood and teenage years.
As he got older, the increasing size of pitches and pace of the game made competing more difficult, affecting his confidence and enjoyment. Rather than give up the sport he loved, Kiitan explored alternative opportunities, discovered the England Para Football pathway, attended a talent identification day and progressed to the senior England Partially Sighted squad at the age of 16.
“That experience completely changed my relationship with football,” said Kiitan. “The England Para pathway not only allowed me to continue playing the sport I love, but it also showed me the power of disability football.”
He continued: “What I love most about disability football is that it creates opportunities rather than limitations. It provides an environment where athletes can compete on a level playing field, express themselves freely, and fulfil their potential without their disability becoming a barrier.”
“Beyond the football itself, it also creates a strong sense of belonging. Everyone involved understands the challenges that can come with living and competing with a disability, and that shared experience creates a unique community. Disability football has given me friendships, confidence, opportunities to represent my country, and a platform to inspire others. Most importantly, it ensured that my visual impairment did not define what I could achieve in the sport. That is why disability football means so much to me.”
Since joining the England Para Football pathway, Kiitan has trained with the England squad ever since and, although he is yet to be selected for a major tournament, he represented England in friendly matches against Catalunya and Turkey in July 2025. He continues to develop all aspects of his game with the aim of being selected for the 2027 World Cup.
Read: An Award-Winning Grassroots Coach Shares The Benefits Of Volunteering In Disability Football
Kiitan Bayo-Awonaike looking ahead to the FA Cup final with Bolton Futsal
Kiitan described the domestic season with Bolton as “incredible”. The club won the treble, which included the Open Cup, League Cup and winning the PSFL league title. He said that it has “filled us with great confidence and belief going into the final to hopefully cap off our season with a quadruple.”
He added: “From a personal note, the season for myself has been one of steady development. At the start, minutes weren’t great, and I left games with performances I was not proud of, but towards the middle and latter stages of the season, I really started to build in confidence and express myself through the free-flowing futsal I love to adopt.
“Key highlights entailed, my Hat-trick against London FC, whereby one of my goals involved me dribbling from deep in my own half to score a well taken goal, nutmegging the keeper in the process. My second highlight was scoring a fantastic winning goal against Birmingham futsal on the final day of the season, helping Bolton to be crowned as PSFL League Champions.
“Looking ahead to the FA Cup final, I continue to train hard on and off the pitch, whether that be in the gym, analysing futsal games, or training with the squad. I’m certainly excited as this being my first FA Cup final at 18 years old, and I aim to prepare well so that I can truly express myself and inspire the next generation of partially sighted futsal players.”
Commenting on their opponents, Birmingham Futsal, who are currently the holders of the partially sighted FA Cup trophy, Kiitan said:
“Obviously, credit must be given to our opponents, Birmingham, who have challenged us in many ways throughout the season, and so this will make for a thrilling final. However, Bolton will be ready. We are a young side with so much talent, and we have very much grown not only as a team but as a family over the course of the season.
“This was evident in our last two matches with Birmingham – one being the last game of the season, where our teamwork and communication as a unit enabled us to play fluid futsal that yielded goals. Secondly, in the League Cup final, we earned a convincing victory. Birmingham are a very experienced side, but I do believe we have got the passion and talent to show up on the day.”
Kiitan Bayo-Awonaike calls for greater disability football coverage
The Disability FA Cup finals are going to be broadcast on TNT Sports, as they have done the last few years. The fact that disability football only seems to be broadcast annually, Kiitan believes it deserves greater media coverage and wider recognition. He argues that increased visibility can help challenge misconceptions about disability sport and encourage more people to engage with the game.
Kiitan said: “For young people with disabilities, seeing athletes with similar challenges competing at a high level can be incredibly empowering. It provides role models, builds confidence, inspires ambition, and demonstrates that disability does not have to be a barrier to achieving great things.”
He added: “Broadcasting disability football gives wider audiences the opportunity to appreciate the skill, athleticism, and competitiveness of the game, while challenging misconceptions about disability sport.”
Kiitan continued: “It is not simply about generating revenue; it is about creating visibility, inspiring future generations, and enabling a more inclusive sporting culture.”
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Life beyond the pitch: coaching, career ambitions and faith
Away from football, Kiitan has ambitions to pursue a career in the legal profession and hopes to qualify as a solicitor. He is also interested in coaching and believes it could play a significant role in his future.
“The prospect of coaching futsal or football in the future is very exciting to me and certainly something I would strongly consider,” he said. “I think the dream would probably be to coach England’s partially sighted futsal team one day.”
He has already taken his first steps into coaching by launching his sixth form’s first futsal team, organising fixtures, leading training sessions and coordinating logistics. He hopes the leadership skills gained through the experience will help him provide opportunities for young disabled people in sport.
Away from the pitch, Kiitan enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking, baking and performing in theatre productions. As a Drama Scholar, he has appeared in productions including Madame Bovary, Les Misérables and The 39 Steps.
He continued: “Additionally, I enjoy keeping up to date with developments in both microeconomics and macroeconomics, as well as the political state of the country and world. Furthermore, I deeply enjoy philosophical debating competitions, where I can explore complex ethical and intellectual questions.”
His Christian faith is another important influence in his life. Kiitan said: “My faith has shaped who I am and has played a significant role in my journey. I truly believe that without God I would not be where I am today.”
Read: Mo Ahmed: Blind Football Star Aiming For Treble Glory In The 2025 Disability FA Cup Final
Living with a visual impairment and inspiring others to take part in partially sighted football
Kiitan explained that living with a visual impairment often requires additional planning and concentration, but he sees these experiences as opportunities for growth rather than limitations.
“I tend not to view them as barriers. I prefer to see them as challenges that require adaptation, problem-solving and resilience,” he said.
Kiitan explained that tasks such as studying, travelling independently and navigating unfamiliar environments often require extra planning, concentration and the use of assistive technology. However, he believes these experiences have helped him develop valuable life skills.
“It has taught me patience, organisation and perseverance,” he added.
He also highlighted the importance of challenging assumptions about disability, saying: “Part of my journey has been learning to advocate for myself and demonstrate that disability does not determine potential.”
Kiitan went on to provide some words of wisdom to other aspiring disability footballers:
“My advice would simply be: go for it. Disability sport offers so much more than just an opportunity to play. It provides an environment that understands and accommodates your needs, while also creating a strong sense of community. You’ll meet people who have faced similar challenges, shared similar experiences, and can support and guide you on your own journey.
“I think there is sometimes a misconception that disability sport is somehow ‘less than’ mainstream sport because it involves athletes with disabilities. I couldn’t disagree more. Disabled athletes are not less able, they are differently able. The skill, dedication, competitiveness, and passion found within disability sport deserve the same recognition and respect as any other level of sport.”
He continued: “One of the great things about disability sport is that there are opportunities for everyone. Whether you’re looking to play recreationally, build confidence, make friends, or compete at an elite level, there is a pathway that can accommodate your ambitions and abilities.
“Most importantly, don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. Take that first step. Be brave enough to put yourself out there. Mainstream sport doesn’t always recognise or accommodate the challenges that people with disabilities face, but disability sport creates spaces where those challenges are understood and where you can truly thrive.”
Kiitan concluded with: “Taking that step was one of the best decisions I ever made, and it could be the start of an incredible journey for you too.”
Follow Kiitan Bayo-Awonaike and Bolton Futsal on Instagram.
Bolton Futsal and Birmingham Futsal will face off in the partially sighted Disability FA Cup final on Saturday 27th June 2026 at 12:30pm, live from St. George’s Park and broadcast on TNT Sports.
TNT Sports will show every single minute of the action starting from 9.30am through to 5pm on TNT Sports 3 and streamed on HBO Max with accessible coverage of all six games. British Sign Language, with subtitles (TNT Sports 3 & HBO Max) and Enhanced Audio Description delivered by an expert based at St George’s Park (TNT Sports 5 & HBO Max) will be available for viewers.
Each game will also be made available later in the day for anyone to watch on the England Football YouTube channel.
To find out more about partially sighted football, you can visit the Partially Sighted Football League (PSFL) website and follow on Instagram.
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