Owen Woodrow is a 25-year-old disability footballer and PE teacher set to compete with Norwich City Community Sports Foundation FC in the cerebral palsy Disability FA Cup final against Chelsea FC Foundation.
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 cerebral palsy final, our editor Emma Purcell spoke to Owen about his introduction to disability football, Norwich City’s preparations for the decisive match against Chelsea and his passion to coach and teach inclusive sports.
Owen Woodrow on being introduced to cerebral palsy football
Owen was born with a form of cerebral palsy (CP), a neurological condition usually caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain at birth, which can result in limited mobility, balance problems and issues with coordination.
Describing the barriers he faces living with cerebral palsy, Owen said:
“I do face challenges and barriers living with cerebral palsy but I find ways to get around the problems that I’m faced with. It’s about patience, rethinking of a way that better suits my needs every time.”
Cerebral palsy football is a modified version of football for players with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injuries or stroke-related impairments. This format is designed for ambulant players with physical impairments, who are classified from FT1 (most significant impairment) to FT3 (least significant impairment) to ensure fair competition. Teams play 7-a-side under adapted FIFA rules, including no offside, 30-minute halves, and the option of roll-ins instead of throw-ins to support players with conditions such as hemiplegia.
Owen shared how he first started in cerebral palsy football:
“I was first introduced to disability football by a lad I went to school with who was visually impaired and who already played for the Community Sports Foundation’s pan-disability team. I was invited to come along and try it out. It is amazing to play alongside so many like-minded people that have the same or if not, a similar disability. We have the drive to succeed in the squad, and it brings a sense of accomplishment when I’m a part of the Cerebral Palsy team, as it’s so successful.”
Although Owen hasn’t completed internationally, he was in the England set-up from the age of 17 to 22, training in the England Emerging Talent and the U21s Squad.
Owen Woodrow’s journey to 2026 FA Cup success with the Norwich City CP team
Norwich City’s Cerebral Palsy football team compete in the CP National League, the highest national level of Cerebral Palsy Football.
The 2023/24 season was the team’s most successful campaign to date. The side won 12 games out of 14 and drew the other two. In addition, the side returned to the FA Disability Cup Final for the second year, turning around its fortunes from the previous year to take home the silverware in 2024
Looking back at Norwich City’s current season, Owen said:
“The 2025/26 season went really well for us up until the last couple games, we ended up finishing 4th place in the league.
Focusing ahead to the FA Cup final, Owen added: “Our preparations have been going great. The squad train every Tuesday as well as away from the main session in an individual setting. Some of us are doing extra training drills before our team training to sharpen us up as well. So overall, our preparations are going really well, I’m looking forward to what will be another great game.
“I am very confident that myself and the lads will win the EE Disability FA Cup. We have a strong squad with huge potential and experience, and we are all looking forward to the challenge.”
Owen Woodrow on football coaching and teaching inclusive sports
Away from CP football, coaching and teaching has been Owen’s line of work since he left school, including football coaching.
As a teacher, he says he “now covers a range of sports as I work in the PE department of my local disability school (The Clare School)”.
Owen also enjoys swimming, playing snooker and spending time with his family.
Read: An Award-Winning Grassroots Coach Shares The Benefits Of Volunteering In Disability Football
How to get into disability football
Disability football is open to players of all abilities and backgrounds, and you can take part in either a recreational or competitive level.
As well as the six impairment-specific football formats at the Disability FA Cup, there are also many other disability football formats you can get involved in, such as pan football for those with learning disabilities or mental health conditions, frame football for those who use walking frames, Down’s syndrome football and dwarfism football.
You can use the England Football find football tool to find inclusive clubs in your area. You can also check out Comets, a safe space for disabled children aged 5 to 11 to kickstart their football journey. There is also Just Play that offers a fun and relaxed way to play football for new, existing and returning players.
Advising on how to get into disability football, Owen said:
“My biggest piece of advice would be: give it a try, even if you’re unsure whether it’s for you. A lot of people worry that they won’t be good enough, fit enough, or that their disability might hold them back. The reality is that adapted sports are designed to be inclusive, and there are opportunities for people of all abilities, experience levels, and ages.”
Follow Owen Woodrow and Norwich City Cerebral Palsy on Instagram
Norwich City Community Sports Foundation FC and Chelsea Foundation will face off in the cerebral palsy Disability FA Cup final on Sunday 28th June 2026 at 10:15am 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 CP football, you can visit the CP Sport website and follow on Instagram.