Football

Football, beloved worldwide, finds its pulse among amputee athletes too! The England Amputee Football Association (EAFA) and the Football Association (FA) join forces to sculpt the game for amputees, those with congenital limb differences, and individuals with limited limb function.

At the grassroots level, the game's yours to mould—play with or without your prosthesis, dive into amputee-specific leagues, or join pan-disability teams. Should you opt for your prosthesis, ensure it's pre-approved for the thrill of the match. For detailed steps, reach out to your local County FA. The field is yours to conquer, whatever path you choose!

The EAFA provides amputees, people with congenital limb deficiencies, and those with limb-affecting disabilities with the opportunity to play football at grassroots and international levels. The EAFA aims to provide all amputees and people with limb-affecting disabilities with the opportunity to play football locally, nationally, and internationally.

The FA is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the amateur and professional game. The FA works with the EAFA and LimbPower to develop football opportunities for amputees, people with congenital limb deficiencies, and persons with restricted use of limbs

There are several playing options available for amputee footballers, including soccer, walking football, and crutch football. The rules for each of these options are as follows:

Amputee Specific
Amputee football is played on on a smaller-sized pitch (60x40) with 7 players on each team. The game is played without prosthetics, and players use metal forearm crutches to move around the field. Outfielders may have two hands but only one foot, while goalkeepers may have two legs but only one hand. The game is played without offside, and there are no slide tackles. The goalkeeper must remain in their penalty area, and the goalkeeper must not save the ball with their residual limb. To confirm with international criteria Outfield players must not touch the ball with their residual limb, and players must not strike the ball or any other player with their crutches. To get involved in amputee football, you can contact your local County FA or the England Amputee Football Association. They can provide you with more information on how to get started and where to find playing opportunities in your area.

Competitive – The EAFA oversees the England Amputee Football League that, for season 2018-19, has seen eight adult teams enter with fixtures taking place monthly at various central venue locations. There are currently 12 affiliated amputee football teams across England. Not all of these teams participate in the League, however, it is possible to still register for an EAFL team as fixtures are played at a central venue. Contact EAFA for further details.

Recreational – for those who are not ready for, or don’t fancy, the competition of a league there are a range of amputee-specific recreational opportunities across the country.

Pan-Disability
Competitive – 36 County Pan-Disability leagues cater for players with a range of different disabilities, with over 1000 teams taking part across the country for season 2018-19. Fixtures tend to take place monthly at various central venue locations.

Recreational – for those who don’t fancy the competition of a league there are hundreds of pan-disability recreational centres across the country that welcome amputee footballers.

The FA with The EAFA is working to establish more youth opportunities for players to engage them in the game at a much younger age and ensure they get a choice of what format to play.

For more information about opportunities in your local area please contact your local County FA or the England Amputee Football Association's Owen Coyle owen@theeafa.co.uk

Walking football:
Walking football is a slower-paced version of football that is played without running or jogging. The game is played with six players on each team, and the ball must stay below head height. There are no slide tackles, and the goalkeeper must remain in the penalty area. The game is played without offside, and players must not use their hands.

To get involved in walking football you can contact the Walking Football Association Ltd. They can provide you with more information on how to get started and where to find playing opportunities in your area. Alternatively, you can email: walkingfootball@ageuk.org.uk for more information on walking football.

Traditional Football:
Amputees can play regular football with friends, school and club. The use of prostheses is permitted within traditional mainstream football, but it must be approved in advance of your playing as there are rules about the wearing of a prosthesis if an amputee wants to play football with non-disabled people. https://find.englandfootball.com