Para Football (Soccer)

Introduction

Para-Association Football (Para-Soccer) is an adaptation of soccer for athletes with disabilities. The sport is divided into two main categories: five-a-side football (blind football) and seven-a-side football (Cerebral palsy football).

History of Para-Association Football (Para-Soccer)

At the Paralympics, only B1 athletes are eligible to compete in the five-a-side football and must wear eyeshades. Since 1996, blind football is governed by the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) and is played with modified FIFA rules. The sport was included at the Paralympic Games in 2004 and is played in every edition since then. Seven-a-side football was governed by the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CPISRA) from 1978 to 2014 and after that, it is now governed by the International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football. The sport was included at the Paralympics in 1984 and has been played in every edition since then.

Objective

To score more goals than the opponent team to win the game

Participants

Two teams compete against each other in Para-soccer. In five-a-side football, teams consist of five players each side including the goalkeeper and in seven-a-side football, seven players (including the goalkeeper) each side.

Equipment

Para-Football (Soccer) - Clothing

Uniform, other equipment, and protective gears used in Para-soccer are same as those used in the sport of Soccer.

Eyeshades

All the players of five-a-side football except the goalkeepers of both the teams must wear eyeshades to ensure fair competition.

​Ball in Five-a-side Football

The ball used in blind football is equipped with a noise-making device which allows players to locate it with its sound. 

Playing Area

Five-a-side football is played on a rectangular field measuring 40 m long and 20 m wide. The length of the field is covered by kickboards to prevent the football from going out of play and the penalty area is semi-circular in shape. While in seven-a-side football, the playing field is 75 m by 55 m. In five-a-side football, the ball makes a noise because of a sound system located inside it that help the players to play the ball.