Players from all five national England Disability football squads will receive England caps - from a distinguished presentation party of England Head Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson and Rt Hon Richard Caborn MP, Minister for Sport - for representing their country over the past year in World and European tournaments, with the England Learning Disability squad being reunited with the World Cup that they so spectacularly won in Yokohama in 2002.
England Head Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said: "I am looking forward to meeting all the players and to congratulate them on their achievements. Representing your country is a tremendous honour, and these players have proved that a disability should not be a barrier to playing football at the highest level."

The ceremony is the brainchild of Jeff Davis, FA National Disability Manager and was first staged last year; a watershed for The FA in recognising the quality, skill and commitment of the footballers representing England's national disability football teams.

When The Football Association and the National Game Division launched its five-year FA Football Development Strategy in 2001, five key objectives were set out for Disability Football, with the overall aim of becoming the world's leading governing body in the development of Disability Football by 2006. These objectives were:

· To increase playing opportunities
· Improve the quality of coaching
· Establish a competitive structure
· Create performance pathways to excellence
· Raise the profile of football for disabled football

Steve Parkin, FA National Game Director who oversees the investment of over £30million per year of The FA's funds into grassroots football, will announce tomorrow that The FA's commitment to achieving the above objectives have just moved a step closer. For the time in its history, The FA will be investing over £1/2million over the next three years into Disability football in England, which will not only continue to support the elite national squads, but develop a grassroots infrastructure that will create pan-disability coaching centres around the country.

"The FA recognised when writing its five-year Football Development Strategy in 2001 the need to offer support to specific priority groups to gain better access to the national game, and provide 'opportunities for all' said Parkin."

"By committing this investment over the next three years, The FA hopes to raise the levels of football participation amongst disabled people who may have previously felt excluded, and enable them to reach their potential either through playing, officiating, coaching or administering."

The creation of regional disability centres across the country and the future organisation of regional football tournaments will also begin to provide a structured player pathway for the managers of the five national England squads.

Disability grassroots football coaching in England is also set to receive a major boost with the creation of hundreds more specially trained Disability football coaches. The grassroots initiative funded by FA community partner McDonald's will see the number of Disability football coaches increase by 100% over the next four years.

The company's major ambition through its partnership with The FA is to create 8,000 new football coaches in schools and communities over the next four years. Sir Geoff Hurst, McDonald's director of football, said:

"McDonald's is making a commitment with The FA to double the number of qualified disabled football coaches. The result will be thousands more hours of coaching for disabled youngsters all over the country. Let's hope some of the youngsters coached through the new scheme can go on to enjoy the fantastic success the England Learning Disability squad enjoyed in the World Cup 2002."

Two years ago, Sport England conducted the first English survey of young disabled people's participation in, and attitudes towards sport, and found that sporting participation rates for disabled young people were much lower than for young people in general.

The Rt Hon Richard Caborn MP, Minister for Sport will be a member of the caps-giving presentation party, and is keen to get behind The FA's Disability football initiatives:

"I am delighted to show my support for the Football Association's Disability Awards - Every player who has gained a cap has achieved an enormous amount in overcoming their disability to play football at the highest level.

"It is the Government's aim to ensure that both the disabled and able-bodied have every opportunity to play their chosen sport."

For The FA, the commitment to developing our national game and using football as a powerful tool for social change continues.

Alex Stone

If you would like more details on how you can get involved in Disability Football, please contact: Jeff.Davis@TheFA.com  or contact Rachael Kerry on 0207 7454596.