One of my highlights of the year is the EE Disability FA Cup Weekend.
It is so much more than watching football - it's a celebration of resilience, passion, and at its heart, it shows the power of sport to unite communities.
It’s held annually at the end of June, at our very own St George’s Park, and you get to see some of the finest disabled footballers in the country.
The EE Disability FA Cup is the largest competition of its kind in England, providing a platform for six different formats of the game: amputee football, blind football, cerebral palsy football, deaf football, partially sighted football and Powerchair football.
Each match highlights the incredible skill, determination and teamwork of the athletes, challenging perceptions and demonstrating that disability is absolutely no barrier to elite-level performance.
The excitement starts as soon as you arrive at the venue. There is a warm welcome from a multitude of smiling volunteers, who are colleagues, friends and family of the FA.
The RAF’s presence throughout the day, especially at the medal ceremonies, creates a similar sense of grandeur to the Adobe Women’s and Emirates Men’s FA Cup.
The events take place at various pitches around St George’s Park and when you arrive for the start of each game, the atmosphere is electric. Supporters, families, and football enthusiasts fill the stands, cheering on their teams with the same passion seen in mainstream competitions, and often, even more so.
One of the standout aspects of the weekend is the visibility it gives to disabled athletes. Broadcast live on TNT Sport and supported by initiatives from the FA and various disability sport organisations, the tournament plays a crucial role in increasing awareness and encouraging greater participation at grassroots level.
I had the privilege this year of presenting the winners’ medals to Cerebral Palsy North West (CPNW) who emerged 4-2 winners over Chelsea FC Foundation. Such an exciting game that saw Chelsea Foundation take an early lead but then a resilient CPNW pushed back in the second half for the win. I also got a chance to meet the match officials of that match, reminding me of their crucial role in the game – and the specialist knowledge that is required to officiate these matches.
Beyond the football, the Disability FA Cup weekend offers a fabulous opportunity for me to meet players, learn about inclusive coaching, and discover ways to get involved—whether as a player, coach, match official, volunteer, or supporter.
And for those of us who learn by doing – the weekend is a fabulous opportunity to participate in the experience zone – where attendees get the opportunity to experience these forms of para football for themselves.
I can tell you from personal experience how easy Powerchair or blind football might look from the stand, but how challenging it is to master the controls of a complicated machine, whilst having a game plan in your head for where you want that ball to go or blind football to rely on your hearing, co-ordinations and teammates' communication to complete any move without your sight.
It gave me such respect for players like Jon Balding who captained the winning team - Aspire - and Chris Gordon who captained the runners up West Bromwich Albion. Both represent England at the elite level for Powerchair football.
The whole event is masterminded by the FA Disability team, and I give a particular call out and thanks to Cath Gilby , who leads that team and to Phil Heap and Wendy Booth who plan, organise, resource and deliver on the day, masterminding every tiny detail.
It’s a mammoth effort which they all handle with hard work, dedication and such talent. They are both incredible role models for the FA and on behalf of us all in the football family we owe them a huge debt of gratitude for the effort they put in. Similarly, Colin Chaytors, Chair of the FA’s Disability Committee.
Leaving the event, I am always left with a sense of admiration for the athletes and hope for a future where football is truly for everyone.
The Disability FA Cup isn’t just about competition—it's about celebrating what’s possible when barriers are broken and everyone is given a chance to shine. I promise you for regular fans and newcomers it provides an inspiring and unforgettable experience. Make it a date in your diary for next year.
