DISABLED SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

The World Amputee Football Federation was formed at a World Congress in Brazil in 2005. Today, the Federation has more than 30 national associations from five continents. The games are typically 6v6 plus a goalkeeper. Players move around the field using standard crutches and are not allowed to use prosthetic limbs. The U.S. Amputee Soccer Association promotes and develops the sport from grassroots programming all the way to the U.S. Amputee Soccer Team which competes in international competition. The U.S. Amputee Soccer Team qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 2014 and fell in the Round of 16 in the 2022 World Cup in Istanbul, Turkey.

CP Soccer provides opportunity for athletes affected by Cerebral Palsy, traumatic brain injury or stroke to train and play from the grassroots level. The organization’s imprint has created a strong player pathway to the full U.S. Men’s and Women’s CP National Teams. CP Soccer’s mission is to provide access to athletes by creating a nationwide soccer league. Currently, they are hosting camps throughout the country along with in-person and virtual training sessions.

Power Soccer is the first competitive team sport that was developed specifically for power wheelchair users. Players use their wheelchairs to move around the court and move the ball when passing, to tackle another player and to score goals. The games are played indoors on regulation-size basketball courts, with a ball that is slightly larger than a regulation-sized soccer ball. Players who are power chair users could have a variety of conditions, including Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Arthrogryposis, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and Cerebral Palsy.

Deaf Soccer is an adaptation of soccer for athletes that have a hearing loss of at least 55DB in their “better ear.” Players can not wear any hearing devices or cochlear implants during competitions. All international competitions abide by FIFA’s 11v11 rules with the only exception that center officials use a flag (visual) instead of a whistle (audible). The USA Deaf Soccer Association’s ongoing vision is to create grassroot player pathways to the U.S Soccer Extended National Teams along with youth camps across the country.