Disability Football 7-a-side

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2009/02/20 - Updated: 2020/05/22
Topic: Disability Football Information - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: Disability Football 7-a-side is an adaption of association football for athletes with cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders. 7-a-side Football was added to the Summer Paralympic Games at the 1984 Summer Paralympics in New York, and has been played at every Summer Games since.

Introduction

Football 7-a-side is an adaption of association football for athletes with cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders, including stroke and traumatic brain injury.

Main Item

The sport is governed by the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CP-ISRA). The sport is played with modified FIFA rules.

The most well known organizations of seven-a-side football are International Football Association 7, IFA7 and the Federation International of Football 7, FIF7.

Among the modifications are a reduced field of play, a reduction in the number of players, elimination of the offside rule, and permission for one-handed throw-ins.

Matches consist of two thirty-minute halves, with a fifteen-minute half-time break.

Continued below image.
Seven-a-side pitch markings. The pitch of seven-a-side football is bigger than the five-a-side football, ranging from 50-65 yards in length and 25-50 yards in width respectively. Dimensions and shape of penalty area may differ for other variants.
Seven-a-side pitch markings. The pitch of seven-a-side football is bigger than the five-a-side football, ranging from 50-65 yards in length and 25-50 yards in width respectively. Dimensions and shape of penalty area may differ for other variants.
Continued...

Players competing in Football 7-a-side are given a sport class based on their level of disability. Eligible classes are:

Teams:

International competition in Football 7-a-side began at the 1978 CP-ISRA International Games in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The sport was added to the Summer Paralympic Games at the 1984 Summer Paralympics in New York, U.S., and has been played at every Summer Games since.

American comedian Josh Blue was member of the US team at the 2004 Summer Paralympics, and the 2007 ParaPanAmerican Games.

Author Credentials: Ian is an Australian-born writer, editor, and advocate who currently resides in Montreal, Canada. He is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.

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Citing and References

Founded in 2004, Disabled World (DW) is a leading resource on disabilities, assistive technologies, and accessibility, supporting the disability community. Learn more on our About Us page.

Cite This Page: Disabled World. (2009, February 20 - Last revised: 2020, May 22). Disability Football 7-a-side. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved May 12, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/sports/football/7-a-side.php

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