Football

A football coach is speaking to players who are standing around him in a circle

Vision Sports Ireland is promoting football as part of the “Football for All” programme run by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI). Football under this programme is also called Futsal or five-a-side. There are opportunities for both the partially-sighted players (B2/B3) and for fully-blind (B1) players.

B1 Football

A B1 team plays on an artificial pitch outdoors with low-level boards forming walls along the side of the pitch. All players must wear block out goggles so that all are equally blind during play. Sighted assistants call instructions from behind the goals. The ball contains a number of ball bearings and therefore emits a sound as it moves about the pitch. In both cases, the teams play with a goalkeeper with good/normal eyesight.

B2/B3 Futsal

B2/3 footballers play indoors and there are minimal differences in the rules from those that apply to the standard game of Futsal. The key difference is that there is a minimum number of B2 players required to be on the pitch at any one time during the game. This game is played using a normal indoor Futsal ball – with high visibility being an option when available.

A group of young children wearing different coloured bibs are playing football on an outdoor pitch

Programme Information

There are currently the following programmes in place, however we are always recruiting new players both male and female. We plan to add more venues in 2023.

Junior Dublin VI/Blind Hub – Fortnightly training sessions from Saturday, 1st October at Inspire Fitness Cabra from 1-2pm.
Junior Galway VI/Blind Hub – Fortnightly training sessions from Saturday, 24th October at Mervue United from 3-4pm.
Junior Portlaoise VI/Blind Hub – Fortnightly training sessions from Sunday, 2nd October at Portlaoise AFC from 11.30-12.30pm.