Blind football

There are several versions of football for visually impaired players. One is the B1 version of blind football, played with eyeshades, known internationally as five-a-side or blind football. A second version is what is known as partially sighted football, in which sight is not covered. Our own activities consist of inclusive football that accommodates every level of sight, from blind to fully sighted.

You can read more about five-a-side football played with eyeshades on our five-a-side football page. On that same page we also introduce all the roles the sport requires, including the sighted goal guides and goalkeepers, in line with the sport's fascinating special rules.

On this page we describe our principles for inclusive football, along with the training schedule. Come and enjoy the pleasure of football with us!

The football camp we ran in summer 2021 together with Old Power ry, IBSA and the Football Association of Finland focused on training with eyeshades. A photographer from the Finnish Paralympic Committee visited and interviewed both our coach Akseli and the participants. Watch the video below.

Training

In the summer months we run football training in Kaivoksela, Vantaa, accommodating every level of sight from sighted to blind. In training we get to know and practise both five-a-side football played with eyeshades and football played using sight. In the main, our sessions have been played without covering sight. Our training session is built on the principle that drills can be run for both sighted and eyeshaded football, according to what the participants are working towards. Both use a football containing bells. When playing, the rules are adapted so that they serve every player equally. Individual examples of the rules: as a player without the ball approaches the player with it, they must announce themselves using the vocal call familiar from five-a-side football, and physical contact is likewise forbidden.

Everyone is welcome to get to know our sports and play football with us, whatever their skill level and sight! We have equipment to lend to anyone who wants to try. Read the training schedule and other details below.