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Football Fans: Have you heard of CAFE?
If you’re a disabled football supporter and you attend football games at stadiums you may be interested to know about the Centre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFE).
CAFE’s mission is to ensure there is ‘total access’ to sporting events to act as a catalyst for disability inclusion in society. According to CAFE, 50% of disabled people in Europe have never attended a live public or sporting event and they work to change this.
CAFE partner’s with organisations across live sport, from smaller leagues through to national associations and international bodies, supporting them to put access, opportunity and experience for all disabled people at the centre of what they do.
The organisation explores every element of the match day experience from all accessibility angles, from making the ticketing system accessible to learning and intellectually disabled fans to providing audio-descriptive commentary for blind and partially sighted fans.
They also support the creation of disabled supporter associations that work to make inclusive change in local clubs, national leagues, and global tournaments.
International blueprint for inclusive and accessible stadiums
CAFE has worked with UEFA to create the Access for All Guide. This is a guide that stadium management teams can use to create accessible stadium and matchday experiences. The guide was driven by evidence-based research and user-led feedback.
You can download the guide from the CAFE website.
Read the Access for All GuideDisability Access Officers
UEFA commissioned CAFE to implement the Disability Access Officer (DAO) role across its 55 member states, including providing training sessions and establishing a network of DAOs to share best practice examples. They have created a handbook for sporting organisations to reference when creating the role of DAO.
The DAO Handbook outlines a number of the key responsibilities that a DAO should undertake in order to improve access and inclusion at their club. It provides useful tips and case study examples of existing DAOs from across the UEFA region, which illustrate the scope of the role and the potential impact it can have in ensuring an equal game.
Learn more about Disability Access OfficersUnique Football Opportunities
If you’re a football super-fan and you want to get involved in the game then keep an eye on the opportunities that CAFE offer. This month is the Women’s EURO 2022 competition and CAFE has given disabled fans the opportunity to be accessibility monitors at the matches where they can help to improve the matchday experiences.
Keep up-to-date with CAFE Opportunities