Football

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.

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.

B1 Futsal

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.

Futsal Resumption

From the autumn of 2020, senior football training for B2/B3 Futsal should resume on a weekly basis in Dublin. It is also hoped to resume academy training in Dublin and regional venues. Regular training sessions for B1 football are also being organised in both Dublin and Cork.