Age at the Youth Parapan Am Games: 14-20 years

Football 5-a-side is exclusively for blind and visually impaired athletes. Matches are usually played on an adapted futsal court, but since the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, they have also been disputed on artificial turf pitches. The goalkeepers are fully sighted and must not have competed in official Fifa tournaments for the last five years.

Boards are placed on the sidelines to stop the ball leaving the pitch. Each team is made up of five players – one goalkeeper and four outfield players. Unlike regular football stadiums, 5-a-side football matches are silent and played in venues with no echo. The match is split into two halves of 25 minutes with a 10-minute interval.

 

 

The ball has an internal rattle so players are able to locate it. Spectators are only permitted to make noise when a goal is scored. Players wear a blindfold and are penalised if it is touched. After five infractions, the player is sent off and may be substituted by another player. Each team also has a guide, positioned behind the opposing goal, who can shout instructions to his/her team. The guide instructs the players where to position themselves and where to kick the ball. The coach and goalkeeper are also allowed to give assistance.