Accelerating accessibility in football

The event will present the latest version of the UEFA Accessibility Guidelines, which were published in September, before a panel discussion on how the guidelines and other UEFA resources can further the efforts of improving and guaranteeing accessibility activities. The panel will be moderated by Pedro Pinto, and will welcome the following panellists:

• Jo Becker, Accessibility Lead, Manchester City Football Club
• Rita Ferro Rodrigues, Disability Access Officer (DAO), Portuguese Football Federation
• Presilia Mpanu-Mpanu, Social and Environmental Sustainability Expert
• Michael Rice, Operations Manager, AccessibAll

The event will take place at 14:00 CET on 3 December 2024 and will be livestreamed on UEFA.com.

The power of collaboration

The event will highlight the vital role that our network of disability access officers plays in promoting accessibility in football, and the importance of using one common language and approach.

Best practice examples will be shared and discussed, including accessibility and inclusion projects implemented by the Portuguese Football Federation.

As part of the event, national association disability access officers will be invited to take part in a dedicated training session, aiming to provide them with further insights and concrete examples on how they can further develop accessibility in their contexts – whether that be within stadiums and facilities or across footballing and other activities.

UEFA’s commitment to accessibility

Guaranteeing barrier-free access for any individual wanting to play, attend events or work in football is one of the ambitions of our 2030 football sustainability strategy, ‘Strength Through Unity’. That ambition falls under our policy of football for all abilities, within which the accessibility of facilities and activities is fundamental.