The FA have announced an ambitious new four-year strategy for disability football in England, titled 'Football Without Limits', setting out plans to grow disability football participation by more than a third.

This follows the announcement of their new 2024-28 strategy, ‘Inspiring Positive Change Through Football’, to take English football forward, with a clear focus on the biggest opportunities and challenges which need to be addressed. It also links closely with the local goals set out in our new #MovingForward 2028 Strategy.

'Football Without Limits' marks an important milestone in The FA’s ongoing commitment to drive positive change in para and disability football. To realise this vision, they have developed a comprehensive long-term plan focused on seven key pillars:

* Disability Football Participation: Expanding access and opportunities for disabled people to participate in football.
* The FA Disability Cup: Maintaining the FA Disability Cup as the premier competition in impairment-specific formats.
* Para Team Pathway: Supporting players in transitioning to England Para teams with a positive experience.
* England Para Teams: Developing competitive England Para teams for international success.
* Coach Development: Establishing England Football Learning as the primary resource for coaches of disabled footballers.
* Marketing & Communications: Enhancing nationwide support and visibility for grassroots disability football.
* Partnerships: Securing funding to bolster disability football initiatives and support England Para teams in major tournaments.

One of the strategy’s key aims is to increase the number of players by more than a third across all disability football formats, reaching 28,300 registered disabled players by 2028. To help achieve this, The FA aim to provide further opportunities for disabled people to have access to local grassroots clubs tailored to their needs, including upscaling the new ‘Comets’ programme.

Comets is a new pan-disability programme by England Football for children aged 5-11 years old, providing a safe space for them to kick start their football journey. At present, there are around 150 registered Comets providers across England.

Pan-disability football is the most inclusive format of the sport, bringing together players with a wide variety of disabilities and health conditions. Comets introduces a fresh, adaptable and welcoming approach to the game, focusing on enjoyment, building friendships and simply having fun.

Find out more about how to get involved with inclusive grassroots football in Essex in the menus above. You can also interact with us on social media.