NZ Football

Paralympics NZ - Football 7-a-side, Football 5-a-side

Football 7-a-side is very similar to football, but has seven players on a field at a time rather than eleven, a smaller field, no off-side rules and throw-ins may be made with one hand. Players have either cerebral palsy or an acquired brain injury, with classifications governed by the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CP-ISRA). It first became a Paralympic sport in 1984 for male competitors only.  

Football 5-a-side is open to athletes with a visual impairment. The 50 minute game made its Paralympic debut in 2004 at the Athens Games. The rules are similar to football, but the ball makes noise when it moves and the players, aside from the goalkeeper, use eye shades to ensure fairness. The goalkeeper may be sighted and act as a guide during the game.