Disabled player

Powerchair Football Rules

Powerball football is a special and unique sport that provides chances or opportunities for individuals with high impairment levels to enjoy playing soccer. The sport only allows active team participation in the competitions for individuals using a powered wheelchair. It’s the best soccer game you can enjoy when having any disability. Nevertheless, it’ll be wise to understand the rules of this game to enjoy your gaming or playing time. Read through this article to get an insight into all the powerchair football rules.

Do you have to be disabled to play wheelchair football?

Power chair football is an existing and unique sport providing individuals with high levels of impairment chances to enjoy soccer. The wheelchair football league rules only allow individuals to use a wheelchair for mobility. Thus, you’ll only play wheel chair football when you have a limitation or impairment.

What are the rules of wheelchair football?

The power wheelchair football authorities have various rules for a football player in wheelchair to adhere to. The most specific rules are the game allows only one from each team three meters within the ball and only two players to defend the ball in the goal area. When gaming, the rules stipulate that you use the wheelchair guard to block or kick the ball.

Is wheelchair football a sport?

Powerchair football is one of the most exciting and fast-paced sports for athletes with different disabilities and limitations. The game involves following the appropriate rules to play soccer on a court using a power wheelchair. The wheelchair football association is also pushing for a Powerchair football league.

Can you Play NFL in a wheelchair?

Many individuals think that disabilities or moving limitations can hinder you from participating in soccer games. You can play these games but in a powered wheelchair. Furthermore, the football association has pushed for a wheelchair football league, allowing individuals with disabilities to play NFL in a wheelchair.

Can you play football with a disability?

Having a disability can’t hinder you from playing football. Powerchair soccer is a unique and fast-paced sport that allows you to enjoy playing power wheelchair soccer in a powered wheelchair. Remember, you can only participate and enjoy this game using electric or powered wheelchairs.

Who Can Play Wheelchair Football?

It’s a unique and enjoyable sport for individuals with various limited movements or using a powered wheelchair. The unique nature of this sport is that the powerchair football rules allow individuals with different disabilities, ages, or gender to participate in this competitive sport. Nevertheless, the sport limits those eligible to play in the sport to only individuals using an electric wheelchair for mobility. 

The wheelchair football association (TheWFA) will only allow you to participate in sporting activities when having the following conditions: spinal cord injury, stroke, muscular dystrophy, quadriplegia, cerebral palsy, or multiple sclerosis. Before qualifying for the sport, you have to pass the bench test, which the authorities use to check the athletes’ muscle strength, movements, and operations on the powerchair.

After the bench test, the authorities classify the eligible athletes into two classes. The first one represents individuals with a high physical difficulty level that may affect their performance. When classifying the athlete in this group, the authorities consider reflex activity, head control, postural control, fine motor control, and driving skills.

football player in wheelchair football association league

Powerchair Football Rules 

You have to understand the wheelchair football rules to enjoy playing this game. This sporting activity has numerous rules resembling the usual football ones. However, the wheelchair football league provides additional distinct rules for the power football game. Below are the main powerchair football rules to understand before playing the game:

  • All plays participate in the game in wheelchairs
  • Players must ensure that the wheelchair has four or more wheels, a foot guard, and a lap belt
  • You can use the wheelchair’s foot guard to block or kicks the oversized soccer ball
  • The organizers will only count a goal when you enter the ball in the opponent’s goal post or area, and the team scoring the most goals will be the winner.
  • When playing, each team will have four players, including the goalkeeper
  • Wheelchair football has a 40-minute game time, with two- 20 minutes halves and a half-time break of 10 minutes.
power wheel chair football

This sport has various distinguishing rules during the playing time from the able-bodied soccer. These specific wheelchair soccer rules include:

● Two-on-one rules – it’s a rule that only allows one player from a different team to be within three meters from the ball on the playing court. Thus, the other teammates must spread through the field to allow a better game flow.

● 3-in-the-goal area rule- the wheelchair football rules only allow two players from the defending team to defend the ball in their goal area.

● Penalty rule – when you infarct any of the rules, the referee may award a penalty to the opponents. The referees can award a kick-in or free-kick to the teams, unlike the able-bodied football, where weé got throw-ins.

● The rules allow tackling as long as the tackles are within the playing attachment, as the rules prohibit contact with the different parts of the chair.

power wheelchair powerchair football rules and equipment

Wheelchair Soccer Equipment 

Soccer equipment is essential to enhance the gaming experience and win the match. When playing wheelchair football, it’ll be wise to consider various essential tools to alleviate your experience and enjoyment. Below is the key powerchair football equipment:

  • Have a powered wheelchair having four or more wheels, a foot guard, and a lap belt.
  • Playing courts, equivalent to a basketball court, measuring 20 * 13 meters
  • Goalposts measure eight meters wide and have two cones on the corners of your court to indicate the distance.
  • A soccer ball, approximately 33 cm or inches in circumference
power wheelchair powerchair soccer rules and equipment

Conclusion 

Wheelchair football is a fast-paced and unique sport allowing individuals with different limitations to play soccer on the power wheelchairs. However, you need to follow the powerchair football rules to enjoy your game. Before starting the game, it’ll be wise to master defending, scoring, kicking, and possession rules to enjoy playing this game with your opponents. Apart from the disability eligibility, it’d help if you mastered speed controlling, precisions acceleration, and wheelchair controlling skills to enjoy the gaming experience.