Cambridge City FC Pioneers UK Women’s Amputee Football

A groundbreaking weekend for women’s sport is underway in Sawston as Cambridge City FC’s Women’s Amputee Team prepares to face Poland in what is being described as the first all-women amputee football matches of their kind in the UK.

Football is more than a game. It is about teamwork, determination, friendship and the opportunity to belong. This weekend, those values will take centre stage as Cambridge City FC’s newly formed Women’s Amputee Team prepares to make history.

The team, established just months ago, will take on Poland’s national women’s amputee football side in two matches at Cambridge City FC’s FWD-IP Community Stadium in Sawston on Saturday and Sunday.

The fixtures represent an important milestone for disability sport in Britain, offering a platform for talented female athletes and helping to raise the profile of a sport that deserves greater recognition.

A New Chapter for Women’s Amputee Football

Despite the growth of women’s football, opportunities for female amputee players in the UK remain limited. There are currently no dedicated women’s amputee football leagues in the country, meaning training and matches are generally played in mixed teams.

Cambridge City FC’s initiative is helping to change that picture by creating a dedicated environment where women can develop their skills, compete together and inspire others to get involved.

The team’s journey began with a taster session for aspiring amputee footballers, followed by its inaugural women’s training session in May. Former members of the Amputee Lionesses attended, helping to encourage newcomers and build momentum.

In only around 10 months, the club has progressed from the initial idea to organising an international fixture against one of the sport’s established teams.

For the players, this weekend is not simply about the final score. It is an opportunity to demonstrate what can be achieved when ambition is matched by commitment and support.

Facing a Formidable Opponent

Leading the Cambridge side is 29-year-old captain Izzy Papandronicou, a former Amputee Lioness who is relishing the opportunity to lead her teammates onto the pitch.

Poland will provide a significant test. The national team finished third at the 2024 Women’s Amputee Football World Cup, making them a formidable opponent for a relatively new squad.

However, Papandronicou believes her team can rise to the challenge.

Rather than being intimidated by Poland’s achievements, the Cambridge players see the fixtures as an opportunity to test themselves, gain experience and show how far they have progressed.

The sport itself has some distinctive rules. Matches are played seven-a-side rather than the traditional 11-a-side format, and there is no offside rule. Players also use crutches as an extension of their hands, meaning contact between a crutch and the ball can be treated as handball.

These differences demand skill, balance, coordination and tactical awareness, making amputee football an exciting and competitive sport in its own right.

Friendship Beyond the Football Pitch

For midfielder and player Shelbee Clarke, 31, football has always been a major part of life. Finding other women amputees who share that passion has created connections that go far beyond the game.

Clarke describes the bond between her teammates as exceptionally strong, highlighting the friendships that have developed through training and a shared determination to succeed.

That sense of community is one of the most powerful aspects of the team’s story. Sport can bring people together, create a sense of belonging and provide opportunities to meet others with similar experiences.

For the players, stepping onto the pitch together is a celebration of their collective journey. The upcoming matches are a chance to show what they can achieve as a team while creating memories that will last long after the final whistle.

Nineteen-year-old Marni Voak, also a former Amputee Lioness, remembers how enthusiastically new players embraced the opportunity when the team first came together.

Although the fixtures against Poland are an immediate priority, Voak hopes the momentum will continue well beyond the weekend. The longer-term ambition is to attract more players, develop the team and encourage more people to discover amputee football.

Building a More Inclusive Future

Cambridge City FC’s commitment to disability football has been central to the team’s development.

Phil Brasher, the club’s director of disability football, says the club aims to provide football for everyone. The progress made by the women’s side reflects that ambition and demonstrates how a supportive sporting environment can turn an idea into a meaningful opportunity.

Inclusive sport is about more than allowing people to participate. It is about creating pathways for athletes to train, improve, compete and be recognised for their abilities.

The development of a dedicated women’s team could also help challenge assumptions about disability and sport. By showcasing competitive football, the players are demonstrating that talent, determination and teamwork should be at the heart of how athletes are judged.

Greater visibility may encourage other clubs to consider similar initiatives, helping to expand opportunities for women and girls who want to play amputee football.

More Than a Match

The fixtures are also expected to attract members of Cambridge’s Polish community, adding an international dimension to the occasion.

With kick-off scheduled for 10:00 BST on Saturday and 10:30 BST on Sunday, the matches offer local supporters an opportunity to witness a significant moment in the development of women’s disability sport.

Whatever the results, the Cambridge players have already helped establish a new chapter for women’s amputee football in the UK.

Their achievement is a reminder that progress often begins with a small group of people willing to take a chance, build something together and encourage others to follow.

For Papandronicou, Clarke, Voak and their teammates, this weekend is about competing against a respected international opponent while showing what their team can become.

Their message is clear: women’s amputee football has a future, and they want more people to be part of it.

As the players prepare to make history in Sawston, their story is about far more than football. It is about opportunity, representation, friendship and the determination to make sport accessible to all.

The final whistle will end each match, but the hope is that this historic weekend will mark the beginning of something much bigger for women’s amputee football across Britain.

Source: BBC News, “’First’ UK women’s amputee football matches take place”, published 17 October 2026.