Five-a-side football at Tokyo Paralympics: All you need to know

Five-a-side football has been part of the Paralympic programme since Athens in 2004

Key information

Dates: 29 August-4 September

Venue: Aomi Urban Sports Park

Gold medals on offer: One

How does it work?

Five-a-side football - more commonly known as blind football - is a game played by athletes with visual impairments and goalkeepers who are fully sighted.

The game is played using a small ball with a bell inside that makes a noise as it moves to aid the players in their movements. The four outfield players must all wear eyeshades to ensure fair play as some players may be partially sighted.

The goalkeeper can shout instructions to aid his team-mates but must not leave the penalty area, otherwise a penalty kick will be awarded to the opposing team.

Each team also has a guide behind each goal to give directions to the players. The guide will often tap the goal posts with a metal baton to give the player an indication of where to shoot.

The pitch is surrounded by a rebound wall so there are no throw-ins and there is no offside rule.

If a player attempts a tackle, they must shout the word "voy" before doing so to warn the opposing player. This is used as a safety precaution to avoid any injuries.

Matches are played over two halves of 25 minutes and if a match is drawn, the winner will be decided by a penalty shootout.

Who are the British medal hopes?

England suffered heartbreak at their qualifying event, the 2019 Europeans, losing on penalties to Spain in the semi-final with only the finalists securing a place at the Games. They recovered to beat Turkey on penalties in the bronze play-off and are currently ranked seventh in the world.

Who are the main challengers?

Brazil have dominated the sport since it made its Paralympic debut in 2004, winning every gold medal, and they will be hoping to make it five wins in Tokyo. Argentina, bronze medallists in 2016 and silver medallists at the 2018 Worlds, will be among their main rivals, along with Spain and China.

Did you know?

During a football five-a-side game, the crowd and team members on the bench must be completely silent while the ball is in play so that the players can hear the ball move.

If a member of the crowd is making too much noise, the referee can eject them from the arena.

ParalympicsGB Rio 2016 medals

None