Location and general information
Access to Sport - 
Children with disabilities - 
Personal developmentContext
Approximately 1,500 children play disability football in the Netherlands. Like all children, they dream of playing for their favourite professional clubs, and thanks to the Bijzondere Eredivisie, this dream can become a reality. Disabled children are given the spotlight and get to show that they are capable of playing at the highest level.
Project goals
- Increase the visibility of disabled children
- Inspire disabled children to play football and other sports
- Increase disabled children’s participation in sport
- Increase awareness of disability football in the Netherlands
- Establish a sustainable competition, including all professional Dutch football clubs
Project content
The Bijzondere Eredivisie, launched in 2029, is a competition in which professional football clubs enter teams of disabled children. It is the first competition of its kind in the world, enabling disabled children to play for their favourite professional football clubs.
Teams are mixed, comprising 12 boys and girls of different ages and disabilities, carefully selected to ensure a balanced competition. They compete in a full league competition.
At the start of the season, the players sign a contract and are introduced to the press. They train with their clubs and participate in various workshops, for example on healthy nutrition and dealing with the media training.
The players travel to matches using the official team bus used by the first team and are invited to perform a lap of honour on the pitch at their opening match.
Partners
