In collaboration with the School of Health of the Polytechnic Institute of Porto, FC Porto have announced the launch of INZONE, a new sensory room at their iconic Dragão stadium.

This innovative space is dedicated to providing an inclusive football experience for neurodivergent fans as well as their companions.

The INZONE sensory room represents a significant leap towards inclusivity in Portuguese football, allowing fans to enjoy games in a controlled environment that minimises sensory overload. The initiative is part of FC Porto's ongoing commitment to making football accessible to everyone, alongside other inclusive measures such as implementing audio-descriptive commentary, broadcasting the club anthem in English sign language on stadium screens, and implementing colourblind-friendly solutions.

The sensory room features a range of equipment designed to support neurodivergent fans in enjoying their matchday experience, as well as both indoor and outdoor seating and a quiet area.

Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, President of FC Porto said, "FC Porto has been carrying out work around sustainability and, more specifically, inclusion, which I am very proud of and which has been described as being a point of reference. This is another step we are taking... which allows us to equip the Dragão stadium with amenities that did not exist before, that make us more inclusive and prepared to welcome all Porto fans". 

Olivier Jarosz, CAFE Chief Executive Officer, welcomed the implementation of the sensory room. He commented, "By recognising the barriers that may prevent some people from fully participating in sports events, FC Porto is leading by example, showing that football is truly a game for everyone".

Congratulations to our friends at FC Porto, and we look forward to hearing more about the success of the new INZONE sensory room!

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For more information on sensory rooms and how you can implement one at your stadium, please refer to CAFE's guidance note. We also published a case study in partnership with Arminia Bielefeld on their sensory room project.

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The twelfth annual CAFE Week of Action will take place between 8-24 March, and we invite stakeholders from across the game to join us in celebrating access, inclusion and disabled people involved across sport.

Find out more about how you can get involved in this season's campaign, under the umbrella of #TotalAccess.

Published 23/2/2024