The CAFE Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the third International CAFE Conference – Total Football Total Access – will take place on 16-17 November 2018 in Bilbao, Spain.

Since 2009, CAFE has worked with stakeholders across the footballing industry towards one clear aim – a game that is accessible, inclusive and welcoming to all.

CAFE’s two previous International Conferences were held at Wembley Stadium in 2011 and Stade de France in 2015. The events brought together disabled fans, clubs, leagues, national associations and football’s governing bodies, as well as stadium architects, disability and equality advocates and other key stakeholders from within the game and the disability sector.

CAFE is delighted to be hosting the Conference at Athletic Club’s Estadio San Mamés. The stadium opened in 2013 and is one of the host venues of UEFA EURO 2020.

Joanna Deagle, CAFE Managing Director, said, “We are delighted to be holding our third International Conference in Bilbao. We are looking forward to hosting a memorable two-day event, with engaging speakers and at a spectacular venue”.

“We would like to put on record our thanks to Athletic Club for welcoming us to their stadium, and for all of their fantastic support so far. We would also like to thank our partners at UEFA for their ongoing support and commitment to Total Football Total Access”.

Borja González Bilbao, Estadio San Mamés Stadium Business Manager, said, “We are glad to host the Third International CAFE Conference. We are truly proud that our San Mamés stadium follows the line of previous venues as important as Wembley Stadium and the Stade de France”.

“Both Athletic Club and the city of Bilbao expect to welcome you with open arms. We want to learn and share new challenges in common, and we are confident that the experience will be unforgettable and worthwhile”, added Borja.

There are already a number of important topics on the agenda for the International CAFE Conference 2018, including the experiences of disabled fans attending the 2018 FIFA World Cup and a look ahead to the plans for UEFA EURO 2020. There will also be discussions on the Disability Access Officer role, disabled supporters associations, audio-descriptive commentary, digital accessibility and the CAFE Week of Action.

The International CAFE Conference is a unique opportunity to network and meet with many people across all aspects of the game, and will not be an event to miss!

For the first time, we will also be holding a social event following the first day of the Conference. This is a result of feedback received following our last Conference, when delegates suggested that greater networking opportunities would be welcomed.

Attendance at the conference and the social event is free of charge, and a limited number of travel and accommodation bursaries are available for disabled fans.

A version of this article is also available in Ukrainian, Russian, Italian, German, Polish, French, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Published 20/08/2018