Live audio-descriptive commentary is available globally for the first time ever at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The FIFA World Cup kicks off on Sunday 20 November, with 64 games culminating in the Final on 18 December at Lusail Iconic Stadium.

Audio-descriptive commentary (ADC) is an inclusive service enabling partially sighted and blind spectators to enjoy a live match alongside their fellow supporters. The specially trained commentator provides additional narration that describes all significant visual information such as body language, facial expression, scenery, action, clothing, colours and anything else that is important to conveying the image, venue, match, event or surrounding ambience.

The service is also regularly enjoyed by other disabled people and non-disabled fans, to add a greater level of detail to describe the match.

ADC has been provided for fans inside the stadium at the FIFA World Cup since 2014, and will be available at every match in Qatar in both Arabic and English. For the first time fans watching the FIFA World Cup at home, anywhere around the world, will also be able to tune into the service to complement their experience.

To tune into the live ADC, listeners are required to download the FIFA Interpreting app which is available in the App Store and Google Play Store. You can directly access the app and commence downloading via the following QR code.

Once the installation is complete, listeners will be asked for an event code. Please insert the specific code (case sensitive), based off which stadium the requested match is being played in:

• Lusail: ADCLUS
• Al Bayt: ADCABS
• Education City: ADCECS
• Al Janoub: ADCAJS
• Al Thumama: ADCATS
• Ahmad Bin Ali: ADCAAS
• Stadium 974: ADC974
• Khalifa International: ADCKIS

A list of fixtures and the venues they will be played in can be accessed via the FIFA website. The full list of matches and ADC event codes can be downloaded from the CAFE website.

Once the code has been accepted, listeners will have a choice of tuning into the Arabic or English ADC.

Listeners are encouraged to connect using a reliable WiFi, 5G or 4G connection for the duration of the ADC broadcast.

CAFE Media and Communications Manager Michael Rice said, “The availability of ADC during the FIFA World Cup is a fantastic development that will support so many partially sighted and blind passionate football fans, not just in the stadiums but around the world. This will offer tremendous support for countless listeners who rely on ADC to complement their matchday experience, and we are delighted that listeners will be able to tune in from wherever they are across the globe”.

“If you have never had the opportunity to listen to ADC before, whether you are disabled or non-disabled, this is the perfect chance. We are more than happy to advise on how you can implement ADC at your stadiums and, through the CAFE Audio-descriptive Commentary Training Programme, ensure that you have highly-skilled commentators available to deliver the service locally”, added Michael.

CAFE is keen to hear of the experiences of all disabled fans at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. If you attend a match, please complete the CAFE Matchday Evaluation Feedback form and send across any photos or videos that you may have taken. Please email [email protected] or call +44 (0)203 355 9867 if you have any questions or require further information.

Published 20/11/2022