The twelfth annual CAFE Week of Action will take place between 8-24 March 2024, and we invite stakeholders from across the game to join us in celebrating access, inclusion and disabled people involved across football.

Since 2013, the CAFE Week of Action has provided like-minded people and organisations with the ideal opportunity to shine a spotlight on disability, to reaffirm their commitments to an inclusive game and to demonstrate how valued disabled people are within it.

The CAFE Week of Action is the largest campaign of its kind, celebrating inclusion in the game that we love and working towards ensuring that disabled people can take their rightful places amongst their peers within sport - from the grassroots to the boardrooms - as spectators, players, coaches, administrators, volunteers, and decision makers.

This campaign, celebrated under the banner of #TotalAccess, belongs to you, our key stakeholders – disabled fans and their groups, clubs, leagues and the national associations. This is a great opportunity to present a positive story of inclusion and access.

 

How can I get involved?

The CAFE Week of Action is traditionally held over two weekends to allow for as many clubs as possible to have the opportunity to host events at a home match during this time. Following feedback from previous years, we have taken the decision to extend this season’s campaign into the international break, giving national associations the chance to hold events at national team matches.

We encourage you to think of innovative ways to join the CAFE Week of Action. Previous activities have included:

• Bringing disabled fans on to the pitch pre-match to welcome their heroes to the field
• Hosting a half time ceremony with CAFE Week of Action banners (please contact CAFE and we would be glad to provide all of the required artwork)
• Utilising stadium LED boards to share a message of #TotalAccess
• Interviewing your disabled fans about their matchday experiences
• Supporting your disabled fans in holding a non-matchday meeting or celebration
• Liaising with disabled fans to establish a new disabled supporters association, where one does not already exist
• Providing audio-descriptive commentary for partially sighted and blind fans
• Holding a disability football exhibition match, or launching a new disability football team
• Issuing statements of support from players, managers and ambassadors, or appointing an ambassador for your disabled fans
• Publishing website articles and social media posts tagged with #TotalAccess, in support of a game that is welcoming for all
• Providing sign language interpretation of famous club anthems and songs
• Working with disability football teams to share their stories
• Reviewing accessibility at your stadiums with an expert organisation to make long-term improvements
• Launching dedicated areas on club websites for disabled fans, including stadium access information for differently disabled fans

The message of #TotalAccess has continued to spread across the globe, with an ever-growing number of disabled people enjoying live sport.

#TotalAccess is not just a motto – it is what the game should be aspiring to achieve.

CAFE is pleased to promote and celebrate the activities and initiatives who share our belief in #TotalAccess. We can also help and advise you on any events and projects you may be planning and we will be pleased to share them widely amongst our networks to help further raise awareness.

Live sport can change the lives of many disabled people and create memories that will last forever. We encourage you to join us in celebrating access and inclusion for all disabled people during this season’s CAFE Week of Action between 8-24 March.