England amputee team faces funding crisis ahead of World Cup
The England men's amputee team needs to raise £50,000 to attend November's World Cup in Mexico as they lack sustainable funding from the national FA.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Author: CeeGee
England's men's amputee football team is at risk of missing the upcoming World Cup in Mexico due to a severe lack of funding. The squad, currently reigning Nations League champions, has launched a GoFundMe campaign with a £50,000 target to cover the costs of attending the tournament this November.
Former head coach Scott Rogers has described the situation as "criminal," highlighting the immense dedication and sacrifice shown by the players and staff. Despite their status as top-tier competitors, the team operates outside the financial umbrella of the Football Association (FA), having had their funding cut in 2006. Since then, the England Amputee Football Association has functioned as a charity, relying entirely on volunteers and donations.
I see how hard they work, I see the sacrifices they make and the families make as well. To get to this point now and not be able to go potentially, it's criminal really. Scott Rogers
While the FA has engaged with the team, they have cited a lack of available resources to bring the amputee program under their direct financial support. This comes as the FA reported a total turnover of £516m for the 2024-25 season. Goalkeeper Thomas Atkinson expressed frustration over the disparity between the England team and their international rivals, who are often full-time professionals supported by their governing bodies.
"We're playing as a hobby in a sense. We're having to pay to play whereas they're getting paid to play," Atkinson noted. The team has currently secured over £32,000 of their goal, but the shortfall remains a significant hurdle for their World Cup participation.