Why the European Para-Football Championship Matters
‘Para-football’ is the umbrella term for various types of football adapted for specific disabilities. These include amputee football, blind football, CP football (for people with a motor impairment), deaf football and wheelchair football. Currently, each type has its own European Championship. Within the KNVB, Robin Janssen focuses on developing and promoting football for people with disabilities. ‘Apart from coordinating with many different parties,’ he explains, ‘the main challenge when organizing these events is repeatedly setting up standalone tournaments. This demands considerable effort and attention each time, making the process complex and inefficient.
‘But the most important point is that we want to show that football is for everyone. We can achieve that visibility more quickly with one large, impactful tournament than with many separate ones. This is how the idea came about to unite efforts for one major European tournament.’
Responsible Business Simulator
Before deciding to set up a joint European Para-Football Championship, it is essential to consider the financial picture, but the impact on society matters even more. That is why the KNVB and PwC have chosen to work with the Responsible Business Simulator (RBS).
The RBS model allows decision makers to justify their choices and increase transparency. It can also be applied across a wide range of social issues. Using this model, we can calculate both the societal and economic impact of a European Para-Football Championship.
The RBS can make these factors measurable, providing insight into the value of a potential event. Thom-Ivar van Dijk explains that, ‘Using the Responsible Business Simulator, we can translate all relevant factors into comparable KPIs relating to financial feasibility, brand awareness and inclusivity. We then link these factors to a set of calculation rules and place everything on a 0 to 100 scale. A single number by itself doesn’t mean much, though; what matters is the relationships between them. In this way, each KPI is positioned on a weighted scale. In joint sessions with the KNVB, we determined which KPIs were important and how they should be weighted, to reveal how different scenarios relate to one another.’
The RBS shows how different forms of impact are brought together in a single model, adds Van Dijk, ‘In the financial KPI category, for example, we don’t only look at the costs: we also consider how savings can be achieved because certain investments are sustainable. For instance, investing in wheelchair-accessible stadiums means creating facilities that can be used later, for other events. The factors we consider for inclusivity and brand awareness include public recognition and the increase in the number of people with disabilities who start playing football if we organize this event.’
Inclusivity: A Major Driver
Janssen sees it as valuable that the analysis prioritizes the social significance of the event over its financial profitability: ‘Inclusivity was an important driver for us when analysing this initiative. Rather than focusing on whether the tournament will pay for itself, we consider the bigger picture: its significance for people with disabilities and for society.’
Van Dijk adds, ‘This provides executives with a solid foundation to make choices that go beyond the budget alone. The strength of the RBS model is that you can rank and prioritize different KPIs. This makes clear what factors carry the most weight for the KNVB – whether that’s inclusivity, brand awareness or financial feasibility – and allows you to make targeted decisions based on these insights.’
Next step towards a European Para-Football Championship
With the research phase completed, the recommendations were presented to KNVB internal stakeholders. ‘The goal is for them to carry it forward to our executive board and later to UEFA, the European football association,’ explains Janssen. ‘The key message is that the plan merits moving forward, no matter how you look at it.
‘Our ambition is clear,’ Janssen continues, ‘We firmly believe that a combined European Para-Football Championship is the future of para-football in Europe. Organizing the first European championship in 2030 is a serious ambition for us, but we’re dependent on collaboration and approval from UEFA. Without that foundation, this event cannot have a sustainable character. That’s precisely why we’re now working on a strong, compelling narrative.’
For the KNVB, the financial picture is not the most important consideration. ‘A joint European championship would certainly cost a fair amount of money,’ says Janssen, ‘but once you factor in its impact on inclusivity and brand awareness, you can see it has great value for both the sport and society. I truly believe in this tournament, and that it represents the future of para-football. It can make a tremendous contribution to the visibility of the sport. In 2026, our first focus will be on developing a clear narrative for our executive board.’
Van Dijk adds, ‘Our collaboration with the KNVB and their expertise has truly helped us gain a better understanding of the societal role the European Para-Football Championship can play. Personally, I believe it’s important to create more opportunities for people with disabilities, and I feel that this initiative represents another important step in that direction.’
