Cambridge City's women make amputee football history against Poland
October 2026 brought a landmark moment for the women’s game: Cambridge City hosted Poland for the first international women’s amputee football matches to be played on British soil.
The sport is growing around the world. Poland finished third at the inaugural Women’s Amputee Football World Cup in Colombia in 2024, and the next tournament is due to take place in Kraków in 2027.
In south-east England, Cambridge City FC is helping more women and girls get involved. Manager Duncan Rumbelow, captain Isabelle Papandronicou and vice-captain Shelbee Clarke have all played a big part in building the team.
Duncan said: “You can watch amputee football on TV, but nothing is the same as coming down and physically watching a game. People really appreciate how much the girls go through and how much effort they have to put in through their teamwork and communication.”
A tough test against Poland
I played right wing in both matches. I may consider myself semi-retired, but I still love the community, adrenaline and team spirit of the sport. Being part of such a special occasion meant a lot to me.
Poland had more players and more experience playing together; our team had only been training for a few months. Even so, we held them to a 1–1 draw on Saturday and made them work hard for it.
Sunday was tougher. Poland had clearly learned from the first match, and with twice as many players, they could bring on substitutes while we had little chance to rotate. We grew tired as the match went on, but everyone kept going. We gave it everything and lost 3–1.
We came away proud of what we’d achieved. For a team formed so recently, those results against one of the world’s leading women’s amputee football teams were remarkable.
For captain Isabelle, the team’s progress is still hard to take in.
“It’s a pinch-me moment, I would say, just to have come this far so quickly. We only started the team earlier this year. To go from not having a team to playing a Polish national team is really fantastic.”
Isabelle had her amputation at 14. Finding a place on the pitch helped her build confidence.
“I used to hide my leg as much as possible and try to blend into the background. I don’t have these insecurities any more, and that is because I have the support system of these women and girls on the pitch, who are all like me and have been through similar struggles — we connect in so many ways.”
Vice-captain Shelbee’s football career was interrupted by osteosarcoma. She was preparing for a football scholarship in America when she was diagnosed with cancer, lost her leg and nearly lost her life. After discovering amputee football, she spent five years as the only woman in the sport.
“I was grateful to find amputee football, but there were only men playing the sport, and I had been playing for five years before the first women’s team was formed. Being vice-captain for Cambridge gives me a reason to get up, and it gives me a reason to fight when I am facing struggles.”
Amputee football: fast, demanding and fun
Amputee football is a fast-growing sport. In the international 7-a-side game, each team has six outfield players with lower-limb amputations and a goalkeeper with an upper-limb amputation. Outfield players use crutches and play without prostheses.
Goalkeepers make saves with one arm. Under the World Amputee Football Federation rules, any residual limb six inches or longer must be secured to the torso.
The sport is physically demanding, but its community is a big part of what makes it special. Players often become close friends and feel like family. Playing alongside people who understand your experience can also support your mental wellbeing.
If you’re worried about playing without a prosthesis, many players find moving without the extra weight liberating. Football crutches are designed for the game and for crutch running. They may feel unfamiliar at first, but once players get used to them, they can feel stable and natural—helping players move quickly, get stuck in and, above all, have fun.
Watch the matches on YouTube
Amp Futbol Polska streamed both matches in full. Watch them here:
A global game with room to grow
The matches brought women’s amputee football to a wider audience and showed what teams can achieve when players have the chance to train and compete together.
The UK still has no dedicated women’s amputee football league, so Cambridge City hopes to compete in Poland’s league in 2027.
As the sport grows, more women and girls are needed to join teams and help shape its future. If you’re interested in playing, the World Amputee Football Federation can point you towards opportunities and pathways in your country.
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