- Ghana, Hungary, Senegal, Somalia, and Zimbabwe join the fold
The World Amputee Football Federation (WAFF) has welcomed five new members – Ghana, Hungary, Senegal, Somalia, and Zimbabwe – following the WAFF Congress held on 29 April via ZOOM conference.
The addition of new members marks a significant milestone for the rapidly growing sport of amputee football, which currently boasts 55 member associations across five continents and encompasses over 5,000 players.
During the Congress, the General Assembly approved numerous motions proposed by the WAFF Executive Committee and its members. Additionally, they granted approval to the WAFF Activity Report and the Financial Report for the years 2021 and 2022.
Since the election of the current WAFF Executive Committee in October 2020, the number of WAFF members has seen a substantial rise from 20 to 55. Members unanimously endorsed a proposal put forth by the WAFF Executive Committee to appoint Georg Schlachtenberger as WAFF General Secretary and Tolga Korkusuz as WAFF Treasurer until the next election of the WAFF President and Executive Committee, slated towards the end of 2024.
Furthermore, a player representative will be appointed to the WAFF Executive Committee. As per the decision of the members, a working group will be formed to draft a new WAFF constitution.
The WAFF Board has been entrusted with the task of establishing standards and procedures for players and associations of amputee footballers from Africa and Asia who play for European clubs. The previous edition of the WAFF Amputee Football World Cup, held in 2022, witnessed the participation of teams that qualified through tournaments in their respective continental regions, culminating in a resounding success.

Mateusz Widlak, WAFF Vice-President, provided updates during the congress regarding the inauguration of the Women’s Amputee Football Programme in Kigali, Rwanda, in March. This event was graced by the presence of FIFA President Gianni Infantino. In addition to seeking possible support from FIFA, the WAFF Executive Committee has also applied for membership to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
Members of the Congress were updated regarding the roadmap for the WAFF Amputee Football World Cup 2026, as well as the qualification process. Representatives from the five active WAFF Confederations, namely Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and the Caribbean, and South America, provided reports on national tournaments and leagues held in their respective countries.
Widlak, who is also the President of the European Amputee Football Federation (EAFF), shared details about the successful organisation of various junior camps and the European Championship tournament held in 2021 and 2022.
During the discussions, members expressed their appreciation for the remarkable progress achieved by WAFF despite the financial challenges faced by all its members.
Arif Umitz Uzturk, WAFF President, speaking on the occasion said, “Your feedback is a great recognition of our work, which we all do as volunteers, and it is even an incentive to work even harder. With our small team on the board, we rely on your support and experience, so let us work together to grow amputee football.”