England name squad for European Deaf Football Championships 2024

England Deaf men’s senior team have named their squad for the European Deaf Football Championships 2024.

A 23-man squad will be heading to Antalya in Türkiye for the tournament, which begins on Monday 20 May.

England have been drawn in the same group as Germany, Greece plus neighbours Scotland and Wales and will kick-off the tournament against Wales on 20 May (3pm BST) before facing Greece (8.30am BST) two days later.

The Para Lions then play Scotland on 23 May (3pm BST) and their final group match against Germany on 26 May (3pm BST), before the knockout stages begin with quarter-finals on 28 May.

The other nations competing in the 13-team tournament are hosts Türkiye, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Poland, Serbia and reigning world champions Ukraine.

The coaching team of Will Perkins, Sam Sharman and Tony Elliott have named 18 of the players who took part in last year’s World Deaf Football Championships.

Byron Down has been called up for the first time since the FA started overseeing the England Deaf men’s senior team, with Charlie Parker-Fairbairn, Rhyan Evans, Hashim Mahmood and Hussein Estrela all heading to their maiden senior major tournament after progressing from the development squad.

James Watkins, the FA’s senior technical performance manager for Para, said: “We are excited by the squad we have selected for the European Championships.  We have a great blend of senior players who have been to many championships and a large number of talented young players who have progressed through the pathway.

“The group games will provide a significant challenge but we are confident of doing well in the Championships.

“In Sam Sharman, Will Perkins and Tony Elliott, we have a coaching team that will lead and support the players brilliantly.”

With England in the five-team group, it means a top-three finish would be enough to progress to the quarter-finals, while in the other two pools, qualification will go to the top two plus the winner of a play-off between the third-placed sides.

The pool stages will occur between Monday 20 May and Sunday 26 May, before the quarter-finals on Tuesday 28 May.

The semi-finals and initial ranking matches are then set for Thursday 30 May, with the ultimate goal being to reach and win the final on Saturday 1 June.

England Deaf men’s squad for the European Deaf Football Championships 2024

Goalkeepers: Sam Edwards, Charlie Parker-Fairbairn, Alex Smith

Defenders: Harry Boorman, Henry Bowe, Dylan Cross, Joe Dixon, Gino King, Matt Oaten

Midfielders: Rylan Casey, Rhyan Evans, Hashim Mahmood, Oliver Manoochehri, Ellis McLean, Matt McQueeney, Cole Neil

Forward: Kemahti Anderson, Jamie Clarke, Cavell Donaldson, Byron Down, Hussein Estrela, Abdou Jobe, Will Palmer