Can my deaf child wear hearing aids, and what changes in deaf football?
Rule- England
- England Football
- The FA
- Disability football
- Pan-disability
- Ages 5-18
- FA Dispensation Policy
- 2026/27
- Parents
Hearing aids and cochlear implants
- Mainstream football: deaf players may wear hearing aids or cochlear implants. The player and/or their parents decide, not the referee. If a device comes loose during play, the referee should ask the player to leave the pitch to secure it.
- Domestic deaf football: hearing aids can be worn.
- International deaf football: players must remove hearing aids during matches.
Deaf-specific competition
- Eligibility: a hearing loss of at least 55 decibels (pure tone average) in the better ear.
- Laws: the 11-a-side laws apply, with one adaptation: the referee carries a flag, raised at the same time as blowing the whistle, so players have a visual signal.
- National Deaf League: 11-a-side, with national, north and south divisions, run by England Deaf Football.
Deaf players can also play in mainstream clubs and in pan-disability football. UK Deaf Sport is the national disability sports organisation for deaf athletes.
Added 21 Oct 2026