Women amputees from 10 South American countries gathered in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, for a crucial five-day training camp to hone their skills for the 2027 Women's Amputee Football World Cup. The camp, which concluded Friday, brought together nearly three dozen athletes from nations including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Colombia.
The participants, many of whom have lost limbs due to infections or traumatic injuries, trained under the specific rules of amputee soccer. These rules stipulate that prosthetic limbs must be removed before matches, and players rely on crutches for mobility, though crutches cannot be used to play the ball.
Elite athletes from the U.S. Women's National Amputee Soccer Team were among the coaches at the camp. The training program, organized by the World Amputee Football Federation in collaboration with local authorities and nonprofits, covered a range of skills such as balance, coordination, movement on crutches, ball control, tactics, and the sport's specific rules.
"The life of amputees can sometimes be hard, but we adapt really fast," said Amie Donathan, a 21-year-old member of the U.S. team who was born with one leg. "The way I feel about this camp, honestly, can't be described."
The camp took place while international attention was focused on the final week of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Amputee football has a history dating back to the 1980s with men's international competitions, but the women's game is much newer, having held its inaugural World Cup in 2024. Colombia hosted and won that first tournament. The next Women's Amputee World Cup is scheduled to be held in Poland in 2027, though a specific date and city have not yet been announced.
Lidia Mayser, president of the sports council for the Santa Cruz region, emphasized the importance of the sport for women with amputations. "It’s so that women with amputations can realize their dream through sports, through soccer," she stated. Her region is working to establish a national federation and assemble a Bolivian team for the upcoming tournament.
For players like Filomena Luna, a 50-year-old mother of six who lost a leg at age 11, the training offers both athletic development and a sense of community. "This practicing and training has helped me improve tremendously," Luna said. "Soccer is an escape for me."