First national league starts in Genk
Fourteen-year-old Matts plays football without a shinbone on crutches for Royal Antwerp FC as Belgium launches its first national amputee football competition, vrt.be reported.
The Ottobock Amp Football League kicked off its opening matchday on November 8, 2026, in Genk, bringing together three top Belgian clubs to establish a sustainable structure for the sport.
I hope to play for the national team later,
Matts said, according to vrt.be.
Three clubs join for historic launch
KRC Genk, Royal Antwerp FC, and Club Brugge banded together to create the new league, according to Voetbalkrant.com.
Amp Football Belgium, the organizer of the competition, stated that players deserve the same chances, recognition, and sporting challenges as any other footballer.
The tournament features the international five-a-side format, consisting of two halves lasting 25 minutes each, as reported by Voetbalkrant.com.
Matches span three matchdays through March 2027
The competition spans three matchdays hosted by each participating club, with future international ambitions already on the table, Voetbalkrant.com reported.
Genk hosted the opening fixtures on November 8, 2026, while Royal Antwerp FC is scheduled to host the second matchday on February 7, 2027.
Club Brugge will conclude the inaugural league season on March 13, 2027.
Mario Claesen reconnects with Genk during rehabilitation
Among the prominent figures in the project is 37-year-old Mario Claesen, captain of the Genk amputee squad, who lost his left leg in 2024 following complications from a motocross accident.
Claesen reconnected with his favorite club during his rehabilitation, according to Voetbalkrant.com reporting.
