Arsenal and the Department for Education have collaborated ahead of the launch of the British Sign Language GCSE in September 2025, following our full integration of BSL into all home matchdays last year.
Last season, we welcomed Daniel Jillings to Emirates Stadium to experience his first ever fully accessible BSL matchday.
Daniel had campaigned for the qualification since the age of 12 and addressed more than 20 MPs in his first language, BSL. The GCSE was officially announced in December 2023 and will be taught in schools from September 2025.
Since March 2023, at all home games, our pitch side Matchday Show has had full BSL integration and all club content within the stadium has an embedded BSL interpreter, including use of ‘GOAL’ fingerspelling on our big screens.
During his visit, Daniel was also interviewed pitch side and on our ‘Live from N5′ show, before meeting Jorginho, who began learning sign language during lockdown.
Our wider accessibility support also includes a new audio-descriptive commentary service, audio matchday programmes, our sensory room, and our specialist Disability Liaison Team that support visitors at all men’s home and away games, as well as women’s home games. We also have a Disabled Supporters Lounge open for our disabled supporters (and their PAs) before every home game at Emirates Stadium.
For the 2024/25 season, we have implemented a new audio-descriptive commentary service provided by Alan March Sport Ltd at Emirates Stadium and Meadow Park, and our audio matchday programmes will also now be available to listen to before kick-off.
This follows RNIB’s visit to Emirates Stadium in July, to provide Blind and Partially Sighted Awareness Training to Arsenal staff and friends from Arsenal Disabled Supporters’ Association and Islington Council. The RNIB team delivered important insight into the matchday experience of blind and partially sighted supporters.
Through a number of initiatives such as this workshop, we endeavour to ensure that everyone can feel an equal sense of pride and belonging to Arsenal.
Our work with the RNIB follows on from the launch of ‘See Sport Differently’ the guidance on supporting sports spectators with sight loss, a body of research to which Arsenal was the lead club to contribute.
Access and inclusion are a focus for us year-round, as we remain committed to understanding the challenges and barriers our disabled supporters face.
