In the lowland city of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, nearly three dozen female athletes gathered for an intensive five-day training camp that concluded on Friday with friendly matches. This landmark event represents the first soccer training camp in South America specifically for female amputees, who are working to represent their respective nations in the 2027 Women's Amputee Football World Cup in Poland.
The participants traveled from 10 different countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador. Most of the players lost their limbs due to traumatic injuries or severe infections. On the pitch, the unique mechanics of the sport are highly demanding. Under amputee soccer regulations, which govern a seven-a-side format, all players must remove their prosthetic limbs before the match begins. Outfield players use crutches to sprint and navigate the field but are strictly prohibited from using them to touch the ball. Meanwhile, the goalies defend their nets using only a single arm.
The training sessions covered a wide range of athletic skills, including balance, coordination, movement on crutches, ball control, tactics, and official game rules. The camp was organized by the World Amputee Football Federation—the sport's global governing body—alongside local non-profit organizations and regional authorities. Elite coaches, including members of the U.S. Women's National Amputee Soccer Team, traveled to Bolivia to guide the athletes.
Among the coaches was 21-year-old Amie Donathan, a U.S. team member who was born with one leg. "The life of amputees can sometimes be hard, but we adapt really fast," Donathan said. "The way I feel about this camp, honestly, can't be described."
While the sports world has been focused on the final week of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, this training camp highlights the rapid growth of a different international discipline. Men's amputee soccer has been played internationally since the 1980s, expanding particularly in regions affected by conflict, such as Gaza and Rwanda, and holding a World Cup every four years. However, the women's global tournament is much newer, having held its inaugural World Cup in 2024, where the host nation, Colombia, won the title. The exact dates and host city for the 2027 tournament in Poland have not yet been finalized.
Local organizers hope the training camp will leave a lasting legacy. Lidia Mayser, president of the sports council for the Santa Cruz region, explained that the initiative is designed to help women with amputations realize their dreams through sports. Mayser's council is currently working to establish a national federation and assemble a formal team to represent Bolivia in next year's world tournament.
For players like 50-year-old Filomena Luna, the training camp provided both physical improvement and a vital sense of community. The mother of six lost her leg at age 11 after an infection worsened when her parents initially took her to a traditional healer instead of a medical doctor. Today, she harbors dreams of representing Bolivia on the global stage. "This practicing and training has helped me improve tremendously," Luna said. "Soccer is an escape for me."
