Georgia's New Wheelchair Football Team Takes the Field
BlazeSports America, the nonprofit that grew out of the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games, announced the formation of Georgia's inaugural wheelchair football team, christened the Atlanta Falcons. The squad will enter the competitive arena of the USA Wheelchair Football League (USAWFL) and will make its debut in Chicago this August.
The initiative reflects a broader push to expand adaptive sports across the Southeast, offering veterans, adults and youth with disabilities a chance to compete in a structured, league‑based environment.
Dawn Churi, Executive Director of BlazeSports America, emphasized that the team provides a tangible pathway for athletes to engage in high‑level play while fostering community awareness of wheelchair football.
A Milestone for Adaptive Athletics
BlazeSports, which has delivered year‑round adaptive sport programs for three decades, now stands as one of only fifteen wheelchair football teams nationwide. The league itself, the first adult disability football competition in the United States, has already engaged more than a thousand participants since 2020.
The upcoming tournament in October 2026 will be hosted in Georgia, marking the state's first dedicated wheelchair football event. Organizers expect the competition to accelerate growth of the sport throughout the region.
Athletes aged 18 and older, regardless of skill level, are invited to join the team. The program aims to blend competitive spirit with inclusive recreation, echoing BlazeSports' mission to empower individuals through sport, recreation and community engagement.