The report says Maccabi Haifa became the inaugural Conference League champion for amputee football after defeating the Scottish side in the final. The tournament brought together four clubs - Maccabi Haifa, Ayr United, FCSB and Panathinaikos AC PwD - in a competition designed to give teams from countries without established domestic leagues a European stage.
The event follows the structure of conventional club football, while adapting the game for amputee players. Matches are played seven-a-side on smaller pitches, with outfield players using crutches and goalkeepers operating under different eligibility rules.
The triumph carried particular weight for Binyamin. The report says the Maccabi Haifa player lost his right leg in the 2023 attack at the Tribe of Nova music festival and feared he might never play football again.
His description of the sport as “our physiotherapy” and “our second family” underlined how the final represented more than a medal. It was also a statement of recovery, belonging and competitive ambition.
Despite the defeat, Ayr United coach Iain Matthew focused on the value of the experience. “É ótimo para nações menores terem essa vivência no futebol europeu. Poderíamos ter jogado e defendido melhor, mas é preciso elogiar os jogadores pelo que fizeram durante a semana”, he said, according to the report.
That balance may define the competition’s future. The first edition provided a champion, but its broader purpose is to create a sustainable international calendar for clubs still developing the game at home.
The next storyline will be whether this opening tournament can grow into a regular European pathway, attracting more teams, stronger support and fresh opportunities for amputee footballers.