Scotland's first transplant football team looking for more players

A new transplant football team is aiming to be the first Scottish squad to compete in the Euro 2025 and the World Cup 2026 specifically for transplant patients.

These leagues have been established to provide a safe environment for individuals who have undergone various types of transplants, including heart, liver, kidney, or stem cell procedures.

While the game has its unique rules, the primary difference from able-bodied football is the presence of two referees and a strict no-contact policy among players.

However, Scotland was not represented at the major tournament held in Cervia, Italy, in September 2024.

'We've got to try and make a difference'

Duncan McAughley, President of the Scottish Transplant Football Team, founded the team with a deep sense of pride as an Inverness native, believing that Scotland deserves the chance to showcase its talent on an international stage.

He said: “I approached Transplant Sport UK to say why is there no Scottish team as perhaps a football fan would do. Did we not qualify? Did we for some reason not meet the criteria? Or were we knocked out in a previous round?

"But it appears as though there had never been an application from a Scottish transplant football team.

“Very simply I set up a Facebook page thinking who am I going to get interested in this, not knowing where this would go but thinking we’ve got to try and make a difference here. Gradually more and more people had an interest."

'It's incredible to have energy and confidence again'

The sessions began back in November and are held at Ravenscraig Regional Sport Facility in Motherwell on the first Sunday of every month.

One player Kieran Calderwood said: “It has given me the confidence to proceed to live my life and enjoy doing the things I love but also made me keen to try new things.

“I used to love playing football when I was younger, but I gradually lost interest due to my health so it’s incredible to have that energy and confidence again to be able to play.”

Looking for players

The team are currently in the process of looking for sponsorship and broadening their roster of players.

McAughley said: “We’re looking for anybody and everybody. We’re looking for somebody right through Scotland we’re looking in all areas. We aim to be a truly National team.

“Even our coach is a transplant recipient, and we thought we could develop something really special here and were trying to move it forward.”

With their sights set on playing the Euros in Oxford next year, the squad, like all Scottish teams, have the full tartan army behind them.

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