"Imagine if this whole event (were) silent. It wouldn’t be so much fun, right?” said Ariel Agramonte during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ match between Palmeiras and Chelsea FC at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. “So, for the fact that the deaf have accessibility to what’s going on and the thrill and the energy that’s here - it’s awesome.” Agramonte is one of the American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters that FIFA is providing at some games during the tournament so that deaf fans can share in the excitement, noise and passion of a football match. Andrea Kemp, from the Georgia Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, said it was “really great” that FIFA had provided access. “If we do attend – deaf people, any other people from marginalised communities – we really want to be involved. We want to be immersed in the game,” she said.

A common misconception about deaf people at sports events is that they are not missing out on anything because the action is taking place on the pitch – whereas, in fact, they are not having the same experience as other fans. "The hand gestures and just letting them know what’s going on around; the announcements, the goals, the excitement, the drums, the chanting, all of that; we’re able to get that across to them through their visual language," said Agramonte, explaining how the fans benefit from interpretation. The ASL initiative is part of FIFA’s mission to make sure that all fans – including those with disabilities – have an excellent experience at the tournament.

“People with disabilities want to show up, they want to participate, they want to be involved with FIFA. It’s exciting for them,” said FIFA Accessibility Coordinator Natalie Gross following the meeting between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Bayern München in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. “Just because you can’t see or hear something doesn’t mean that you can’t be involved in what’s going on. Like, there are other senses and there are other ways; people just need access. “So what we’re trying to do here at FIFA is provide that access, so that we’re not just having people show up to a live sports event, but we’re really creating an experience, you know, a memorable moment that will stay with people for the rest of their lives.” ASL is a complete, natural language that has the same linguistic properties as spoken languages, with grammar that differs from English. It is expressed by movements of the hands and face and is the primary language of many North Americans who are deaf and hard of hearing, as well as some hearing people. The ASL interpreters translate everything within the stadium, including announcements and even the lyrics of any musical performances during halftime.

"[The interpreters] get really into it. It's actually such an experience. If you've never seen an ASL performance, I highly recommend it, because it is the most enjoyable thing to watch," said Gross. "They are basically making sure that the deaf attendee isn't missing out on anything being said while they're enjoying themselves within the match." Brendan Quigley was one of the fans to benefit from the experience. “(It’s) really good. It’s very entertaining. It’s really nice to have people that understand football as much [as] me,” he said. ASL interpretation is being provided at five matches during the course of the tournament – at Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle and the final in New York New Jersey. The initiative is one of many provided by FIFA for fans at the FIFA Club World Cup, which has also featured audio-descriptive commentary for games, tactile broadcast boards, sensory kits and more as part of FIFA's ongoing focus on social responsibility and inclusivity.

“It’s very nice to have this opportunity, these options so that we can enjoy the game just as anybody else could,” said Kemp. "There’s music, there’s the game, concerts; whatever events happen, as long as there’s access, like there is now at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, then we can come. Soccer is such an inclusive sport that it’s great that this is being offered to improve the inclusivity of who can be involved.”