'Getting back into sport was a turning point after my transplant' as Northern Ireland get ready to compete in the inaugural Transplant Football World Cup in Italy
The Northern Ireland Transplant football team is set to make history as it competes in the inaugural Transplant Football World Cup in Italy.
The seven-a-side tournament, taking place in Cervia, Italy, starts on Sunday with the opening ceremony, with action on the pitch getting under way tomorrow (Monday) until Saturday.
The Northern Ireland team - comprising 16 players who have received heart, liver, kidney, and bone marrow transplants - will compete against teams from across the globe, including Italy, Australia, Chile, and Spain in the group stage.
The competition is modelled on the FIFA World Cup and carries a unique and powerful message: every player on the field is alive today thanks to a life-saving organ transplant.
Coached by Michael Boyd, the former Irish FA Director of Football Development and a UEFA A License coach, the team has spent the past 12 months training for this historic tournament.
Orla Smyth, 45, from Belfast, is the team’s joint manager and player, and one of the key figures driving the squad. She received a kidney transplant in 2007 and currently serves as Chair of Transplant Sport Northern Ireland, a charity dedicated to encouraging transplant recipients to embrace sport.
“For me, getting back into sport was a turning point after my transplant. It gave me my life back,” said Smyth.
“This team is a testament to the second chances organ donation offers. Every one of us on that field shares an extraordinary bond because we’ve all been through life-threatening battles and come out the other side.
“The Transplant Football World Cup isn’t just about football – it’s about celebrating life, and we owe it all to our donors.”
Players: Kevin Bell - kidney, Cecil Floyd - liver, David Gourley - kidney, Conor McHugh - kidney, Mark Hughes - kidney, Justin Balmer - kidney, Conor Patton - kidney, Graham McCormick - kidney, David Scott - bone marrow, Graham Kenny - heart, Dylan Caughey - liver, Grant Devlin - kidney, Gregory Walsh - heart, Orla Smyth - kidney, Stephen Maguire - kidney, Seamus Coyle - kidney.
Coaching Staff: Michael Boyd - head Coach and joint manager, Damien Fogarty – team doctor, Arleen Campbell – referee and living donor.