AGF opens stadium football commentary to blind supporters

AGF will provide live audio description for blind and partially sighted supporters for the first time at its home match against FC Midtjylland on Wednesday evening, DR reports.

Søren Højlund Carlsen, who is responsible for the football club’s audio-description project, will commentate on the match through headphones that supporters can borrow at the stadium.

“Audio description allows blind people to get closer to football and experience the match, as well as the enjoyment of football and the community that everyone else gets,” he said.

Christian Bundgaard, a blind football fan, welcomed the initiative. He said it would make him less dependent on friends when he wanted to follow his team.

“Not everyone can rely on their friends, whose ability to describe what is happening may not be very good. Having an official description every time is incredibly valuable,” he said.

Bundgaard said the service would help him feel closer to AGF’s matches and better understand what was happening when his “white heroes” were on the pitch.

AGF will initially offer audio description in a limited section of the main stand, but expects to expand the service to all sections of Ceres Park Vejlby. FCK is also introducing the concept, while Brøndby IF has already implemented it.