Powerchair football gets £250,000 boost
An investment of £250,000 is being put into powerchair football, with Nottingham named as one of its centres.
The sport is for people with disabilities who use specially-adapted wheelchairs, costing about £5,000 each.
The Football Foundation, who have contributed more than half the money, said the funding would help grow the game over the next three years.
Nottingham-based Wheelchair FA is hoping to set up an East Midlands league with the money.
Sam Bull, from the Wheelchair FA, said: "We've got a number of clubs that are looking to set up and hopefully we will end up with a regional league, so this is why we decided to choose Nottingham."
There are currently only four powerchair football clubs in the East Midlands but the Wheelchair FA is looking to expand.
A national league is expected to arrive in Nottingham next year.
Powerchair football, which began in France in the 1970s and then spread across Europe and North America, is played in a gym.
The first Powerchair Football World Cup was held in Tokyo, Japan, in October 2007, with the USA beating France in a penalty shoot-out.