Reaction as England Deaf Women crowned EURO champions

Head coach Steve Daley and captain Zara Musker lead the reaction to a milestone 2026 Women’s Deaf European Championship triumph for England in Poreč, Croatia.

The Para Lionesses, led by Daley, delivered an exceptional run of performances throughout the tournament, winning all five of their matches to secure the title in emphatic fashion and underline their status as one of the game's leading deaf futsal sides.

England opened their campaign with a strong 4-2 victory over Poland, and went on to defeat Italy and France in the group stages, before knocking out Ireland in the semi-finals.

In the final, England once again faced Poland and produced a clinical performance. A brace from Lucindha Lawson proved decisive, as the Para Lionesses secured victory to lift the European trophy and complete a perfect tournament record.

This triumph marks a significant milestone for the England Deaf Women’s programme and reflects the continued growth and success of deaf football within the national game. It also reinforces the strength of England’s para teams, who have enjoyed a sustained period of success across international competition in recent years.

Full match reports from England’s journey to European glory are available here.

Steve Daley, head coach, said: “This is a proud moment for the team, Para Football and the FA. It’s a great honour to repay all the support and investment we have received to enable us to achieve this milestone moment. 

“There are only a handful of people who represent their country at the highest level and even less that can say they have won a major tournament for their country. It takes a lot of hard work, effort and support with many people involved and I would like to thank them all. 

“As a head coach there is no prouder moment than seeing the team lift the trophy, especially in the fashion that we won. It has been an honour for me to work with people who have become world class players and we now believe we have opened the door for more of our Para teams to go and win major tournaments.”

Zara Musker, captain, said: “We’re so proud to be crowned European champions. Every player in this squad has worked so hard for this moment, and to come through the tournament unbeaten shows the togetherness we have as a team.

“We faced Poland earlier on in the tournament, so both teams had an idea of the task at hand, but Lucindha took her chances brilliantly, and behind that there was a huge defensive effort from the whole team, and we were able to get over the line.

“It means so much to represent England, so to be able to captain the country to European glory wearing this shirt is a proud moment for me and my family. As a team we hope our achievements can inspire more deaf girls and women to get involved in football.”

Catherine Gilby, FA head of para performance, said: “Our European champions have achieved a landmark moment for Deaf Women’s football in England. It reflects years of hard work and commitment across the para programme, ensuring that we are consistently competitive with the very best teams in the world.

"This success is testament to the players, coaches, and staff who continue to raise standards and push the programme forward, and it highlights the strength within deaf women’s football as we look to build on this achievement in the years ahead.”