In a year which sees the Football world compete for ultimate honours at the FIFA World Cup, the annual BT Paralympic World Cup acknowledges the sporting prowess of elite disability players in the 7-a-side game, which is an adaption of the sport for athletes with Cerebral Palsy and invites teams from Great Britain, the Netherlands, USA and the Republic of Ireland to compete.

The sport will add an exciting new dimension to the BT Paralympic World Cup in a city renowned for its Football heritage and its support for disability Football leagues.

Following a review of the event and to enable other Paralympic sports to receive key competition and exposure in the build up to London 2012, Track Cycling will not feature in 2010.

GB 7-a-side team captain Jordan Raynes said, “I’m very excited that Football 7-a-side has been included in the BT Paralympic World Cup. I live and play in Manchester, where we have a strong following for our county disability league and to now have international competition in my home city means so much to me.

“To have an elite event outside of the Paralympic Games with other leading Football nations will be imperative to the team’s progression as we look forward to the 2012 Paralympic Games and look to build on our seventh place finish in Beijing in 2008.”

Suzi Williams, BT Group Marketing and Brand Director, said, “Since we became title sponsor last year our aim has been to make this event the very best it can be.

Introducing Football in a World Cup year is a great new initiative and I am excited to see Football 7-a-side included this year. More so because GB player Richard Fox is a BT employee supported through our Ambassador programme. BT recently became the Official Communications Partner for the England 2018 bid too and that’s one of the reasons I’m so excited that we can use the BT Paralympic World Cup to showcase the best in Paralympic Football talent on home soil.”

The BT Paralympic World Cup is sanctioned by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), CP ISRA and the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) and supported by ParalympicsGB, the FA, BT, Manchester City Council and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).

Peter Mearns, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at the NWDA said, “The BT Paralympic World Cup makes a significant contribution of more than £1million to the regional economy every year and in 2010 the competition will be bigger and better than ever before. As a region with a passion for Football it is excellent to see that Football is a new inclusion this year and I hope that even more visitors will be encouraged to come.”

The BT Paralympic World Cup will be held from 25-31 May and Manchester will again host the competition.