On a bright August morning, Arsenal's famous Hale End was alive with the sound of cheers and the thud of footballs.
But this wasn't a matchday for Arsenal Academy's future stars, it was something even more special.
More than 250 young players from across England, each with their own story and journey, had come together for the final Premier League Disability Football Festival of the summer.
The festival was one of three held throughout the year, following Everton and West Bromwich Albion, bringing together 14-to-16-year-olds for short, sharp six-a-side games alongside workshops to support physical and mental wellbeing.
Matches lasted 10 minutes with the emphasis not on scorelines, but on inclusion, joy, and the belief that every young person deserves a place in football.
For Arsenal in the Community, celebrating its 40th anniversary, it was the perfect stage to reaffirm what has always been at the heart of its work: football is for everyone.
"No matter your background or disability, you can be part of the game," said Clare Sumner, the Premier League's Chief Policy & Social Impact Officer.
"Days like today prove that. You can see from the smiles on their faces just how much it means."
Arsenal Academy Manager Per Mertesacker said the buzz around the festival felt no different from a top-flight matchday.
"When you see the circumstances, these young people have come from, and how they’ve overcome challenges just to get here, it’s worth celebrating.
"The energy is the same whoever's on the pitch, that's the beauty of sport."
Cedric's Arsenal family
For Cedric, proudly wearing Arsenal colours, the festival was another chapter in a journey that began three years ago when he joined the club’s disability programme.
He has cerebral palsy, which affects his mobility and speech, but football has opened doors that once felt closed.
"I love playing with my team," he said. "We always help each other."
His mum, Synthia, watched from the sidelines, smiling.
"It's given him confidence, friends and belief," she said. "Inclusion takes extra effort, but when you see all these kids blending together, you know it’s worth it."
Tate and his first taste of tournament football
Tate, who represents Chelsea, has a condition that causes significant leg weakness, requiring him to use crutches for walking.
He plays football without them and uses splints for extra support on the pitch. So, when the whistle blew, nothing held him back.
"This is my first tournament," he said. "Even though I've only been at Chelsea for about a month, I can already feel I'm improving, my balance is better, my dribbling’s better.
"Whatever disability you have, whatever pulls you back, you just have to go forward. That’s how you build confidence."
He laughed when asked what the best part of the day was: "Probably getting tackled and still having a shot at the end. That was fun!"
Aiden and the save of the day
Aiden, representing Fulham, was busy making memories of his own.
He has cerebral palsy, which affects movement on one side of his body, but it didn't stop him from pulling off his favourite moment of the day.
"I was in goal and I saved a really good shot," he said. "That's something I'll remember for a long time."
Explaining how playing for Fulham has changed him, Aiden said: "I'm stronger now and I've got more confidence.
"I even play for my school's team now, I wouldn't have done that before. When you train and play with your mates, you just feel like you can go for it."
Freya's big step forward
Freya, playing for Brighton and Hove Albion, has ADHD and Autism, which can make social situations and concentration on the pitch more challenging, but for her, football has been the bridge to confidence she once struggled to find.
"I used to be nervous talking to people," she said. "But on the pitch, I had to do it, so now I feel like I can do it anywhere."
Her mum Sam added: "It's life changing. She's happier, more outgoing and not afraid to try new things anymore.
"Football helped her see her autism and ADHD as her superpower. It's transformed her confidence."
Mickey and the power of representation
Sometimes the most meaningful moments aren't about the ball at all.
Mickey, from Southampton and born with hearing loss, wears a hearing aid on the pitch, making communication trickier during matches.
Attending his first festival, Mickey spotted another boy wearing a hearing aid.
"It made me feel like I wasn't the only one," he said.
For him, just seeing someone else who shared part of his experience made the day unforgettable.
Why it matters
For Freddie Hudson MBE, Arsenal in the Community's Head of Community, the impact of the Disability Football Festivals goes far beyond the pitch.
"The skills and confidence built here extend into school, friendships, and family life," he said. "Football is a great connector, but for those facing barriers, we have a responsibility to remove them."
Paralympics GB Wheelchair basketball athlete Simon Brown knows what those barriers can feel like.
Growing up, he played sport with friends who did not have a disability, often crawling on his hands and knees to join football games.
It wasn't until he discovered wheelchair basketball that he saw elite disabled athletes in action, a turning point that shaped his life and led to Simon winning three Paralympic medals at Paris 2024.
"When I finally found wheelchair basketball, it changed everything, I learned what I was capable of," said Simon. "These kids are getting that feeling right now, they can compete, belong, and be themselves."
A lasting legacy
The Premier League Disability Football Festivals, delivered in partnership with club charities, aim to give young people with disabilities opportunities to develop skills and confidence in a supportive environment.
This season alone, more than 750 young people with disabilities have taken part in Premier League-funded programme, all with tailored provision for those who are neurodivergent or have physical disabilities.
As the day wound down, medals were handed out and the pitches slowly emptied, the sense of achievement was clear. The festival had been about more than football. It was about identity, friendship, and possibility.
Or, as Per Mertesacker put it, "That’s the beauty of sport, sharing the love of the game. And here, everybody's invited."
Arsenal's Premier League Disability Football Festival in images
This summer's Premier League Disability Football Festivals were a celebration of how the Premier League's community programmes - Premier League Kicks, Premier League Inspires and Premier League Primary Stars - connect young people with football, providing positive opportunities to help them reach their potential.