Building for the World Stage: Key Takeaways from Our Journey To Poland For 2026 AMP Futbol Cup
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
The U.S. Men’s National Amputee Soccer Team recently wrapped up an incredible international trip to Warsaw, Poland, participating in the prestigious AMP Futbol Cup 2026. Facing off in four highly competitive matches split evenly against host nation Poland and a powerful Ukraine squad, the tournament provided the ultimate proving ground for our roster as we look forward to the future of the sport.
World-Class Hosts and a Growing European Movement
First and foremost, our deepest gratitude goes to Amp Futbol Polska for the official invitation. Poland proved to be absolutely magnificent hosts. From the flawless logistical organization to the incredible hospitality and friendly nature of everyone we encountered, the entire event was run with the highest level of professionalism. It is genuinely inspiring to see firsthand how amputee soccer is truly taking off across Europe, fueled by passionate fans, structured development, and top-tier competition.
Crucial Preparation for Mexico 2026
The high-intensity match play served as vital preparation for our primary objective this year: the 2026 Amputee Soccer World Cup, taking place in Mexico this coming November. Going toe-to-toe with tactical, physical European giants gave our coaching staff and players exactly the kind of elite friction needed to fine-tune our strategies. Every minute on the pitch in Warsaw helped harden our team dynamics for the world stage.
Tournament Scores:
June 20: Poland 4 : 0 USA
June 20: USA 0 : 1 Ukraine
June 21: Poland 3 : 0 USA
June 21: Ukraine 2 : 0 USA
The Next Generation Steps Up
While the scorelines showed areas where we can grow, the tournament highlighted an incredibly bright future for the U.S. program, marked by historic individual milestones for our rising talent:
Best Goalkeeper Award: Our young goalkeeper, Greg Cunningham, took home the tournament's Best Goalie Award. In what was incredibly his very first time starting for the national team and his first career international match, Greg put on a masterclass between the posts, commanding his area and making spectacular saves against world-class attackers.
Debut for Fanning: The tournament also marked the international debut of our up-and-coming star, Liam Fanning. Liam earned his first starting spot and played his first international minutes, demonstrating the precise skill, composure, and work ethic that proves he belongs at this level for years to come.
Celebrating the Women’s Game
The event in Warsaw was a true celebration of the sport's global expansion, featuring a fantastic showcase of women's amputee soccer as the Polish Women's National Team took on Colombia. On June 20, Colombia edged out a tight 1:0 victory, followed by a thrilling 0:0 draw on June 21. Seeing the grit and technical growth on display makes us incredibly excited for the upcoming Women's Amputee Soccer World Cup in 2027.
Thank you again to Poland, our opponents, and our dedicated fans back home. Next stop: Mexico!
Photos By Carl Calabria
