For the first time in Washington, D.C., blind and visually impaired fans can follow every play of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 game at Audi Field — thanks to FIFA’s free Audio Description Commentary service.
The Audio Description Commentary (ADC) program is a specialist commentary service launched at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.
Already a proven success, ADC has given detailed, play-by-play audio services designed for blind and visually impaired fans at major international tournaments, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar™ and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“It’s very much telling the listener where that ball is on the pitch, as well as detailing things around the stadium before the match, bringing that stadium to life, whether it’s flags, the weather, what’s going on, on the pitch and, also, the type of stadium it is – each stadium is very unique,” said Brad Hope, an audio description commentator involved in the ADC program for the FIFA Club World Cup.
The ADC program not only enhances the game itself, but helps blind and visually impaired fans feel like part of the crowd, whether they’re in the stadium or listening from home.
“If we’re able to bring people almost back to the stadium, as well as being able to listen in at home, I think that’s amazing because for a lot of people, sport is a huge outlet in their lives, and if you can bring them back to a stadium and they can feel part of a conversation, they can follow the game as well as being part of an amazing atmosphere – I think that’s a really huge thing,” Hope said.
As the FIFA Club World Cup lands at Audi Field, D.C. fans will get to follow the action in real-time through free audio description commentary, bringing the pitch to life for blind and visually impaired spectators.
The debut of the program at Audi Field will mark a significant step in FIFA’s ongoing effort to make the sport more inclusive, particularly in American stadiums.
“I think there’s a real, amazing opportunity to see it grow amongst all sports in the U.S. and to really get that visibility of audio description out there across the world and, I think, the FIFA Club World Cup is a huge step in that direction,” Hope said.
Ahead of the matches, commentators participated in specialized workshops to refine their skills and ensure a consistent, high-quality experience across all host cities.
“It’s just amazing how much comes into describing the game,” Matt Killen, an audio description commentator involved in the ADC program for the FIFA Club World Cup, said. “There are so many things that you are able to absorb, and even just looking at a still picture just now, there’s all this detail that’s there, and so kind of turning your mind on to think about that, that was really interesting.”
The FIFA Club World Cup comes to Audi Field on June 18, with free audio description commentary available to all fans. To purchase tickets, please visit Ticketmaster.
Before the match, check out the FCWC Fan Guide – Washington, D.C. for everything you need to know.
