2026 Goalball Invitational

Event Details

January 16-18, 2026

Ability360 Sports & Fitness Center
5031 E. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85034

3-day goalball tournament will be a round-robin style with each team playing at least 3 games.

Medals will be given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place Men’s divisions. 1st & 2nd for Women.

What is Goalball?

Goalball is a team sport for athletes who are blind and or visually impaired. Teams are made up of six players, with three members playing at any one time. Origins of the game date back to World War II as a way to rehabilitate veterans who became blind and keep them active. Goalball became the first Paralympics team sport for athletes with vision impairments 75 years ago when it was officially inducted at Toronto 1976. The object of the game is to get a ball past the opposing team and into their net by hurling it from one end of the court to the other. String is taped to the markings on the court to allow players to feel the lines and orientate themselves. The opposing team must block the ball from entering their net by throwing their bodies across the floor. The game ball is about the size of a basketball and has several bells inside, so the athletes with visual impairments know where it is thrown. All players must be legally blind and wear blacked-out eyeshades at all times to ensure fair level of competition. Due to the extreme importance of sound, audience members must remain absolutely quiet during the game until the referee allows for noise.

When traveling to Phoenix for the tournament, don’t forget you can access free visual interpreting at airports like SLC, JFK, LAX, ORD, MDW, MSP, DIA, DAL, MCO, MIA, SAN and many more.

Become a Volunteer

Want to be part of the action? Consider becoming a volunteer for this event! You get to meet wonderful individuals, athletes, and attend a sport that is unlike any other in the state-of-the-art, fully accessible Sports & Fitness Center.

Watch the Action from 2024

Game Day Schedules

Friday, Jan. 16, 2026

Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026

Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026

Register as an Athlete!

Cost: $75 per person, including coaches, staff, and athletes.

This registration fee includes facility costs, staffing costs, officials’ costs, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards. Friday lunch, Friday evening meal, Saturday breakfast, Saturday lunch, Saturday evening meal, Sunday fruit/breakfast bars, and Sunday lunch.

Are you a goalball athlete? For more details about the tournament, contact Brielle Carter at briellec@ability360.org or call (602)-626-7250