GiveVision headsets to be available for every Edgbaston matchday in 2026

Visually impaired cricket fans will be able to experience the action at Edgbaston Stadium like never before in 2026, as the venue becomes the first cricket ground in the world to offer GiveVision headsets at every matchday.

Following a successful trial period in 2025, GiveVision technology will be available for visually impaired fans at every matchday in 2026.

The service, which will be free of charge, aims to improve accessibility in live sport, enabling visually impaired fans to follow the action in real time and enjoy the match experience alongside friends and family.

Edgbaston joins the likes of Crystal Palace Football Club, the Principality Stadium and Glastonbury Festival in implementing the service, which is designed to help visually impaired spectators follow live events.

The headset enhances the user’s remaining vision by stimulating the photoreceptor cells of the eye, bringing the live action directly to the user.

Real-time broadcast feeds are streamed directly into the headset, with user-controlled visual adjustments tailored to individual sight loss.

The technology is not made to replace commentary or existing accessibility tools - it fills a gap by enabling fans to visually follow the game themselves.

Around two million people live with sight loss in the UK, a number which is expected to double by 2050 highlighting the growing importance of innovations that make live sport more accessible.

However, despite this, visually impaired fans remain significantly underrepresented at live sporting events.

According to the RNIB, around one in 30 people in the UK live with sight loss, yet typically only one in 3,000 spectators are visually impaired - a 100-fold gap.

This disparity means over one million visually impaired fans are effectively excluded from the live matchday experience.

Joanna Liddington, head of operations at GiveVision, said: “Edgbaston is setting a new benchmark for accessibility in cricket.

“By introducing GiveVision technology, they are opening up the live match experience to visually impaired fans in a completely new way. It’s a powerful step forward for inclusivity in sport.”

Thomas Cunningham-Smith, who is overseeing the project at Edgbaston Stadium, said: “Live sport is at its best when it can be shared, and we want Edgbaston to be a place where everyone feels able to experience the game.

“After a successful trial last year, we’re proud to be the first cricket venue in the world to introduce GiveVision technology at every matchday in 2026.

“It’s an exciting step forward in improving accessibility and ensuring visually impaired fans can follow the action and feel part of the atmosphere in the stadium.”

The rollout marks another step in Edgbaston’s commitment to making the live match experience accessible to more fans.

Details of how to reserve your GiveVision headset will be announced in due course.