Acceleration–Deceleration Match Demands Relative to Sprint Capacity in Cerebral Palsy Football: An Exploratory Demand–Capacity Analysis

Interpreting match load relative to individual capacity may be particularly relevant in cerebral palsy (CP) football, where impairment affects both capacity and match output. This exploratory study examined how the distance covered during high-intensity acceleration and deceleration (ACCDEC) relates to acceleration capacity (average 5-m sprint velocity, V5), whether the ratio ACCDEC/V5 meets the conditions for ratio scaling, and whether ACCDEC and ACCDEC/V5 differ between sport classes. GNSS/IMU match data (273 player–match observations; 63 male players; seven Spanish National League teams) were analysed with linear mixed-effects models. Between players, ACCDEC/V5 was nearly identical to ACCDEC (r = 0.97) and uncorrelated with V5 (r = 0.08), and the ACCDEC–V5 relationship was compatible with proportionality (intercept −0.52 m·min−1; 95% CI −4.06 to 3.01). Higher V5 was associated with greater ACCDEC (B = 0.91 m·min−1 per m·s−1; p = 0.029). ACCDEC tended to be lower in FT1 than in FT3 players (p = 0.056), whereas ACCDEC/V5 did not differ between classes (p = 0.304); neither class effect was robust in sensitivity analyses. ACCDEC/V5 is a capacity-scaled descriptor of match demands rather than a measure of physiological cost, and its added value for load monitoring and classification remains to be established.