Girls4Football

Location and general information

Ongoing

Location France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom

Start date 05/24/2024

End date 05/24/2025

Cost of the project €450,000

Foundation funding €-

Project identifier 20240001

Partners Mastercard and local implementing organisations

Context

Girls4Football is a social impact initiative launched by Mastercard in partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children. Rooted in the long-standing collaboration between Mastercard and the UEFA Champions League, the programme addresses the need for inclusive, empowering opportunities for young girls in Europe. It responds to the growing recognition that sports, particularly football, can be a powerful vehicle for personal development, social inclusion, and gender equality.

The initiative was officially launched on March 18, 2025, and is being rolled out in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. It aims to reach over 1,000 girls aged 8 to 16 in its first year. This marks the beginning of a three-year project, with this being the first phase of the initiative.

Project goals

The primary goals of the Girls4Football programme are to:

Empower young girls through access to free football training and socio-educational activities.
Promote physical and emotional well-being through regular sports and leisure engagement.
Foster life skills such as teamwork, discipline, and resilience.
Enhance financial literacy by teaching participants how to manage money, budgets, and investments.
Encourage career aspirations in and around football, including roles off the pitch.

Project content

The programme includes a variety of components designed to support holistic development:

Football Training: Free, inclusive sessions focused on skill-building, teamwork, and fun, with a strong emphasis on encouraging girls to participate in sports.
Financial Literacy Course: Workshops and interactive sessions that teach essential money management skills, helping girls build a healthy relationship with finances from a young age.

Special Events:

Opportunities to serve as Mastercard Player Mascots at UEFA Champions League matches in cities like Paris, Munich, Milan, Madrid, and London.
Meet-and-greets with female football ambassadors who serve as role models.
Workshops with professionals such as nutritionists, physiotherapists, and referees to expose girls to diverse career paths in sports.

Local partners: To bring this initiative to life, Mastercard and the UEFA Foundation for Children have partnered with NGOs from the five countries: