Football and health education in schools

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Goliati village, Malawi
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 06/30/2026
Cost of the project €44,000
Foundation funding €40,000
Project identifier 2025001386
Partners LiiKe – Sports & Development
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

In primary and secondary schools in Malawi, classrooms are overcrowded, sports facilities are lacking and teacher shortages and dropout rates are high. The primary and secondary schools in Goliati, which over 2,500 pupils attend over two shifts, have extremely poor sports facilities.

Project goals

  • Use football and physical education as tools for improving health, education outcomes, gender equality, youth empowerment and community cohesion among pupils in Goliati
  • Improve access to safe, inclusive sports and football facilities
  • Provide training and resources for PE teachers and coaches
  • Educate pupils on health, hygiene and active lifestyles
  • Encourage gender equality and the inclusion of girls and vulnerable children in sport
  • Reduce school dropout rates
  • Strengthen community involvement

Project content

  • Maintain the football and netball fields at the schools
  • Provide the schools with netball and football equipment
  • Train teachers and youth leaders to ensure the ongoing delivery of PE and football activities
  • Establish school sports committees to maintain facilities and manage activities
  • Engage parents and local leaders to build community ownership
  • Collaborate with education authorities to integrate sport into school curriculums
  • Organise local fundraising and sponsorship initiatives such as community tournaments to maintain resources
  • Establish peer-led sports clubs to keep children – especially girls – engaged
  • Work with social and local media to promote the project and share positive publicity

Partner

One Team, Many Stories – Building Bridges Through Sport

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Dorolt, Satu Mare County, Romania
Start date 03/01/2026
End date 09/01/2027
Cost of the project €97,000
Foundation funding €88,000
Project identifier 2025000200
Partners Maurer Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Satu Mare County is an ethnically diverse area that is home to Roma, Romanian, Hungarian and German communities. Across the region, Children from disadvantaged backgrounds (and especially Roma) face a variety of challenges. In particular, children from different ethnic communities rarely interact outside of school, and prejudice and discrimination are persistent issues. Opportunities to promote children’s personal development, encourage physical activity and provide informal education are also scarce, making it more likely that they will experience social isolation, drop out of school or engage in unhealthy behaviours. These problems are exacerbated by a lack of suitable sports facilities where children can meet, play together and develop social skills.

Project goals

  • Promote social inclusion and bring children from the different ethnic groups together in a safe and structured environment.
  • Ensure equal access to sport in safe, suitable facilities, especially for children from vulnerable backgrounds.
  • Counter discrimination by fostering values of teamwork and mutual respect.
  • Support children’s physical, emotional and social well-being and development.
  • Encourage gender equality and promote girls’ participation in sport and community activities.
  • Strengthen community cohesion, engage local stakeholders and encourage them to take ownership of the project over the long term.
  • Future-proof infrastructure and activities to ensure continued access to inclusive sports opportunities even after UEFA Foundation funding comes to an end.

Project content

The project organises a range of activities for children between 6 and 18 years of age, regardless of ethnic origin. Its work falls into seven overarching areas:

  1. Sports infrastructure
    • A safe, fully equipped football pitch is being constructed in Dorolț.
    • Hygienic and accessible changing rooms equipped with a shower and toilet will also be provided.
  2. Weekly training sessions
    • Volunteer coaches lead ethnically mixed football training sessions.
    • Each session focuses on a different theme, such as teamwork, fair play, personal development, healthy lifestyles, discrimination or addiction.
  3. Monthly sport and inclusion events
    • Children from all backgrounds can play sport together at these large-scale events.
    • They feature integrated workshops designed to promote social cohesion, respect and intercultural understanding.
  4. Informal education
    • Workshops cover a range of topics, including healthy habits, personal growth, emotional regulation, teamwork and how to avoid risky behaviours.
    • The sessions are led by a social worker and a nurse, both of whom specialise in addiction prevention and children’s well-being.
  5. Engaging with parents and the community
    • Parents and local volunteers are actively involved in organising and supporting activities.
    • Community leaders are consulted on the project’s work, which helps to strengthen local ownership and increase the chances of long-term sustainability.
  6. Promoting gender equality
    • Particular focus is placed on encouraging girls to participate in all sports and workshops.
    • Each individual activity is designed to ensure inclusion and provide equal opportunities for girls and boys.
  7. Monitoring, evaluation, and visibility:
    • Attendance figures, broken down by ethnicity and gender, are tracked and outcomes continuously monitored.
    • Photos, videos and social media updates are released regularly to communicate progress, raise awareness and highlight impact.

Partner

Move Forward

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Budapest, Hungary
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €72,840
Foundation funding €50,000
Project identifier 2025001801
Partners Second Chance Sports Association
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

In Hungary, disadvantaged children and refugees face serious challenges such as poverty, social exclusion and restricted access to education and support services. Organisations working with them operate under significant pressure and cannot rely on stable domestic funding. These conditions make targeted projects essential to maintain support for marginalised communities and respond to their needs.

Project goals

  • Strengthen social cohesion and a sense of belonging among disadvantaged children and refugees
  • Develop participants’ personal and social skills, including teamwork, communication, self-confidence and problem-solving, in order to support successful social integration
  • Raise awareness of key values, including equality, women's empowerment and fairness
  • Foster intercultural exchange and skill development
  • Support participants' well-being
  • Strengthen the capacity of staff and volunteers delivering sports-based educational programmes and adapt innovative methodologies to different community needs

Project content

  • Organise regular football and basketball training sessions that create an inclusive environment, develop essential personal and social competencies and promote teamwork and mutual respect among participants
  • Provide individualised support through mentoring, social work, job-seeking assistance and other tailored services
  • Run fair play football roadshows that combine sport with awareness-raising, promoting values such as equality, non-discrimination and active citizenship
  • Hold workshops on topics such as anti-racism, digital literacy, employability, women's empowerment, adolescent pregnancy prevention and financial skills
  • Through our Social Coach training, we build the capacity of staff and volunteers to work more effectively with marginalized groups using sport-based methodologies.
  • In addition, we aim to pilot and further develop a football-based educational and skill-building methodology.

Partner

Amputee Football Junior Camps: Empowering children and youngsters through sport

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico and Kigali, Rwanda
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2027
Cost of the project €151,802
Foundation funding €104,561
Project identifier 2025001278
Partners European Amputee Football Federation
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

In Mexico and Rwanda, underdeveloped infrastructure, low public awareness and economic hardship create major obstacles for disabled children, from mobility barriers to social stigma. Those from poor or rural backgrounds are especially marginalised. Their exclusion runs deep and their potential remains untapped for lack of inclusive programmes and support. Sport, especially football – and in our context amputee football – can offer hope, create opportunity and deliver meaningful change.

Project goals

  • Create inclusive football opportunities for disabled children from poor backgrounds
  • Improve physical, social and emotional well-being
  • Build confidence, resilience and identity
  • Develop social skills through team activities
  • Facilitate peer exchange
  • Promote inclusion, especially for disabled girls
  • Train and support local coaches and educators
  • Engage parents and families

Project content

  • Online introductory sessions to present the learning model and support implementation in each country
  • Online pre-camp workshops for coaches and staff, including webinars and live Q&A sessions
  • Two camps – one in Mexico and one in Rwanda – including adapted football training, inclusive games, peer exchange, life skills workshops and parental support
  • Inclusion training for local coaches
  • Camp workshops with partners to promote cultural exchange, foster inclusion, build capacity and empower

Partner

Goals and Beats for Peace

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Santa Maria, Magdalena Colombia
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €78,160
Foundation funding €61,402
Project identifier 2025001668
Partners Fundación Tiempo de Juego
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

In the Colombian city of Santa Marta, armed conflict, migration and a lack of support from the state combined with a lack of education, employment and protection have created conditions where children and young people, especially in marginalised neighbourhoods, face growing exposure to illegal armed groups. In Colombia as a whole, the recruitment of children for armed groups increased by 1,000% between 2021 and 2024.

Project goals

Fundación Tiempo de Juego aims to help 220 children and young people from marginalised neighbourhoods in Santa Marta to use their free time in positive ways, keeping them away from the risks in their environment while also developing their psychosocial skills.Specific objectives:

  • 70% report of beneficiaries reporting an improvement in psychosocial abilities
  • 70% reporting an improvement in football or music skills
  • At least 70% attending 75% or more of the sessions

Project content

Fundación Tiempo de Juego creates safe spaces through football and music schools where participants can develop their technical and psychosocial skills, learn about gender and the environment, and are protected from being drawn into illegal economies or armed groups operating in the area. It will also hold two workshops for participants’ families on parenting and emotional care and two festivals for participants’ families and the local community. In addition, 20 young people will be trained as peer coaches.

Partner

Sports Generation

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €282,844
Foundation funding €95,000
Project identifier 2025001148
Partners Association TIBU Maroc
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Conflict victims - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

In many African countries, including Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, children grow up with limited access to structured physical activity, health education and safe, inclusive spaces. State schools, particularly in rural, peri-urban and fragile areas, often lack regular programmes promoting well-being, disease prevention and equal opportunities for girls and boys.

At the same time, a significant number of young people face serious challenges in accessing decent employment, especially those no longer in the education system and not already working or being trained for work. This increases vulnerability to social exclusion, irregular migration and long-term poverty. In Libya and other areas affected by instability or natural disasters, children are even more exposed to psychosocial and educational risks.

In these circumstances, sport represents a powerful lever to promote health, inclusion, resilience and community cohesion. Génération Sportive uses sport as a structured educational tool, strengthening local teams by means of a ‘train the trainers’ model and using a ‘solidarity caravan’ to reach the most remote and fragile areas.

Project goals

  • Promote healthy and active lifestyles among children through regular sport and well-being education
  • Foster inclusive, safe and gender-equal school environments
  • Strengthen local capacities by training sports and health activity leaders to serve as community changemakers
  • Support the professional integration of young adults through the recruitment and certification of 31 activity leaders
  • Extend access to sport and educational activities to remote and fragile areas through a mobile ‘solidarity caravan’
  • Build sustainable partnerships with ministries, schools and local associations to ensure long-term impact and ownership

Project content

The project is implemented through a set of complementary and structured activities:

  • Weekly sports-health sessions in 31 schools, ensuring that each child participates in at least one guided physical activity a week
  • Daily well-being support provided by activity leaders, focusing on hygiene, nutrition, emotional health and positive behaviour
  • Inclusive and mixed-gender sports activities promoting equal participation of girls and boys and challenging stereotypes
  • A ‘train the trainers’ system that trains, certifies and supports 31 sports and health activity leaders to become local community leaders
  • Cascading of training so that the activity leaders can transfer their skills to more than 600 youngsters and other members of the local community
  • A solidarity sports caravan that takes sport, education and awareness activities to rural, remote and crisis-affected areas

Partner

Powering Potential

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location UK and Ireland
Start date 11/15/2025
End date 12/15/2026
Cost of the project €179,777
Foundation funding €90,177
Project identifier 2025000299
Partners Rio Ferdinand Foundation
Categories Employability - Personal development

Context

In 2025, the Child Poverty Action Group reported that 31% of young people in the UK live in relative poverty, a figure that rises to 49% among black communities and 61% in some Asian communities.

Social mobility and employability in meaningful careers is a major issue in the UK, with young people from minority or working-class backgrounds, refugees, asylum seekers, women and those living in poverty most affected.

Education, skills development and connection to opportunities are key to addressing these issues.

Project goals

  • Give young people the inspiration, confidence and aspiration to harness their potential.
  • Increase their knowledge of the breadth of careers and roles available to them.
  • Create relatable training and work experience pathways to help young people to gain skills and experience.
  • Challenge limiting beliefs and provide best practice for creating social mobility pathways.
  • Deliver education and employability projects that lift young people out of poverty.
  • Build a network of employers to support the pathways.

Project content

Powering Potential uses football and youth culture in online and in-person training relating to the following areas:

  • personal development to enhance confidence and aspirations;
  • developing life skills and transferable skills;
  • vocational training and accreditation to enhance employability;
  • providing connections to careers and employers to enhance knowledge and networks;
  • work placement opportunities to build experience;
  • building relationships with contacts;
  • pathways to education, training and employment.

Partner

Fields of Hope

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location San Juan and Villalba. Puerto Rico
Start date 02/15/2026
End date 03/15/2027
Cost of the project €174,781
Foundation funding €75,000
Project identifier 2025002298
Partners Fundación Rimas
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Almost 60% of young people in Puerto Rico live in poverty and have limited access to structured extracurricular activities to support their physical, emotional and social development. In the Villalba juvenile detention centre, incarcerated boys are isolated, without opportunities for positive engagement, while in communities such as Las Margaritas, girls lack safe, inclusive spaces for sport. These factors contribute to social exclusion, low self-esteem and limited reintegration opportunities.

Project goals

  • Promote social inclusion and emotional well-being through sport
  • Strengthen self-confidence, discipline and teamwork skills among vulnerable young people
  • Advance gender equality by supporting girls’ participation in football
  • Provide incarcerated boys with a constructive and motivating outlet and support their long-term personal development and social reintegration

Project content

Fundación Rimas supports a girls’ football team in Las Margaritas, organising weekly training sessions, mentorship opportunities and community matches. In parallel, trained coaches deliver monthly football sessions, skills clinics and workshops at the Villalba juvenile detention centre. Mentorship and life skills activities are integrated into project activities, with a focus on leadership, emotional regulation and team cohesion. The project will conclude with a joint final and showcase event celebrating participation, progress and inclusion.

Partner

Kick for Hope

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps, Jordan
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €400,000
Foundation funding €150,000
Project identifier 202500713
Partners Association Football Development Programme Global (AFDPG)
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Infrastructure and equipment - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Jordan hosts a large number of refugees relative to its total population. According to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, approximately 445,000 registered asylum seekers and refugees were living in the country in November 2025, with Syrian nationals making up the vast majority at around 422,000.

While these figures reflect the numbered of registered refugees, the total Syrian refugee population in Jordan, including unregistered individuals, is substantially higher – some estimates place the figure in excess of 1.3 million.

Jordan has hosted large numbers of Syrian refugees in the Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps and in urban and peri-urban communities across the country since the start of the crisis in 2011. The protracted nature of displacement means that many Syrian refugee families have been living in Jordan for well over a decade.

Many young refugees live in overcrowded environments with limited access to safe, structured recreational and educational activities. The absence of regular, supportive activities and safe spaces for them to play, socialise and develop skills can lead to stress, boredom and behavioural challenges, which can in turn impact emotional well-being, social integration and long-term development.

Project goals

  • Build the capacity of Syrian coaches and create employment opportunities
  • Provide children and young adults with access to safe spaces to enjoy football and other sports activities
  • Promote life skills through sport
  • Create professional development and competitive opportunities for young refugees
  • Create football clubs in the camps

Project content

  • Select Syrian youth coaches and administrators
  • Deliver in-person training for coaches, coordinators and admin teams
  • Organise ongoing football, judo, table tennis and other sports activities for children and young adults
  • Organise football leagues for all age groups
  • Run Zumba classes for Syrian girls
  • Enter a team of Syrian refugees in the local U13 boys’ grassroots league
  • Enter a team in the Jordan Judo League

Partner

Twinning Goals

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Maseru District, Lesotho and North Wales
Start date 02/01/2026
End date 01/31/2028
Cost of the project €411,700
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 202500774
Partners Kick4Life and Wrexham AFC
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Lesotho and Wales have been twinned since 1985. They face similar health challenges that impact children and young people, including challenges relating to mental health, nutrition, healthy living, substance misuse, and sexual and reproductive health.

Project goals

  • Use football to equip 2,350 children and young people across Lesotho and Wales with knowledge and transferable skills so they can protect and promote their health and well-being.
  • Provide eight coaches (four from Kick4Life and four from Wrexham AFC) with opportunities for personal development and cultural exchange, thereby developing values of global citizenship and strengthening ties within the global football community.
  • Achieve a 50:50 gender balance among both participants and coaches.
  • Improve the two organisations’ safeguarding, gender, and monitoring and evaluation practices.

Project content

  • Training coaches to deliver training sessions in their respective countries.
  • Delivering a health education, gender equality and life skills curriculum to young people.
  • Referring young people to external health and protection services when required.
  • Two in-person learning and cultural exchanges (one in each country).
  • An series of online learning exchanges on topics including safeguarding, gender, and monitoring and evaluation.

Partners

Bullying prevention through football

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Úlfarsárdalur and Grafarholt, two neighborhoods in capital Reykjaavík(Iceland)
Start date 02/02/2024
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €157,800
Foundation funding €100,000
Project identifier 20230880
Partners The Icelandic Youth Association (UMFÍ)
Categories Access to Sport - Personal development

Context

Bullying poses a significant problem, and extensive research has shed light on its psychological, physiological, and social ramifications. It has detrimental effects on the victims’ overall health, well-being, and quality of life, particularly among disadvantaged children. Approximately 16% of children in Iceland report that they have been bullied.

Project goals

Football can serve as a highly effective tool in preventing bullying and creating a secure, inclusive, and respectful environment. The programme's objective is to combat exclusion and instead foster inclusivity and a sense of belonging while also addressing inequalities and promoting social integration.

Project content

Changing the culture and social norms to achieve behavioural change among children requires the active involvement and cooperation of all stakeholders. This programme aims to educate parents and professionals working with children in school and football settings – namely, teachers and coaches. It involves establishing clear collaboration processes among these parties and providing education and training for the children through dialogue, organised projects and games. It also offers children leadership training, encourages democratic participation and fosters a sense of positive competition based on empathy and solidarity. This kind of competition can be a source of motivation as opposed to frustration upon losing. Once the pilot project is complete, the intention is to expand its implementation to clubs across Iceland and, potentially, Europe

Partner

RePlay Project

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Şanlıurfa, Türkiye
Start date 11/05/2025
End date 11/05/2026
Cost of the project €59,220
Foundation funding €35,220
Project identifier 2025001225
Partners Kızlar Sahada
Categories Access to Sport - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development - Strengthening partnerships

Context

Türkiye was ranked 135th out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Gender Gap Report. Only 1% of licensed football players are women, reflecting deep gender inequality in sport. Şanlıurfa, a region facing significant sociocultural and socio-economic challenges, has some of the highest rates of child marriage and school dropout, and girls in the area face significant barriers to participating in both sport and society.

Project goals

The RePlay Project organises free and accessible football activities and community events to promote fair play, build life skills, foster inclusion and empower girls and boys and is now entering its third year in Şanlıurfa.

  • Use football to strengthen social and emotional skills, helping individuals to face personal and community challenges
  • Foster belonging and collaboration by engaging families, coaches, and local stakeholders in community activities
  • Create a safe, inclusive environment that is welcoming to everyone, especially marginalised groups, ensuring free access to sport
  • Promote gender equality by empowering girls through regular training and events

Project content

  • Conduct regular football activities, including football3 sessions, technical training, and matches, to develop social and emotional skills
  • Organise five events to engage the community and raise awareness of the project
  • Consult with schools, NGOs, local governments, and clubs to ensure free, inclusive, and safe access to football
  • Deliver workshops, presentations, and games focused on gender equity

Partner

Safe Soccer Development Programme

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Ukraine, Chernihiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €500,000
Foundation funding €150,000
Project identifier 2025000863
Partners Spirit of Soccer
Categories Access to Sport - Conflict victims - Employability - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

Ukraine’s children face unprecedented dangers amid the ongoing conflict. More than 340 educational facilities were damaged or destroyed in 2025 alone, bringing the total to over 2,800 since the start of the war. Nearly 4.6 million children have had their education disrupted. In addition, 23–30% of the country’s territory is contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance ­– one of the most severe consequences of the war. Since the war began in February 2022, hundreds of children have been killed or injured by explosive remnants, with boys aged 14 to 17 particularly at risk from exploring contaminated areas.

Project goals

To enhance civilian security and foster resilient communities by training football coaches in explosive ordnance risk education so they can provide essential education to at-risk young people.

Project content

  • Delivering 360 professionally run explosive ordnance risk education training sessions (known as Safe Soccer training sessions) in schools in areas affected by explosive remnants of war, reaching 7,000 at-risk young people.
  • Reaching 21,000 indirect beneficiaries via education and coaching workshops, word of mouth, local community tournaments, multimedia campaigns and the distribution of outreach materials.
  • Distributing 500 footballs and 10,050 Safe Soccer notebooks.
  • Holding one Safe Soccer festival per month in each of the three areas, delivering trauma‑informed football training to a group consisting of 40% girls, to deliver trauma-informed football training.
  • Organising six Safe Soccer tournaments throughout the year.

Partner

Familjeprogrammet Funkis

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Sweden, Gothenburg, Malmö and Stockholm
Start date 01/01/2026
End date 12/31/2026
Cost of the project €26,500
Foundation funding €20,500
Project identifier 2025001561
Partners En Frisk Generation
Categories Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Healthy lifestyle - Personal development

Context

The Public Health Agency of Sweden has found that intellectually disabled children report lower life satisfaction and poorer self-rated health than their peers. Currently, very few participate in organised sport due to structural barriers, limited support and a lack of inclusive opportunities. Early health-promoting efforts are crucial to reduce these health disparities and enable healthy choices later in life.

Project goals

  • Promote physical health and well-being through regular sports activities
  • Foster social inclusion and community engagement
  • Enhance intellectually disabled children’s personal development and social skills
  • Provide accessible and inclusive sports opportunities for intellectually disabled children
  • Raise awareness of the structural barriers that intellectually disabled children face in society

Project content

The project centres on Funkis, a programme offering weekly football and sports activities designed specifically for intellectually disabled children and their families. Beyond physical activity, sessions include education on health, nutrition and well-being. The project also organises inclusive community events such as races and family activity days to support integration and raise awareness. Collaboration with local sports clubs and schools ensures long-term engagement and reduced barriers to participation.

Partner

Equal Play, Equal Rights

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location India, Rural communities in Karnataka and Rajasthan
Start date 02/01/2026
End date 01/31/2028
Cost of the project €249,518
Foundation funding €95,000
Project identifier 2025002197
Partners OSCAR Foundation
Categories Access to Sport - Gender Equality - Personal development

Context

In rural villages in the Indian states of Karnataka and Rajasthan, girls face significant barriers to education due to entrenched gender norms. Child marriages, low school retention rates and stigma around girls’ participation in sports are common. Communities often lack safe and inclusive spaces where girls can play, learn and develop confidence.

At the same time, boys grow up in the same environment and learn to enforce these gender norms reinforcing inequality. Limited access to structured sport, life skills education and age-appropriate information on sex, gender and rights further restricts children’s holistic development.

Project goals

  • Increase access to football and life skills training for girls in underserved communities
  • Train young women as community leaders and mentors
  • Deliver age-appropriate education on sex and gender
  • Promote respectful, inclusive behaviour among boys and shift community attitudes through parental engagement and local advocacy

Project content

  • Engage boys as allies and conduct community awareness sessions to challenge stereotypes and promote gender-equitable mindsets
  • Promote gender equality and the holistic development of children in underserved rural communities through weekly football and life skills sessions conducted in safe, inclusive environments where girls and boys can participate equally
  • Deliver specially designed games and activities to build confidence, teamwork, resilience, leadership and decision-making skills while addressing social issues such as gender norms and encouraging mutual respect
  • Provide participants with sports kits and food to support their participation and overall well-being
  • Deliver age-appropriate education on sex and gender through six interactive modules, focusing on gender awareness, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and healthy relationships
  • Through the Kick Like a Girl leadership programme, train 60 young women aged 18 to 25 as community coaches and mentors to serve as role models and support younger participants
  • Facilitate long-term change by engaging with communities, organising home visits, parent meetings and community events to encourage support and help shift mindsets

Partner

Youth Sports Games 2026

Location and general information

Ongoing
Location Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia
Start date 01/13/2026
End date 09/30/2026
Cost of the project €8,183,513
Foundation funding €150,000
Project identifier 2025000972
Partners Association for Sport, Recreation and Education – Youth Games
Categories Access to Sport - Environmental protection - Gender Equality - Healthy lifestyle

Context

The Youth Sports Games – the largest amateur youth sports event in Europe – use sport as a means to connect with children and teens (ages 6 to 18) and promote healthy lifestyles. More than 3.4 million children have competed in the 29 years since the first games were held.

Project goals

Aims of the association

  • Bring together children and teens to actively participate in sport and recreation
  • Educate and encourage children and teens in sport and friendship as an alternative to various forms of addiction and deviant behaviour
  • Provide and promote educational content through all activities, sending modern and up-to-date messages from young people to young people in support of health and social projects and to deter from addictive behaviours

Aims for 2026

  • Involve more than 389,000 participants across all countries
  • Expand our presence to more than 400 cities and 27,000 female football players
  • Gather 8,000 participants in all four national finals and 2,000 at the international finals, for which all accommodation, travel and competition expenses will be covered

 

Project content

Youth Sports Games tournaments will be held in over 400 cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia, for school-age children (primary and secondary) to compete in ten sports (football, street basketball, handball, volleyball, beach volleyball, tennis, table tennis, chess, dodgeball and athletics). The most successful individuals and teams will enter national finals, through which the best performing will qualify for international finals.

In addition to the Youth Sports Games, other free sports and recreational activities are organised regularly for children to promote health, sustainability, tolerance and ethical values. The association promotes a lifestyle based on understanding, friendship, solidarity and fair play.

A special focus is placed on the organisation of football tournaments for girls, which will gather around 27,000 female footballers across the four countries.

Partner