Archives des Events - UEFA Foundation

UEFA Foundation for Children and Lidl Bring Purpose to the UEFA Europa League Final in Istanbul

Istanbul, 20 May 2026 – At the UEFA Europa League Final in Istanbul, the UEFA Foundation for Children and Lidl are using the power of football to create meaningful social impact.

Through the Lidl Kids Team initiative, children from local partner organisations, Bonyan Organization and Kızlar Sahada, will step onto the pitch alongside the players, promoting inclusion, social cohesion, and gender equality on one of football’s biggest stages.

The initiative reflects a shared commitment to providing opportunities for children from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds. By placing them at the heart of the final, the UEFA Foundation for Children and Lidl aim to inspire confidence, ambition, and a sense of belonging —demonstrating that football can be a powerful driver for positive change.

“Football has a unique ability to unite people and create lasting impact beyond the pitch. Through initiatives like the Lidl Kids Team, we are proud to give children from all backgrounds the opportunity to be part of unforgettable moments, while promoting inclusion, respect, and personal development,” said Carine NKoue, General Secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children.

As UEFA Europa League’s Official Fresh Food Partner, Lidl also supports the promotion of active lifestyles and conscious nutrition among young people. The Lidl Kids Team initiative highlights the importance of combining physical activity with healthy habits, encouraging families across Europe to adopt balanced lifestyles that support long-term wellbeing.

“At Lidl, we believe that healthy habits start early. By connecting children to the excitement of football while promoting conscious nutrition and active lifestyles, we aim to inspire a new generation to take care of their wellbeing both on and off the pitch,” said a Lidl spokesperson.

Spanning the entire UEFA Europa League season, the Lidl Kids Team initiative has brought children closer to the game from the group stages through to the final. With the support of host clubs and community organisations, it has created unforgettable experiences while placing young people at the centre of the action.

At the final in Istanbul, 22 children will accompany the players from SC Freiburg and Aston Villa, representing organisations that are making a difference through sport. Among them are Bonyan Organization, which supports refugee and vulnerable youth, and Türkiye’s Kızlar Sahada, a pioneer in advancing gender equality through football and life skills development.

The collaboration between the UEFA Foundation for Children and Lidl demonstrates how football can drive meaningful social impact. By leveraging the global reach of UEFA competitions, the partnership creates opportunities for young people, increases access to sport, and promotes the importance of an active lifestyle supported by conscious nutrition.

Since its creation in 2015, the UEFA Foundation for Children has supported 765 projects in 156 countries, reaching more than 4.9 million children worldwide. Together with partners like Lidl, it continues to harness football’s unique ability to promote education, inclusion, health, and personal development.

As the Foundation enters its next decade, its mission remains clear: to ensure that every child—regardless of their background—can dream, grow, and find their place through football.

Moments of magic in Istanbul: the UEFA Foundation brings children from local charities to the Europa League final

The UEFA Foundation for Children offers youngsters from the Bonyan Organization and Kızlar Sahada an exclusive look inside the UEFA Europa League final.

Each year, the UEFA Foundation for Children invites young people from vulnerable and underprivileged backgrounds to experience UEFA’s biggest occasions from the heart of the action – meeting players, attending the match and, for some, stepping onto the pitch as mascots before kick-off.

At this week’s UEFA Europa League final in Istanbul, 50 children from UEFA Foundation partner organisations Bonyan and Kızlar Sahada will be watching the match from the stands, with many of them having attended a special meet‑and‑greet session with players of Aston Villa and Freiburg beforehand.

Also getting a chance to see the stars of the final up close will be the 22 children walking out as player mascots at Beşiktaş Park, thanks to the UEFA Foundation and Europa League partner Lidl.

Taking centre stage

One youngster will get to experience the final from closer than most supporters could ever imagine.

Ten-year-old Şerif, one of the many children the Bonyan Organization works with, will step onto the pitch after the final whistle to help UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin hand out the players’ medals.

Şerif lives in Akçakale, a district on the Turkish border with Syria that has been deeply affected by conflict and displacement in the region. Growing up alongside Syrian refugee children, he has developed a strong sense of empathy and community from an early age.

He has become a positive role model among his peers – making his role on one of European football’s biggest stages all the more special.

Bonyan Organization

The Bonyan Organization is a non‑governmental, non‑profit organisation dedicated to supporting war‑affected communities across the Middle East.

It runs multiple sport-for-development projects in Türkiye, which is host to millions of Syrian refugees. The initiatives focus on providing long-term access to sport to both host and refugee communities, encouraging inclusion and gender equality.

Through inclusive football activities, life‑skills training, and environmental initiatives, Bonyan empowers young people to learn, connect, and grow in safer and more supportive environments.

Kızlar Sahada

Translating to ‘Girls on the Field’, Kızlar Sahada is a sport‑for‑development initiative that uses football to challenge gender stereotypes and expand opportunities for girls and women across Türkiye.

The UEFA Foundation provides funding for Kızlar Sahada’s RePlay Project, which for the past two years has organised free football activities for young boys and girls in Şanlıurfa, southern Türkiye. Regular matchplay and specialised training sessions are designed to provide safe and welcoming environments, and to develop social and emotional skills.

Across the country, Kızlar Sahada also works closely with families, schools, and local government to help overcome restrictive gender norms and create a more supportive environment for girls to participate in football.

Educating parents, leaders and young people: EPLAY project concludes at UEFA Foundation HQ

The Final conference celebrates the impact of the ‘Educating Parents, Leaders And Young people’ (EPLAY) project, co-funded by the European Union to promote respect and tolerance.

For the past three years, the Erasmus+ EPLAY project has been promoting fair play among the parents and coaches of children aged between eight and 14 years old, using football as a vehicle to spread a positive message of respect.

Sixteen teams from Malta, Romania and Lithuania implemented activities designed by researchers from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE) to transform parents into role models and build more cohesive and welcoming club environments.

Celebrating the successes of the project at UEFA Foundation headquarters in Nyon, researchers presented their findings and were joined by some of the children and parents involved, together with representatives from the participating national associations and partner organisations Athletes Inspire Children, Formodena, UNIMORE and the European Union.

"Football should teach respect, equality and integrity – but unfortunately, that’s not always the case," said EPLAY project leader Loris Vezzali. "We’ve seen instances of disrespectful behaviour from parents, and while it’s a minority, it sends the wrong message to children. Our goal was to create a consistent message: parents must be role models."

EPLAY Projects - The numbers
3	Countries
41	Coaches
16	Teams
400	Participants
85%	Gained crucial knowledge

Life lessons through football

A roundtable discussion featuring Switzerland women’s national team head coach Pia Sundhage, UEFA director of refereeing Roberto Rosetti and former France international Bruno Cheyrou raised ideas and solutions to foster fair and respectful football environments.

Sundhage highlighted three traits that are key to the development of young players: "Understanding. Acceptance. Respect," she said. "If we can paint that picture for everyone, football becomes much more than training and matches – it becomes about togetherness. Always remember: today’s young player is tomorrow’s human being."

For Cheyrou, allowing children to make mistakes is important. "As you grow in football, the higher you go, the fewer mistakes you can afford – but as a young player, making mistakes is part of the journey,” he said. “You have to accept them and keep moving forward."

The conference concluded with an informal question-and-answer session, during which participating children and parents shared their opinions about the project and the importance of its values.

"The programme has taught me that you just need to stay quiet," explained Andrius, who took part in the project in Lithuania with his son, Tauras. "It’s not about you, it’s about your child having fun, learning new things and evolving as a human being.

"One of the most important lessons is that body language is super important – they see and hear everything, even if you think they don’t."

Everyone has a role to play

Together with a review of psychological scientific literature on fair play in sports, EPLAY project leaders Vezzali and Alice Lucarini surveyed 195 coaches on the frequency of positive and negative behaviour in parents, as well as its impact.

Nearly half of respondents reported that parents’ aggression and insults made players’ performance worse, with 91% of coaches saying they believed they could play a role in altering parental conduct.

From their findings, Lucarini and Vezzali devised a wide-ranging EPLAY programme involving all parties – players, coaches and parents – featuring seminars and group dance sessions which aimed to empower parents to be positive role models, reframe thinking surrounding the outcomes of sport, and create a team environment which is cohesive and motivational.

Of the more than 400 participants tested, over 85% reported that EPLAY had given them vital knowledge of fair play and inclusion within sport.

"This project goes beyond our usual role of organising competitions and events – it allows us to make a real impact," explained Greta Valikoniené, project leader in Lithuania. "I want to thank UEFA for always connecting us, the national associations, and for supporting our partners who did an excellent job. I truly believe we’ve achieved something meaningful together."

Understanding. Acceptance. Respect," she said. "If we can paint that picture for everyone, football becomes much more than training and matches – it becomes about togetherness. Always remember: today’s young player is tomorrow’s human being."

- Pia Sundhage, Switzerland women’s national team head coach

UEFA Youth League final delighted football fans in our region

Special community activity for finalists Olympiacos and AC Milan

The UEFA Youth League has now been developing talent for over a decade, but it is also helping to ensure players become well-rounded individuals thanks to dedicated educational and social initiatives.

The UEFA Foundation for Children feels it is very important to take part in this event to create awareness of our mission within UEFA in the region, by involving younger and older football fans from the local community. We are present in the Youth Plaza running a booth with fun activities and the possibility to take part in an educational quiz about football but also on the Convention of the Rights of the Child.

One of the highlights of this tournament is the opportunity for social interaction between the finalist players and youngsters who are facing difficulties in their daily lives. This meet and greet serves a dual purpose: for the players who are embarking on their professional careers, it is a way to realise how lucky they are and their responsibility as future role models for young people. For our young participants, it is an opportunity to share special moments that provide them with the energy to persevere and build a better life for themselves.

Thanks to our partnership with Rêves Suisse, we had the opportunity to welcome children from two local hostels to the UEFA campus. These hostels are a haven for children aged between 6 and 18 years old who cannot remain in their family environment due to concerns about their upbringing and safety. These facilities are structured to cater to each child's unique needs.

Our young guests had a chance to warm up before meeting some players from finalists Milan and Olympiacos. They trained and played a short friendly match together. Later, they were taken on a tour of UEFA headquarters, visited the VAR room, and had lunch in the UEFA restaurant with all the players.

Anna (alias), said, "I hadn't played football until today, but I had a lot of fun. I liked meeting the players the most – they were very kind to me."

Dennis (alias), added, "I was excited to meet the Milan players. We were able to kick a ball around for a long time. That was a magic moment for me."

This edition not only allowed us to fulfil our objectives, but also to make a dream come true for Yohan, a quadriplegic diehard Nantes FC fan who travelled 850km with his mother to come and support his club’s youth team. On his arrival, we surprised him with a meet and greet with the tournament’s ambassador, Christian Karembeu, who started his football career at Nantes.

The foundation invited 30 dreamers of Rêves Suisse to attend the semi-finals and the final of the UEFA Youth League 2024, at which Olympicos ultimately raised the trophy.