General information Archives

10 November 2025

Gabriella Csányi

Biography.

Gabriella Csányi is a Hungarian entrepreneur and investor known for her involvement in multiple start-ups and social initiatives.

She studied business management at Corvinus University of Budapest and later earned a master’s degree in management science from the London School of Economics.

Over the years, she has co-founded and led several ventures, including Like Locals, Datapolis, Pine Design and Simplexity Studio, showcasing her versatility across the tech, design and investment sectors.

Beyond business, Csányi is deeply committed to social impact through her work with the Csányi Foundation and currently serves on its board.

The foundation supports disadvantaged children in Hungary, and Csányi even aligned her academic research with its mission, exploring how to objectively measure talent.

Known for her drive for success, she continues to expand her influence, including through ventures in sport and international asset management.

10 November 2025

Luís Figo

Biography.

Luís Figo, born in Almada, Portugal, on 4 November 1972, is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of his generation. His illustrious career spanned top clubs such as Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan. Known for his elegance, vision and technical brilliance, Figo won numerous titles, including the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid in 2002, earned the Ballon d’Or in 2000 and was also named the 2001 FIFA World Player of the Year, the first Portuguese player to receive this honour.

Figo represented Portugal 127 times, scoring 32 goals and leading the national team to the 2004 UEFA EURO final and the semi-finals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Following his retirement, Figo transitioned into football governance. In 2017, he was appointed football advisor to UEFA, working closely with president Aleksander Čeferin. In this role, he contributes to discussions on technical aspects of the game, the laws of football and strategies to enhance the sport’s appeal.

He also serves as a leading figure in UEFA’s ambassador programme, using his experience to promote football development across Europe.

6 November 202510 November 2025

Ivan Rakitić

Biography.

Ivan Rakitić, born in Switzerland to Croatian parents on 10 March 1988, is one of the most accomplished midfielders of his generation.

His professional career spans multiple top European clubs, including FC Basel 1893, FC Schalke 04, Sevilla FC and FC Barcelona. Rakitić captained Sevilla to a UEFA Europa League title in 2014 and won the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona in 2015, scoring the opening goal in the final. Internationally, he earned over 100 caps for Croatia and played a key role in their historic run to the 2018 FIFA World Cup final.

In 2020, Rakitić became the first official ambassador of the UEFA Foundation for Children, reflecting his deep commitment to social impact through football. As a father of two, he brings personal passion to his role, aiming to “put smiles on children’s faces” through foundation-led initiatives.

Rakitić concluded his playing career at Hajduk Split, where he now serves as technical director, continuing his contribution to the sport off the pitch. He also founded his own football academy in Croatia, nurturing future generations of players.

Rakitić remains closely connected to his roots in Möhlin, Switzerland, where he organises the Steinli Cup, a youth football tournament, celebrating his early beginnings and fostering young talent. Additionally, he serves as a La Liga ambassador, promoting Spanish football globally and sharing his experience and passion for the game.

6 December 20246 December 2024

Michele Uva

Michele Uva is a sports manager with skills in the areas of company restructuring, business development and sustainability coupled with a strategic focus on complex organisations, including transparency and accountability processes. He has dedicated his entire career to professional sport across several contexts, disciplines and environments, notably as CEO of sports organisations including the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) as well as professional football clubs (Parma FC and SS Lazio), basketball clubs (Virtus Roma) and volleyball clubs (Zinella Volley Bologna, Volley Treviso and PVF Matera). He has also provided his services as an expert consultant in sports management and company reorganisations around the world.

In 2017, he was elected to the UEFA Executive Committee.

During his tenure, he served as UEFA vice president and chair of the Club Licensing Committee and as a member of the Finance, Club Competitions, Strategic Steering and Women’s Football Committees and the Professional Football Strategy Council.

A graduate of the University of Bologna, Uva has authored six books on the sport and football industry, most recently Soldi vs Idee, published in 2023, and has been invited to speak at COP28, the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos and the UN Global Refugee Forum. He currently lectures on several master’s programmes at universities and institutions around the world and is UEFA’s Director of Social & Environmental Sustainability, having been appointed in January 2021. In this role, he produced the organisation’s Football Sustainability Strategy 2030: Strength through Unity.

18 January 202318 January 2023

Biography Andrea Radrizzani

Biography Andrea Radrizzani.

Born September 1, 1974 in Italy, Andrea Radrizzani is a leading entrepreneur who has been at the forefront of the global sports media industry for the past 20 years.

He began his career in sports media in 1999 with digital sports content distributor Media Partners, where he founded its China business. He went on to cofound MP & Silva in 2004, launching the renowned sports media agency’s operations from its headquarters in Singapore and leading its global expansion into 20 countries.

Andrea is the Founder and Chairman of Aser Ventures, a pioneering investment platform specialising in sports, media and technology. He has launched the broadcasting group Eleven Sports. He has also led investments in a number of sports, media and technology companies including Creed Media, Hellodi, Sports Data Labs, Epico and more.

Andrea is the Founder and Chairman of Play for Change – an international charity that uses the power of sport to improve the lives of children around the world.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from IULM University, Milan.

16 December 202226 June 2025

Charter of the UEFA Foundation for Children

14 December 20221 August 2025

Call for projects

Through the call for projects, we are working to promote the fundamental rights of vulnerable children all over the world.

We welcome applications from any organisation that shares the values of the UEFA Foundation for Children and proposes practical measures to help children in the following areas:

Access to sport

Personal development

Disabled children

Healthy lifestyle

Conflict victims

Gender equality

Environmental protection

Employability

Infrastructure and equipment

Strengthening partnerships

The foundation’s support is not limited to projects in Europe.

Our core aims are solidarity and development aid, rooted in respect for the ethical values that we share with our partners.

Successful projects must also meet certain criteria set out by the board of trustees.

Selection process

The UEFA Foundation for Children examines and evaluates every project submitted.
The board of trustees takes a final decision on the selection of projects at its autumn meeting in accordance with the Statutes.

Candidate registration platform

Call for projects 2025 is closed.

7 December 202218 November 2025

Our supporters

UEFA serves as the founding entity and principal financial supporter of the UEFA Foundation for Children. In this role, UEFA not only initiated the creation of the foundation but also appointed the first members of its board of trustees, ensuring strong governance and alignment with its mission to promote solidarity and improve the lives of children worldwide through football.

The foundation surrounds itself with individual and institutional supporters, including friends, donors and commercial sponsors.

FRIENDS OF THE FOUNDATION

A ‘friend of the foundation’ is an individual or institution who has demonstrated a particular attachment to the foundation’s cause, whether through their actions, connections or contributions. This status is conferred by the board of trustees.

Margarita Louis-Dreyfus was made a friend of the foundation on 3 November 2025.

DONORS

A donor is any individual or institution who helps the foundation to achieve its objectives by making a one-off donation or contribution or by leaving a bequest.

Ambassadors of the foundation

Ambassadors named by the board of trustees work to promote the foundation’s activities.

These ambassadors are well-known public figures who use their platform to raise awareness of the plight of children around the world and of the projects supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children.

Their role is to represent the foundation to the public, partners and Friends of the foundation, all the while conveying positive messages about our projects.

Ivan Rakitić was the foundation’s first ambassador, appointed in November 2020 - Biography

Eugénie Le Sommer was the foundation’s first female ambassador, appointed in May 2021 - Biography

7 December 202216 December 2022

A word from the UEFA Foundation for children Chairman

Dear Friends,

Football is not only the number one sport in the world, but is also a great platform to create solidarity projects for those in need. UEFA has always been one of the leading football organisations in social responsibility and sustainability programmes, and the UEFA Foundation for Children has been doing great work since its launch in 2015.

Even though UEFA is the confederation of European football associations, I am pleased to see that the activities of the UEFA Foundation for Children exceed European borders and reach all around the world.

I would like to encourage all of you to join the activities of the UEFA Foundation for Children and become a supporter of this global initiative. With your support and the solidarity of the European football family, we can achieve even more.

Thank you for your support!

Aleksander Čeferin

18 May 202225 May 2022

Clarence Seedorf

Clarence Seedoorf

Born April 1, 1976 in Suriname, Clarence Seedorf is the most successful footballer in Dutch history and one of the most talented players in football history.

Clarence Seedorf also coached on four continents (South America, Europe, Asia, Africa). Seedorf is one of only six people in the world to have been chosen by Nelson Mandela to be a Legacy Champion.

He is UEFA Global Ambassador for Diversity & Change and a member of the FIFA Diversity Award Jury.

Clarence Seedorf holds an honorary degree in humanities along with the highest civil decorations in Suriname and the Netherlands for his contributions to different fields in both countries. He founded the Champions for Children Foundation in 2004 contributing financially to many projects globally and developing a specific IP to create social impact through sport.

Throughout his career, Clarence Seedorf has used sport and its influence to promote change and create a better world. Seedorf speaks six languages, completed his education in business, sports psychology and NLP with prestigious courses, becoming also assistant professor in sports science at Catholic University in Milan.

Clarence Seedorf has been a blogger for the New York Times and travels the world inspiring the next generations, from youth jails in Brazil to students at Oxford University.

Seedorf is currently the Chairman of Black Impact Foundation, a member of the support committee of Fondazione Umberto Veronesi, which promotes scientific research, and a member of the strategic committee of the UN Science Panel for the Amazon.

22 January 201917 January 2023

Dr. Wladimir Klitschko

Dr. Wladimir Klitschko, born on 25 March 1976 in Kazakhstan, is a Ukrainian former professional boxer and an entrepreneur.

Wladimir Klitschko is not only the combined longest reigning heavyweight boxing champion of all time; he has always seen himself as an entrepreneur. In 2003, he and his brother Vitali started their own business and founded the boxing promotion company K2 Promotions. He also founded the Klitschko Management Group, a sports marketing agency and the Klitschko Foundation, which aims to help children to discover their potential and bring their dreams to life. The foundation has helped more than one million children so far. Together with the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, he set up the CAS Change and Innovation Management programme and the Competence Center for Intrapreneurship. In 2018, he laid the foundations for spreading his F.A.C.E. the Challenge method in the English-speaking part of the world with the start of cooperation with Harvard Business School.

In 2016, he founded KLITSCHKO Ventures, dedicated to building and maintaining a comprehensive, strategic partner network.

Wladimir Klitschko, who earned his PhD in 2001, sees himself as a pioneer transferring his knowledge and experience from over 25 years as a professional athlete to different areas of life.

Wladimir Klitshchko has been a member of the board of trustees of the UEFA Foundation for Children since 29 November 2018.

22 January 201917 January 2023

Snežana Samardžić-Marković

Ms Snežana Samardžić-Marković is the Director General of Democracy at the Council of Europe since 2002. Under her responsibility, the Directorate General works to help our member states in creating a favourable environment for sustainable democracy and democratic security in Europe.

Three directorates and eight partial agreements under her responsibility are providing guidance, assistance and innovation in the areas of democratic governance, participation and diversity. Her responsibilities include the policy areas of education and youth, local democracy, cultural policies, election assistance, the protection of human dignity, gender equality, children’s rights, and the rights of minorities, work against discrimination, democratic citizenship and democratic responses to crisis situations.

Previously, Ms Samardžić-Marković has held numerous positions in the Serbian Government including as Deputy Director in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Neighbouring Countries; Assistant Minister of Defence (2005-2007) and Co-President of the Serbia-NATO Defence Reform Group; member of the Foundation Board of WADA, Minister of Youth and Sports (2007-2012) and President of the Fund for Young Talents.

5 June 2018

Greg Clarke

Greg Clarke was born in Leicester (England) in 1957 and is married with four adult children.

Over the last 40 years, Greg has worked for and led a variety of blue chip asset-intensive corporations, including group chief executive roles at a FTSE 100 company and an ASX 50 corporation in Sydney. Since 1995 he has held non-executive director positions at various major international organisations, and since 2010 he has chaired various companies and organisations within the plc, sports and government sectors. His career has revolved around planning and delivering multi-billion pound projects with an emphasis on safety and punctual delivery.

From 2010 to 2016, Greg was chairman of the English Football League, before being appointed chairman of The Football Association in September 2016. Prior to that, he was also a director and chairman of Leicester City FC. He has been heavily involved in various initiatives seeking to use the power of football to deliver social change, including (i) acting as an ambassador for Prostate Cancer UK, the English Football League’s official charity partner, (ii) leading the football community’s fundraising initiative to support survivors of the Grenfell Tower disaster, in partnership with Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC (raising £1.5m), and (iii) personally supporting the work of charitable trusts associated with England’s professional clubs.

22 November 201712 February 2019

Aleksander Čeferin

Aleksander Čeferin, born in Ljubljana (Slovenia) on 13 October 1967, is married with three children.

A graduate of Ljubljana University's law faculty, Aleksander Čeferin went on to work for his family's law firm, and developed a special interest in representing professional athletes and sports clubs. He later took over from his father as company director.

He first took a formal interest in local football in 2005 through his work with the executive board of KMN Svea Lesna Litija, one of Slovenia's most successful futsal clubs. A member of the executive committee of amateur side FC Ljubljana Lawyers since 2005, he served as a member at NK Olimpija Ljubljana from 2006-11.

In 2011, Aleksander Čeferin was elected as Football Association of Slovenia president. He also served as a second and third vice-chairman of the UEFA Legal Committee from 2011 to 2016.

Aleksander Čeferin was elected as UEFA's seventh president at the 12th Extraordinary UEFA Congress in Athens in September 2016, and automatically became a vice-president of the world body FIFA.

He came into office with a clear vision for the future, which focussed on the further protection, promotion and development of European football, putting the game first and safeguarding its interests. He pledged to work for unity and dialogue among the European football community. He has also underlined that UEFA must be a “social fair play” body which promotes respect, diversity and inclusion, and shows no tolerance for racism, sexism, homophobia or any form of discrimination.

On November 22, 2017, Aleksander Čeferin, was elected as the new chairman of the UEFA Foundation for Children at the board of trustees’ meeting held at the UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

At the 43rd Ordinary UEFA Congress, held on February 7, 2019 in Rome, Italy, he was unanimously re-elected as UEFA President for the period 2019-23.

22 November 201724 October 2019

Kairat Boranbayev

Kairat Boranbayev, born on 22 September 1966, is a Kazakh businessman and president of FC Kairat Almaty.

He graduated from the Kazakh State Institute of Physical Culture in 1989, and began his career working as a physical education teacher. He then went on to obtain a master’s in law and a doctorate in pedagogy from the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University .

From 1993 to 2000 he worked in various management positions within government and businesses in Kazakhstan.

Between 2000 and 2009 he held an equally diverse range of positions. In 2000, he was appointed executive director of KazTransGas, of which he became deputy director general for external economic relations in April 2002. Meanwhile, from 2000 to 2002, he was commercial director of Intergas Central Asia.

In 2006, he was appointed chairman of the board of KazRosGas, a business which processes and transports natural gas sourced in Kazakhstan.

He then expanded the scope of his work by getting involved in social activities and promoting healthy lifestyles throughout Kazakhstan, as a result of which he was elected president of the Kostanai Boxing Federation in April 2009.

He became chairman of the supervisory committee of FC Kairat Almaty in 2012 and two years later was appointed CEO of the Almaly asset management company.

In 2015 Mr Boranbayev was appointed as the President of National Paralympic Committee of Kazakhstan.

Kairat Boranbayev has been the 2nd Vice-Chairman of the Fair Play and Social Responsibility Committee since July 2017, and a member of the board of trustees of the UEFA Foundation for Children since 22 November 2017.

Call for projects

Selection process

Candidate registration platform

Call for projects 2025 is closed.

Our supporters

FRIENDS OF THE FOUNDATION

DONORS

SPONSORS

Ambassadors of the foundation