2021 UEFA Foundation for Children awards announcement

19 organisations rewarded for their daily support of vulnerable children

The board of trustees of the UEFA Foundation for Children met by videoconference on 3 June, with the UEFA president, Aleksander Čeferin, in the chair. The board received updates on and discussed the foundation’s ongoing projects, with a special focus on the activities that will take place during the eagerly awaited UEFA EURO 2020.

Appointment of a new ambassador

The trustees unanimously agreed to appoint Eugénie Le Sommer as the foundation’s first female ambassador. The French international and captain of the Olympique Lyonnais women's team, Le Sommer looks forward to shining a spotlight on the foundation’s initiatives, in particular its promotion of gender equality in sport and  empowerment of women. She follows in the footsteps of other international footballers such as Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitić, who also recently became an ambassador to help promote the foundation’s work around the world.

2021 award winners

The board’s spring meeting is also when the UEFA Foundation for Children selects its annual award winners among charities and other organisations working in favour of children's rights. Organisations are nominated by the UEFA member associations. The year, it was decided to share the total amount available (€1m) equally among 19 organisations. Each will therefore receive €52,630.

“The past year has been particularly difficult, but it is encouraging to see how the NGO partners have been able to adapt and innovate to support the growing number of children in need because of this pandemic”, says Aleksander Čeferin. “We are pleased to be able to support 19 additional organisations in Europe through the 2021 UEFA Foundation for Children award.”

List of 2021 Foundation for Children award winners:

IOC code UEFA member association Award winner
ARM Football Federation of Armenia (FFA) Girls of Armenian Leadership Soccer (GOALS)
AZE Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) Azerbaijan Autism Association and  Care-for the healthy generation
BLR Belarus Football Federation (ABFF) international charity ‘Children. Autism. Parents.’
CRO Croatian Football Federation (HNS) Prijatelj association for people with disabilities
CYP Cyprus Football Association (CFA) One dream, one wish’ association for children with cancer
DEN Danish Football Association (DBU) Parasport Denmark
ENG English Football Association (The FA) Football Beyond Borders
FRA French Football Federation (FFF) Comité Ethique et Sport
GER German Football Association (DFB) Agapedia Foundation
ISR Israel Football Association (IFA) Yeladim – Fair Chance for Children
ITA Italian Football Federation (FIGC) Fondazione LAPS
MDA Football Association of Moldova (FMF) Special Olympics Moldova
MLT Malta Football Association (MFA) Richmond Foundation
NED Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) Jeugdfonds Sport & Cultuur (Youth Fund Sports & Culture)
NIR Irish Football Association (IFA) Irish FA Foundation
POL
Polish Football Association (PZPN) Fundacja dla Dzieci z Cukrzycą (Foundation for Children with Diabetes)
RUS Football Union of Russia (FUR) Culture of Nations’ Fund for Socio-Cultural Development and Innovation
SUI Swiss Football Association (SFA) Florijana Ismaili FI9
WAL Football Association of Wales (FAW) FAW Trust

Call for projects 2021

The UEFA Foundation for Children’s next call for projects will be open from 28 June to 15 August 2021. Applicants from all over the world can submit their project proposals on the foundation website, where all the necessary information and the selection criteria will be published. The board of trustees will select projects and announce its decisions at its next meeting, in November.