UEFA Europa League player mascots dressed by Engelbert Strauss

UEFA Europa League player mascots dressed by Engelbert Strauss

Kits made in the new Engelbert Strauss factory in Bangladesh

For the 2021/22 football season, Strauss became the official sponsor of the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League. Europe’s leading workwear brand is preparing to unveil the new player mascot kits at the UEFA Europa League final in Seville on 18 May.

Engelbert Strauss donated the 22 player mascot kits to German and Spanish children from Fundación Grande Valores to celebrate European diversity. Support from UEFA competition partners makes a big difference to the foundation’s work and includes exclusive events and opportunities.

“We’re delighted that Strauss is partnering with us to support the work of the UEFA Foundation for Children,“ says UEFA Foundation general secretary Urs Kluser. “We’re using the magic of football to bring hope to children all around the world.”

Guided by the same belief that nothing sustains more than education, the company is strongly committed to helping children and teenagers.

“Football brings joy and unites people, says Strauss CEO and brand director Henning Strauss. “And football kicks off positive change worldwide. We’re highlighting this with the UEFA Foundation for Children logo on our new finals kit – turning the strip into a statement.”

There are plans for more joint initiatives between the foundation and Strauss in the future, with a particular focus on Bangladesh, where the workwear company’s new  CI factory is located and where Strauss supports local communities as it has done in manufacturing countries outside Germany for several years.

New production technology

As official sponsor of the UEFA Europa League, Strauss will equip the player mascots with football kits created using cutting-edge clothing technology. One of the most ambitious aspects of the kit is its use of ‘energy waves’, the Europa League‘s iconic graphic motif. Thanks to brand new techniques pioneered in Bangladesh, these will be printed across seams without breaks, by welding and taping invisible seams, creating digital prototypes for 3D printing and composing new textile materials.

Football brings joy and unites people, and football kicks off positive change worldwide. We’re highlighting this with the UEFA Foundation for Children logo on our new finals kit – turning the strip into a statement.”

- Henning Strauss, Strauss CEO and brand director

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For all pictures (c)Engelbert Strauss

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About Engelbert Strauss

Project partner

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Engelbert Strauss is Europe's leading work and utility brand. Headquartered 50 km north-west of Frankfurt/Main the company employs around 1600 people and manufactures in 26 countries worldwide. Strauss has been a leader in customizing and branding for decades and is one of the top online retailers in Germany. Strauss has already caused a sensation with extraordinary partnerships in sports and entertainment – including collaborations with global stars such as the rock band Metallica and the Hollywood Stuntmen’s Association. The company’s strategic direction in sports sponsorship focuses on the premium sector: Strauss is official sponsor of the UEFA Europa League, the UEFA Conference League and official partner of the German national football team. The iconic Strauss ostrich also supports the esports player foundation as a kit supplier and promoter of young talent.

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UEFA Foundation for Children to Partner with ORIGYN Foundation on ‘NFTs for Good’

UEFA Foundation for Children to Partner with ORIGYN Foundation on ‘NFTs for Good’

Swiss non-profit to provide access to unique pairings of collectibles and NFTs of historic football memorabilia

The UEFA Foundation for Children has partnered with the Swiss non-profit ORIGYN Foundation to mint and sell NFTs created from a collection of historic football memorabilia. Proceeds from the sale of the physical objects and their corresponding NFTs will directly benefit UEFA Foundation for Children’s mission to support children’s rights through funding for health, education and integration projects.

As part of ORIGYN’s ‘NFTs for Good’ initiative, the UEFA Foundation for Children will offer football fans the world over the opportunity to purchase items from a limited collection of physical collectibles. A digital Twin' NFT will be created for each of the one-of-a-kind memorabilia items, which include one of the toss coins that helped determine the outcome of the UEFA EURO 2020 final between England and Italy.

This series of unique sports collectibles donated by the UEFA Foundation for Children, together with the Digital Twin NFTs, will appear exclusively on the ORIGYN-powered NFT marketplace, Impossible Things.

We are thrilled to partner with ORIGYN to bring these important items to the world stage for the benefit of The UEFA Foundation for Children,” said Urs Kluser, the general secretary for the UEFA Foundation for Children. “We share a vision of leveraging next-generation technology such as NFTs to raise money for children and communities around the world. There is no better collective mission.”

About the ORIGYN Foundation:

Project partner

The Swiss non-profit foundation ORIGYN uses intelligent technologies, including computer vision and artificial intelligence, on decentralized computing to identify, authenticate and unlock the powers of ownership for objects of value. As the first digital certification platform built on the Internet Computer (IC), ORIGYN and its verticals generate new forms of value for some of the largest consumer asset classes in the world, including art, collectibles, digital media and luxury goods. Founded in Neuchâtel, Switzerland in October of 2020, ORIGYN operates globally in major technology and blockchain hubs around the world. Its utility token, OGY, is set to become publicly tradable in the second quarter of 2022.

ORIGYN Foundation: Website Twitter Telegram LinkedIn Facebook Medium Instagram

For more information about Impossible Things, see here.

UEFA Foundation for Children awards €1 million to assist Ukrainian children

UEFA Foundation for Children awards €1 million to assist Ukrainian children

The UEFA Foundation also provides emergency fund of €100,000 to assist children and refugees in Moldova.

The members of the board of trustees of the UEFA Foundation for Children and its chairman, Aleksander Čeferin, have today allocated the 2022 UEFA Foundation Award of €1 million to help children in Ukraine as well as child refugees in neighbouring countries.

These funds will finance initiatives from UEFA member associations and charities focusing on children’s rights and their well-being, with the exact needs currently being evaluated in close cooperation with the member associations and local partners. The UEFA Foundation for Children furthermore decided to allocate an immediate emergency aid fund of €100,000 to assist Ukrainian children and refugees.

The emergency aid fund will be provided to the Football Association of Moldova, which is already working with local humanitarian organisations to assist Ukrainian refugee children arriving in the country. Part of these provisions will also be used to provide medicines and supplies to children’s hospitals in Ukraine.

Commenting on the decisions, the UEFA President and Chairman of the UEFA Foundation for Children Aleksander Čeferin said:

"Children are very vulnerable during conflicts and it is our duty to help defend their fundamental rights and their health. Thanks to the solidarity of European football and the support of our partners, we will be able to provide some of the assistance that children urgently need in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries”.

The President of the Football Association of Moldova Leonid Oleinicenco added:

"We are going through unprecedented times, with thousands of Ukrainian families seeking shelter in our country. This concrete support from European football and the UEFA Foundation for Children will help us to rapidly meet the basic needs of families and their children via local humanitarian organisations."

The UEFA Foundation for Children aims to help children and defend their rights, for example through sport and football. It provides support in the areas of health, education, access to sport, personal development, integration of minorities and employability.

The Foundation, a public utility body under Swiss law, was created and started its activities on April 24, 2015. The foundation currently invests in 180 projects and has so far funded more than 400 projects in 130 countries worldwide. More than 1.8 million children have already benefited from the foundation's work since its creation.

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(c)Aurelia Ciobanu

Every child is a champion – the sole reason to read the 2020/21 UEFA Foundation for Children Activity Report

Every child is a champion – the sole reason to read the 2020/21 UEFA Foundation for Children Activity Report

The 2020/21 UEFA Foundation for Children Activity report shows the power of football to change lives despite the adversity brought about by the ongoing pandemic. The report highlights stories from children around the world who have benefitted from an array of UEFA Foundation projects.

The COVID-19 pandemic that brought the 2019/20 season to a halt continued to overshadow us in 2020/21. The repercussions reverberated through all our communities and impacted everyone in football.

Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA president:

"The world of football has rallied more than ever in support of the communities in which it is rooted. The commitment shown by national associations, clubs at all levels of the game, players and commercial partners, individually and collectively, has never been so great.

"The activities conducted or supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children all demonstrate the human and sociocultural dimension of our beautiful game. They highlight football's most positive values, namely respect and social cohesion."

Every child has a voice

To give more young people a voice, the UEFA Foundation regularly asked children involved in its projects to share stories about their day-to-day lives, their interests and their dreams. Their stories provide the most compelling evidence yet of the importance of football and the impact these projects have on the daily lives of many thousands of children.

 

UEFA Foundation for Children projects

Projects financed by the UEFA Foundation are underpinned by the need to protect children from all forms of discrimination. The projects tackle issues and focal points that also help to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a call to action for all countries working in a global partnership to reduce inequalities in the world. All the UEFA Foundation projects focus on areas including gender equality, personal development, protection of victim of conflicts, access to employment, infrastructure, medical care and the environment.

During 2020/ 21 there were 62 UEFA Foundation for Children projects ongoing in Europe and 59 projects outside of Europe. The number of beneficiaries since the Foundation started in 2015 has reached a staggering 1.8 million.

 

Ivan Rakitić and Eugénie Le Sommer take ambassadorial roles

In keeping with its strategy of partnering with popular public figures in the world of football, the UEFA Foundation for Children board appointed Ivan Rakitić and Eugénie Le Sommer as their first official ambassadors. Both players have exemplary European football playing careers and are actively committed to various social causes.

Ivan Rakitić, Sevilla FC midfielder

"I’m really happy about it – the fact I am a father of two girls means that I know and understand how important it is to see that smile on children's faces."

Having come on board in February 2021, Rakitić attended a videoconference with female coaches to mark International Women's Day on 8 March, and he personally greeted the player mascots and ball kids at the EURO 2020 match between Portugal and Belgium in Seville.

Eugénie Le Sommer, Olympique Lyonnais forward

"I want to share the pleasure of playing and my passion for football by helping those who need it in any way possible. Sometimes, the smallest details can change lives."

 

UEFA competitions

The UEFA Foundation for Children amplified their reach by running activations at UEFA's major competitions.

 

Making memories at the UEFA Champions League

In the midst of the pandemic, the final stages of the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League, from the quarterfinals onwards, were held in the form of a mini-tournament in Portugal from 19 to 23 August. To continue making dreams come true for children suffering from serious illnesses, Mastercard, a UEFA Champions League partner, and the UEFA Foundation for Children gave youngsters the opportunity of a lifetime to meet some of the players virtually.

Ruby and Annika were invited behind the scenes at the match between RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain and welcomed the players as they arrived at the stadium. Ten-year-old Ruby, a football fanatic from the northeast of England, was undergoing chemotherapy at the time, while 11-year-old Annika was receiving treatment at a cancer clinic in Frankfurt.

Ten-year-old Ruby, a football fanatic from the northeast of England

"Wow! I will remember this day for the rest of my life! Thank you! After the doctor only recently told me that I might not play football ever again, this lifted my spirits so much! I will never forget this day."

 

Children’s art adorns match ball at the UEFA Super Cup in Budapest

Although children were unable to set foot on the pitch at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on 24 September 2020, 18 children participating in Foundation projects took centre stage on matchday, with their drawings featured in the design of the official match ball. Their designs were selected from over 200 entries by the UEFA president, Aleksander Čeferin.

 

A dream came true for Iranian refugee, Hanya

The UEFA Super Cup was also an opportunity to make Hanya's dream come true. Originally from Iran, the 20-year-old amateur footballer had never set foot inside a stadium before, because she was a woman. The UEFA Foundation for Children and its partner organisation in Budapest, Oltalom, secured her a ticket for the match.

Hanya, 20 year old Iranian refugee

"It showed me that you don’t have to be a man to enjoy a football match. I really hope that women in Iran and Iraq can watch and play football more freely; right now, they need to be hidden when they play – they cannot even play in a public place, which is very sad."

 

UEFA EURO 2020: Hope and joy

Things may not have gone as initially planned because of the pandemic, but the UEFA Foundation for Children still shared the thrill of the EURO with youngsters across the continent.

Thanks to the Abidal Foundation, the host cities and tournament Just Eat Takeaway.com, 1,820 children saw their dreams come true as they were given a unique experience inside the stadiums during EURO 2020.

In cooperation with the Abidal Foundation and Awabot, we supplied the stadiums in Budapest, Munich and Seville with a remote-controlled robot connected to a console. Young football fans in hospital with long-term illnesses or in convalescence homes were able to control the robot from where they were staying to experience the pre-match atmosphere and interact with their favourite players.

EURO 2020 helped the Foundation draw attention to areas such as social cohesion, integration of minorities and people with disabilities, and solidarity. This uniquely pan-European event enabled many foundation partners to promote their activities and involve their beneficiaries in a collective celebration of football.

 

Sponsors

A range of sponsors helped the UEFA Foundation deliver lasting memories for children across the world.

For two consecutive seasons, Visa, donated €50,000 to the UEFA Foundation for Children on behalf of the player of the match at the UEFA Women's Champions League final.

UEFA Champions League partner Gazprom sponsored a football pitch for the benefit of 1,000 children. The pitch was built at the Bora Radić primary school in Bavanište, a village about 40km east of Belgrade.

Lay's, a UEFA Champions League sponsor, has launched a global initiative, Lay's RePlay, which aims to bring joy to communities around the world through the power of football by reusing empty crisp packets to help create sustainable football pitches. In doing so, it hopes to unite communities and drive positive outcomes for people and the planet.

Kia, a UEFA Europa League sponsor, has renewed its support for children in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan. In three seasons, the Kia-backed campaign has donated 3,000 pairs of football boots to children in the camp

In spring 2020 and 2021, H&M launched an initiative aimed at encouraging children to stay active by promoting access to sport for all. To support young players around the world and keep them active, H&M donated to the UEFA Foundation for Children some of the proceeds from the sale of a special football shirt collection for children over two, two-week periods. Their donation helped finance emergency action linked to COVID-19, such as the distribution of food and other essentials, health products and medical aid by 13 of our other partners.

For the second consecutive year, adidas agreed to donate 700 packs containing balls and all the other equipment needed to organise a training session, to support UEFA Foundation for Children projects all over the world.

FedEx supported EURO 2020 by transporting materials between the stadiums and our partners in the host cities, local football clubs, schools and children's charities. In total, almost 15 tonnes of materials were reused.

UEFA Foundation for Children 2020/21 Activity Report

To read the report in full and watch videos showcasing the UEFA Foundation for Children's projects, click here.

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UEFA Foundation and Lay’s team up to open new Brazilian pitch

UEFA Foundation and Lay’s team up to open new Brazilian pitch

Lay’s launch their 3rd community pitch in Sao Paulo created by reusing empty crisps packets that will benefit thousands of local people.

A community in Brazil has a brand-new football facility to enjoy thanks to the on-going collaboration between the UEFA Foundation for Children, UEFA Champions League partner Lay’s and the streetfootballworld network.

The new pitch was constructed by reusing empty crisp packets and is the third opened this year by the Lay’s RePlay program following the UK and South Africa, with more to come in 2022.

AC Milan and Brazil legend Cafu was at the opening of the Sao Paulo pitch this week, showing his skills alongside local children.

Cafu, former Brazil international and Lay’s RePlay ambassador:

"I had to fight hard on and off the field to be recognised around the world as a talented player. Football taught me how to celebrate victories, but it also gave me the strength to face life's obstacles. Sport is undoubtedly a way to promote social change, hence the relevance of projects like this led by Lay’s. It is this spirit that I want to convey to the young people who will participate in the activities, and I am proud to kick off this initiative."

Urs Kluser, General Secretary UEFA Foundation for Children

“Football is loved the world over and nowhere more so than in Brazil. Using the game’s popularity and this fantastic Lay’s RePlay initiative, we can offer young people in Sao Paulo the opportunity to learn vital lessons that will help them for the rest of their lives.”

How do you make a football pitch from crisp packets? 

In addition to promoting a positive impact on communities, Lay’s RePlay football pitches also minimise environmental impact. From the materials making the pitch to installation, the pitches are designed to be as environmentally sustainable as possible. Empty packets are collected from local waste by using recycling partnerships to give them a second life. The packs are washed, shredded and converted into pellets that form the underlying layer beneath the turf, called Ecocept™. Both the turf and Ecocept™ layer are 100% recyclable at the end of their life span.

Promoting positive change through sport

The Lay’s RePlay initiative was created in conjunction with the UEFA Foundation and streetfootballworld as an evolution from the pitches developed in the Za’atari and Azraq refugee camps in Jordan, which have provided access to sport for 35,000 people.

The programme promotes long-term positive social change through sport and education, using the power of football to promote social inclusion and teach essential life skills such as teamwork and fair play.

Through local partnerships in Brazil with love.fútbol and the EPROCAD Foundation, more than 100 young people will benefit directly from the initiative over the next 12 months, with more than 16,000 community members able to access the new pitch.

Suelen Cristina Souza, 15, EPROCAD Foundation student:

"What I like most about football is to play as a striker. To score a goal is a unique feeling for me! I feel that, here at the EPROCAD Foundation, inclusion is fundamental to the programme. To have girls and boys playing together has an impact on the lives and vision of the participants."

Wagner Mendes Dias, EPROCAD teacher and former student:

"I have no doubt that this field will generate a very important impact on the lives of our students because besides being beautiful, it is a space of impressive quality and structure.  The neighborhood residents and our students don't usually have access to a quality sports infrastructure like this. I am looking forward to the inauguration of this field, to teaching my classes there, and also being able to play together with the students and residents of the community as well."

 

I had to fight hard on and off the field to be recognised around the world as a talented player. Football taught me how to celebrate victories, but it also gave me the strength to face life's obstacles. Sport is undoubtedly a way to promote social change, hence the relevance of projects like this led by Lay’s. It is this spirit that I want to convey to the young people who will participate in the activities, and I am proud to kick off this initiative."

- Cafu, former Brazil international and Lay’s RePlay ambassador

Lay'sReplay pitch Sao Paolo
Lay's Replay pitch Sao Paolo
Lay's Replay pitch Sao Paolo
Lay's Replay pitch Sao Paolo

About PepsiCO

Project partner

Lay's Replay

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, Tropicana and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of our business strategy and brands. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

Foundation supports 67 humanitarian projects worldwide

Foundation supports 67 humanitarian projects worldwide

These new football projects will give even more children in need the promise of a better life.

Tuesday 30 November: The board of trustees, chaired by UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin, met to review recent projects and their impact and discuss the institution’s future. This session was attended by a special guest, the FC Seville striker Ivan Rakitić who is a UEFA Foundation for Children ambassador.

Ivan Rakitić said:

It has been an honour to be invited to participate to the UEFA Foundation board meeting, to meet its members, and to have the opportunity to be involved in discussions that will certainly change the life of many children around the world”.

The past year saw the complete resumption of football activities in the communities the foundation supports. By listening to our partners, we were able to adapt our assistance to the most pressing needs. Last season, 30 stadiums were built or renovated, 424 lots of equipment and 2,920 balls were donated to the host cities by the foundation along with 17 tonnes of material from UEFA EURO 2020 and other UEFA competitions for reuse by local football clubs and children’s charities.

One of the most anticipated agenda items was the selection of new projects following the call for submissions sent out during the summer. A total of 1,227 entries were eligible for shortlisting.

After careful review, 67 projects were chosen to share the total budget of €5,099,391, half of which was allocated to European projects and the remainder to other continents.

This year, it was decided to give special assistance to two projects supporting education in Afghanistan and to the NGOs helping the children stranded between Belarus and Poland.

The last few months have been difficult, and we have often had to respond to emergencies,” said Aleksander Čeferin. “Our foundation has more than ever an important social role to play by strengthening its support for the most vulnerable ones around the world. It enables European football to assume its social responsibilities and to lead by example in this area.”

List of projects approved by the board of trustees:

  • Europe: 30 projects
  • Africa: 13 projects
  • Americas: 11 projects
  • Asia: 11 projects
  • Oceania: 1 project
  • Partnership with Lay’s: 1 infrastructure project

 

 

UEFA Foundation for Children Board Meeting (30th November 2021) (3)
UEFA Foundation for Children Board Meeting (30th November 2021) (10)

Emergency aid to refugees at the Belarusian-Polish border

Emergency aid to refugees at the Belarusian-Polish border

UEFA Foundation for Children will support NGO's providing help to these refugees

The situation on the Belarus-Polish border is a humanitarian disaster. These desperate people have lost everything and are being held hostage for reasons beyond their control. These people are being instrumentalised, mere political pawns, but they nevertheless and above all remain men, women and children. Some of them have already died in almost complete indifference, and the others are still in immense distress and struggling to survive.

For this reason, the UEFA Foundation for Children has decided to assist the NGOs working at the border to provide urgent relief aid to these refugees. We at UEFA and at UEFA Foundation for Children do our best to avoid politics, but it is our duty to help children, no matter where they are from, just as the UEFA Foundation does with other underaged refugees, such as in the Zaatari camp on the Jordanian-Syrian border or in Turkey and Greece for example.

 

This Polish interior ministry screengrab shows children behind the razor-wire fence

 

 

 

 

Sport dans la Ville lays the foundation for its summer camp and training centre in southern France

Sport dans la Ville lays the foundation for its summer camp and training centre in southern France

One in every four children never has a summer holiday. In 2020, the health crisis highlighted the difficulties encountered by youngsters living in at-risk neighbourhoods. If they never go away for a holiday, they are deprived of the opportunity to recharge their batteries, discover something new, commune with nature, meet new people and change their perspectives on life. These moments can give them the joie de vivre they need for proper personal and educational development. This was the impetus behind the Sport dans la Ville plan to build a summer camp and training centre to host 7,000 children in Le Poët Laval (Drôme). In November, the UEFA Foundation for Children decided to provide funding for some of the association’s projects.

Accompanied by its project partners, Sport dans la Ville laid the first symbolic stone for the centre this summer. Under a 30-year agreement with the site’s owners, Sport dans la Ville has undertaken to completely renovate the location, ready to open its doors to its young guests in June 2022.

“It was such a pleasure to start laying the foundations of our new summer camp and training centre. It will be a place where thousands of youngsters will be able to enjoy life, find fulfilment and feel transformed,” said Philippe Oddou, the co-founder and general director of Sport dans la Ville.

During the ceremony, the Sport dans la Ville youngsters planted an olive tree in the 27-hectare park. “It’s crazy to think we’re going to come to his incredible place for our holidays,” said Idriss, a young association member.

This exceptional centre will enable the young visitors to discover nature and learn about healthy eating thanks to the permaculture garden, while receiving guidance for their future training and careers in the hospitality industry.

A study is currently under way into various activities to encourage young people to adopt better eating, exercise and environmental habits.

Sport dans la Ville

Established in 1998, Sport dans la Ville is France’s leading non-profit association promoting professional integration through sport.

It sets up and supervises sports facilities and runs social and occupational integration programmes for 7,000 young people living in at-risk neighbourhoods.

Its programmes include:

  • L dans la Ville, which promotes the emancipation and occupational integration of 1,770 teenage girls.
  • Job dans la Ville, which helps 1,640 young people aged 15 and over to enter professional life. Entrepreneurs dans la Ville, which has supported 245 start-ups since 2007.

Lay’s RePlay opens Leicester football pitch from upcycled crisp packets

Walkers RePlay opens Leicester football pitch from upcycled crisp packets

In partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children and NGO streetfootballworld, PepsiCo, a long-standing UEFA Champions League partner, has launched this global initiative to transform empty crisp bags into sustainable football pitches

Football fans in Leicester now have access to a brand-new five-aside football pitch, which has been constructed from upcycled crisp packets. The facility, which is located at New Parks Community Hub in the city, is part of the Lay’s RePlay global project and will provide a hub for local football players driving positive change by offering educational sports programmes, mental health workshops, employability interventions and football fitness sessions.  

The pitch in Leicester follows on from the inaugural facility, which was constructed in Tembisa, near Johannesburg, in June with local footballing legend Lucas Radebe. Further pitches in Russia, Turkey and Brazil will be constructed in due course.  

 “We know a passion for football can last a lifetime and thanks to the Lay’s RePlay initiative we’ll be able to preserve the magic of football and give hope to those in the Leicester community who need it most. Together we have created a hub to inspire young people and teach them the values of respect, discipline and teamwork,” said the General Secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children, Urs Kluser. 

Each playing surface is created with a shock-absorbing layer called Ecocept™, which is formed when reclaimed crisp packs are converted into rubberized pellets. (For South Africa, more than three million chip packages were used to create the pitch.) Both the turf and the Ecocept™ layer are 100% recyclable, with each pitch producing up to 128 tons fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a standard synthetic pitch.  

Our initiative places a strong emphasis on including community members and local organizations throughout the planning, construction, and maintenance phases of each pitch, with the goal to develop programming that can address social issues impacting each community. While fostering safe access to the sport, the pitches are designed to be as environmentally sustainable as possible”, said Luca Pogliaghi, PepsiCo Global Sports Marketing Sr Manager.  

 Lay’s RePlay also builds on PepsiCo’s longstanding partnership with the UEFA Champions League. The initiative grew out of a 2017 collaboration between Lay’s and the UEFA Foundation for Children that created three pitches in Jordan’s Za’atari and Azraq Refugee Camps, giving 35,000 people access to football. 

Hero Image (UEFA.com & Release)
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Gary Lineker – Lay's RePlay ambassador, English former professional footballer and current sports broadcaste

25th anniversary of Youth Sports Games

25th anniversary of Youth Sports Games

Europe's largest amateur junior sports tournament in the spotlight

Aleksander Čeferin, Luis Figo, Darijo Srna, Johannes Hahn, Boban, Mijatović, Malouda, Maxwell Andrade, Hierro and Davor Božinović attended the quarter-century jubilee celebration of the Youth Sports Games.

Held in Split on 20 August, the commemoration kicked off with a ceremony at the Croatian Home, in the presence of long-time partners, friends and ambassadors of the event.

Special awards for long-term support and cooperation were given to Zoran Mamić, the supervisory board president of Tommy d.o.o.; Zoran Bogdanović, the chief executive officer of Coca-Cola HBC; Predrag Mijatović, the ambassador of the Youth Sports Games; Johannes Hahn, the European budget and administration commissioner, for Ambassador of the Year 2020; and Aleksander Čeferin, the UEFA president, for Ambassador of the Year 2021.

“Sport connects, sport is love, sport is unique, sport earns the respect of all people, so a deep tribute to everything that the Youth Sports Games do. As long as I am the president of UEFA and the UEFA Foundation for Children, I will fully support the work of the games to the best of my ability,” said Aleksander Čeferin in his acceptance speech.

The guests were greeted by Ivica Puljak, the mayor of Split, and Davor Božinović, the vice-president of the Croatian government and minister of the interior. The ministry has been conducting a large educational campaign to prevent violence on sports fields in cooperation with the Youth Sports Games.

“The Youth Sports Games have given a new dimension to sports in Croatia. In these challenging times, it is important to occupy children and help them put aside their mobile phones and computers so that they embrace healthy lifestyles,” said Davor Božinović.

In his emotional speech, Zdravko Marić, the president of the Youth Sports Games, thanked everyone who contributed to the success of the event, saying: “We have been promoting tolerance, friendship, solidarity and fair play for a quarter of a century, and we hope that over these 25 years we have managed to pass these values on to many generations of young people in Croatia and the region.”

Zlatko Dalić, the head coach of the national team, Stipe Pletikosa, the former goalkeeper, and Marijan Kustić, the president of the Croatian Football Federation, also attended the ceremony.

The Youth Sports Games are involved in the Youth Sports Fair Chance project, which was also presented at the ceremony. The project fights against violence, racism, discrimination and intolerance in sport, with a total budget of €365,525, co-financed by the EU Erasmus+ programme.

After the official ceremony, the guests hurried to change into their football kits for a friendly match in Republic Square-Prokurative in Split’s oldest neighbourhood.

Football, a common passion

Young footballers from Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina who had taken part in the Youth Sports Games finals played against a team led by UEFA representatives: Aleksander Čeferin, Zvonimir Boban, Luis Figo, Florent Malouda, Maxwell Scherrer, along with the former Real Madrid player Fernando Hierro, the former Croatian national team players Darijo Srna and Mario Stanić, and others.

Tihomir Gudić, the executive director of the Youth Sports Games, and celebrated footballers Igor Tudor and Igor Angelovski coached the young athletes, while the star team was managed by Zdravko Marić, the president of Youth Sports Games, Martina Dalić, Podravka CEO and Davor Božinović, the Croatian vice-president.

Fulfilling the dream of playing with their idols was the biggest reward for the excited youngsters, who greatly impressed the stars. Justice on the pitch was overseen by Robert Rosetti, UEFA’s chief refereeing officer. The great atmosphere was heated up by the victory of the young athletes against the star team. The match was broadcast live for the citizens of Split and guests of the city in the fan zone on the Riva waterfront, along with an additional programme.

 

The closing ceremony was held on the Riva, where Aleksander Čeferin, Predrag Mijatović and Johannes Hahn presented awards to young Youth Sports Games ambassadors from Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The young athletes and guests were greeted by Ivica Puljak, the mayor of Split, Tomislav Družak, the state secretary of the ministry of tourism and sport and envoy Nikola Brnjac, the minister of tourism and sports, Zdravko Marić, and deputy prime minister Davor Božinović, who closed the 25th season of the games. Before the celebration cake, congratulations were sent via video link by many athletes, including Luka Modrić, Goran Ivanišević, Slaven Bilić, Edin Džeko and Dragan Stojković Piksi.

The beautiful night in Split ended with a big firework display and a concert by Sergej Ćetković.

 

About the Youth Sports Games

The Youth Sports Games are the largest amateur sports event in Europe. Over the past 25 years they have attracted more than two million youngsters. Every year, from January to August, they organise sports competitions in ten sports – such as the Tommy tournament in indoor soccer 2009, Coca-Cola Cup in football, HEP handball tournament, Croatian Post Cup tennis tournament, the Kinder street basketball tournament, beach volleyball, volleyball, table tennis and chess under the auspices of the International Chess Federation – along with a sports-educational event, the Telemach Sports Day.

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Football is united against online hate

Football is united against online hate

BT’s Hope United and the UEFA Foundation for Children have joined forces to help stamp out online abuse and discrimination through the UEFA Super Cup and a unique community match in Belfast.

This year’s UEFA Super Cup, between Chelsea and Villarreal, is taking place on Wednesday 11 August in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. The UEFA Foundation for Children will use the opening ceremony to raise awareness about online hate in sport and among young people with the help of Hope United, a campaign launched by BT, broadcasters of the UEFA Super Cup. Hope United brings together a diverse team of footballers from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland with the aim of driving change and giving digital skills to people on how to protect themselves and others online.

During the pre-match ceremony, children selected by the Irish FA foundation and Rio Ferdinand foundations will present the Unite Against Hate banner and read a message of hope promoting respect and solidarity online.

To raise awareness of the campaign ahead of the Super Cup, BT Sport hosted a match involving children aged between 14 and 17 from community projects across Northern Ireland that are helping to bridge the sectarian divide and care for refugees who have settled here.

Players from both teams were representing Hope United, supported by footballing legends and BT Sport analysts Glenn Hoddle and Joe Cole, who were acting as coaches for either side. The match was organised by the Irish FA at Crusader FC’s Seaview ground and was treated like a professional match in that it was filmed by six cameras and presented by Rio Ferdinand, Eni Aluko and Jake Humphrey, with Darren Fletcher and Steve McManaman in the commentary booth.

“My work, both on and off the pitch, has taught me that there is no hiding place from social media abuse,” the England and Manchester United FC legend Rio Ferdinand, who is now a BT pundit, explained. “Passions run high during big football tournaments and having seen first-hand the devastating effect that can result from online hate , it is more important than ever that sport unites to combat it.”

“Young people are all too often victims of hate messages and harassment on social media and it is our duty to defend them,” said Urs Kluser, general secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children. “Thanks to the BT Tech Tips to beat online hate, young people can access real tools that teach them how to detect and respond to abuse but also learn to be more conscious about their own action online and to lead by example.”

 

About Hope United campaign

Launched ahead of UEFA EURO 2020 by BT and diverse team of male and female players from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, driven by their own experience of online hate. BT's purpose is to Connect for Good and change attitudes. The BT Hope United website content provides digital skills to tackle hate online. Football values are used to promote team spirit, respect of their peers and learn who to live together.

For more information, visit: https://bthopeunited.com/

 

 

“My work, both on and off the pitch, has taught me that there is no hiding place from social media abuse,” the England and Manchester United FC legend Rio Ferdinand, who is now a BT pundit, explained. “Passions run high during big football tournaments and having seen first-hand the devastating effect that can result from online hate , it is more important than ever that sport unites to combat it.”

- Rio Ferdinand, England and Manchester United FC legend.

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Sport without Stereotypes (SWOST)

Sport without Stereotypes (SWOST)

The UEFA Foundation for Children is supporting SWOST, an Erasmus+ project aimed at transforming mindsets at all levels of European sport by increasing awareness of gender stereotyping and discrimination.

To achieve its goal, SWOST is developing a range digital resources including a self-assessment tool and guidance for sports clubs and associations, to help them improve their gender-based behaviour, regulations and policies. 

The SWOST project is a broad collaborative effort, involving 11 organisations from 9 countries. Together their objectives are to:

  • Promote and increase male and female participation in sports typically considered to be for a particular gender, with a specific focus on younger people.
  • Empower and equip youngsters, by raising awareness of and uprooting gender stereotypes that may influence them and their families when choosing the sports they participate in.
  • Share experiences and highlight successes and best practice in the field of gender mainstreaming.
  • Create an online self-assessment tool to guide sports clubs and associations and direct users to a customised selection of other tools, good practices and resources from other countries or sectors, also to support those organisations’ networking and capacity building.
  • Monitor and improve the latest gender policies used by European sports associations and other SWOST beneficiaries.
  • Raise awareness of the homophobia and gender-based violence experienced in sports clubs.

 

SWOST project coordinator:

SWOST project partners:

   

 

 

 

Disclaimer

The European Commission's support for the production of this article does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

 

 

Visa donates another €50,000 to UEFA Foundation-backed charity

Visa donates another €50,000 to UEFA Foundation-backed charity

Visa Player of the Match winner from the UEFA Women´s Champions League final 2021, Aitana Bonmatí chooses a project for refugee children.

The Player of the Match Award, which has been presented by Visa since 2019, celebrates individual excellence in women’s football. In honour of the award, Visa gives a €50,000 donation to a charity chosen by the winner.

For the second year in a row, Visa donated its Player of the Match prize to the UEFA Foundation for Children, allowing the winner to choose a cause close to her convictions. Aitana Bonmatí decided to support the Movement on the Ground, an organisation that runs sports programmes for refugee children on Lesbos.

Bonmatí presented the €50,000 award to a project that promotes gender equality and social inclusion for refugee children on the Greek island delivered by Movement on the Ground with support from the Barça Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children.

Aitana Bonmatí, who is an ambassador for the Barça Foundation, said: "I hope this donation helps girls improve their situation and their emotional well-being through sport. It has been very interesting to learn first-hand about the situation on Lesbos and the excellent work that is being carried out."

Adil Izemrane, co-founder of the Movement on the Ground, thanked Visa and Aitana Bonmatí for the donation, which he said: "will enable many more refugee girls to have a safe place to play sports and forget, for a few hours a week, about their hardships in Europe’s largest refugee camp."

 

Movement on The Ground

Movement on the Ground is a non-governmental organization with core programming on Greek islands. It meets unmet needs during humanitarian crises and provides logistical, financial and service delivery assistance with the aim of improving the dignity of refugee populations. Since 2016, Movement on the Ground has delivered sports programs with refugee children and youth arriving on the island of Lesbos, including the delivery of a Football3 project funded by UEFA Foundation for Children in 2016 and the Barça Foundation's FutbolNet methodology since 2017. Link to the project

 

Barça Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children

Since 2016, UEFA Foundation for Children and Barça Foundation have collaborated to provide sports activities for refugee children on the island of Lesbos in Greece. The activities take place in the new RIC refugee camp, after the old camp burned down last September.

 

More than 82 million displaced people worldwide

There are currently 82.4 million displaced people worldwide, more than 26.4 million of whom have fled to other countries, according to the latest data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Half of these refugees are children who have been forced from their homes because of conflict, violence and persecution. In this difficult context, children and young people are particularly vulnerable and often experience a lack of protection and violations of their rights.

I hope this donation helps girls improve their situation and their emotional well-being through sport. It has been very interesting to learn first-hand about the situation on Lesbos and the excellent work that is being carried out.

- Aitana Bonmatí, football midfielder playing for Barcelona

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Chelsea FC v FC Barcelona - UEFA Women's Champions League Final 2021

About Visa

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit: visa.fr/blog and @Visa_Fr.

UEFA Foundation for Children partners with Catawiki for football collectibles

UEFA Foundation for Children partners with Catawiki for football collectibles

Auction platform provides the opportunity to bid on football memorabilia.

After a year away from football championships, this summer promises to be different, with football fans already feasting on the current UEFA EURO 2020. during the summer, Catawiki will hold a series of unique auctions to enable them to keep a souvenir of various football events.

If you are looking for Müller’s jersey from the 2019/20 Champions League season or red cards issued during the current UEFA EURO 2020, Catawiki will be the place to go. On top of that, all the proceeds will go towards the foundation’s projects.

Cyril Pellevat, head of administration at the UEFA Foundation for Children, said: “The UEFA Foundation for Children is pleased to digitise its fundraising activities by partnering with Catawiki. Fans around the world will have the chance to bid for limited-edition items, including shirts and footballs from the 2020/21 Champions League and Europa League. The profits will finance projects to help children in Europe and around the world.”

Frank Pon, collectibles general manager at Catawiki, said: “We’re extremely excited about these one-of-a-kind partnership auctions. They are not only a significant vote of confidence in Catawiki, but enable us to offer our users the best of the best, while helping good causes around the world. With 10 million unique visitors per month in over 60 countries, I’m confident these collectibles will sell like hot cakes.”

The auctions will operate from 9 to 18 July, with signed jerseys, match balls, shoes from the 2020/21 Champions League and Europa League, and much more.

A second window will auction items from UEFA EURO 2020 items.

Access to the portal:  https://www.catawiki.com/UEFAFoundation

We’re extremely excited about these one-of-a-kind partnership auctions. They are not only a significant vote of confidence in Catawiki, but enable us to offer our users the best of the best, while helping good causes around the world. With 10 million unique visitors per month in over 60 countries, I’m confident these collectibles will sell like hot cakes.

- Frank Pon, collectibles general manager at Catawiki

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About Catawiki

Catawiki is a leading global marketplace offering hundreds of expert-curated auctions per week across multiple categories, including collectibles, art, design, jewellery, watches, classic cars, and more. Founded in 2008 with a vision to connect people with their passions, Catawiki provides an exciting and seamless experience for buying and selling special, hard-to-find objects. Over 65,000 objects are put into auction each week, and Catawiki has operations in 60+ countries. Headquartered in Amsterdam, Catawiki has +600 employees serving millions of customers around the world, including 240+ experts who curate the auctions. For more information, visit catawiki.com or download the Catawiki mobile app.

Call for projects 2021

Call for projects 2021

On 28 June 2021, the UEFA Foundation for Children launches its call for projects which seek to promote children's fundamental rights across the world.

This call for projects is aimed at any organisation that shares the values of the UEFA foundation and proposes practical measures to help children, in the areas of access to sport, health, education, employment, personal development and supporting vulnerable children.

Applications are invited from organisations anywhere in the world. Support is not limited to projects within Europe.

 

Eligibility criteria

The UEFA Foundation for Children will examine and evaluate each project.

The final decision on the selection of projects will be taken by the board of trustees in accordance with the foundation’s statutes and ethics code.

Specific conditions relating to funding are provided in the project criteria_Call 2021.

 

Apply now

To submit your project, click here. The application deadline is 15 August 2021 midnight.

Candidates will be notified of the progress of their application by the end of 2021.

 

 

FROM PACKS TO PITCHES: GLOBAL LAY’S® REPLAY PROGRAMME GIVES PACKAGING A NEW PURPOSE WITH SUSTAINABLE FOOTBALL PITCHES

From packs to pitches: Global Lay's® Replay programme gives packaging a new purpose with sustainable football pitches

In partnership with Lay’s and streetfootballworld, this programme uses football as a force for good in local communities around the world

Purchase, New York, June 24, 2021 – Today, Lay’s® announces a new global initiative, Lay’s RePlay, to bring joy to deserving communities around the world through the power of football. Lay’s has partnered with the UEFA Foundation for Children and streetfootballworld to reuse empty chip packs to help create sustainable football pitches, uniting communities and driving positive outcomes for people and the planet.

Sebnem Erim, VP, Marketing, Global Foods, PepsiCo comments, “Providing people with joy one chip and one bag at a time is at the heart of our brand. Building upon decades of experience bringing people together with the game, we are proud to introduce Lay’s RePlay. More than just a planet positive pitch, we are working with local partners to build spaces and programmes that can deliver positive impact and change for generations to come.”

Up to five Lay’s RePlay football pitches are expected to open in 2021 around the world, with the first in Tembisa, South Africa, followed by communities in Russia, Brazil, Turkey, and the UK. With the potential of more than 3,600 hours of play and educational sports programmes benefiting over 16,000 members of the community in the first year alone, Lay's RePlay places strong emphasis on including community members and local organisations throughout the planning, construction and maintenance phases of each pitch, with the goal to develop programming that can address social issues impacting each community, while fostering safe access to the sport. For example, in South Africa, local programming looks to empower youth, promote inclusivity, and share key life skills and pro-social behaviours with EduFootball sessions.

Supported by long-time global Lay’s ambassador and six-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi shares, “I was lucky enough to start playing football at a young age and it transformed my life. Everyone deserves the chance to play and fall in love with the sport, and Lay’s RePlay is giving communities across the world that opportunity. I’m proud to give back through this project and excited about the impact it can have on the next generation.”

Lay’s RePlay pitches maximise social value, while minimising environmental impact. From the materials making the pitch to the installation, the pitches are designed to be as environmentally sustainable as possible. In partnership with GreenFields, a global artificial pitch manufacturer, the empty Lay’s chip packets are collected from local waste and recycling partnerships and given a second life – shredded and converted into pellets that form the underlying layer beneath the turf, called Ecocept™. Both the turf and Ecocept™ layer are 100% recyclable at the end of their life span. Beyond the turf, Lay’s has committed to adopting a carbon compensation strategy that will ensure all pitches deliver a net zero carbon footprint over their life spans of an estimated 10 years.

This global initiative and commitment by Lay’s has been verified by independent consultancy, Good Business, with an in-depth study finding that Lay’s RePlay pitches have a significantly lower environmental impact than alternative artificial pitches across several areas, including: reduced greenhouse gas emissions, microplastic pollution, recyclable material and turf, ecological disturbance, and water usage.

Aleksander Čeferin, the chairman of the UEFA Foundation for Children, states, “We’ve seen first-hand how football and sport can be used to better people’s lives. By working together and supporting Lay’s RePlay, we are having an instant impact on thousands of people who may not otherwise have anywhere to play or an opportunity to develop for the better.”

Lay’s has longstanding ties in the football community and is an official partner of the Men’s UEFA Champions League and UEFA Women’s football. The brand launches Lay’s RePlay as a progression of the artificial pitches it developed with the UEFA Foundation for children in Jordan’s Zaatari and Azraq Refugee Camps in 2017 and 2018, which have since provided 35,000 people with access to the sport.

For further information on Lay’s RePlay project and access to the video.

I was lucky enough to start playing football at a young age and it transformed my life. Everyone deserves the chance to play and fall in love with the sport, and Lay’s RePlay is giving communities across the world that opportunity. I’m proud to give back through this project and excited about the impact it can have on the next generation.”

- Lionel Messi, global Lay’s ambassador and six-time Ballon d’Or winner

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About PepsiCo

Project partner

Lay's Replay

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, Tropicana and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of our business strategy and brands. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

 

About streetfootballworld

Project Partner

streetfootballworld is a non-profit organisation representing the world’s largest community of organisations implementing programmes in the field of football and sport for good, with nearly two decades building and implementing social impact strategies through sports and particularly football in cooperation with a wide range of partners – from the football industry, sponsors, governments, and private partners. The streetfootballworld network is an initiative created by the organisation to connect and empower community organisations using football in specific, and sport in general, as a tool to drive social impact.

For more information, visit www.streetfootballworld.org