Bilbao, May 23rd, 2024.- Lay's RePlay has inaugurated this morning its first pitch in Bilbao (Errekalde) aimed at supporting young women at risk of exclusion through soccer in the framework of the UEFA Women's Champions League final.

The launch of the initiative has been made possible thanks to the support of Lay's and its key collaborating partners as the UEFA Foundation for Children, Common Goal, Bilbao Kirolak (Bilbao City Council) and Fundazioa (Athletic Club Foundation).

With this new space, the partners will promote an inclusive sports program that will foster the social development of young migrant women between the ages of 12 to 18 to strengthen not only their socioemotional skills, but also their sense of belonging, tolerance, respect, commitment, teamwork and collaboration in the community. In this sense, UEFA Foundation and Lay's RePlay seek to contribute to gender equality in sports, training and educating girls and women to actively participate in the soccer environment.

A full program will be run on an ongoing basis that will include different activities from, for example, improving soccer skills to developing communication or teamwork, key social skills for the development and growth of the players.

Johana Ruiz de Olabuenaga, Director of the Social Area of Athletic Club, concludes: "At Athletic Club Fundazioa we are committed to the integral development of people through sport. Lay's RePlay gives us the opportunity to work in collaboration with other key players that support our goal of promoting gender equality and social inclusion through soccer. We are confident that this initiative will have a great impact on the young women of Bilbao and their communities".

The girls will participate in a league in different educational centers aimed at students and family members with players from Athletic Club's first and second teams. In addition, players from Athletic Club's men's and women's teams will be involved, with the particular participation of female athletes, who will serve as role models for the young girls to look up to and be inspired by.

The program will also include integration activities and events for the participants and their families that will serve to strengthen ties with the community. The goal of the women's training sessions is to form three teams aimed at empowering women in soccer, particularly in the migrant communities of Errekalde and Ibaiondo.