Football as a vehicle for hope and social development

In the face of adversity, humanity's resilience, compassion and courage shone bright this past year.

Türkiye and Syria suffered a major earthquake affecting over 10 million people, while war continued to wreak havoc in Ukraine, prompting swift support from the UEFA Foundation for Children and the European football community. Despite these challenges, the foundation remained dedicated to supporting vulnerable groups, focusing on young women, refugees and internally displaced people across the five continents.

Here, we highlight some of the 65 projects supported during the past year and the positive impact the foundation’s work has on local associations and communities, showcasing football's power to inspire children and foster their dreams of a brighter future.

UEFA president visits Uganda

UEFA president meets children from Acholi.UEFA

While travelling to Africa, UEFA president and UEFA Foundation for Children chairman Aleksander Čeferin visited the Acholi slum district of Kampala in Uganda, home to some 20,000 people.

The non-governmental organisation the Aliguma Foundation is building sports facilities, training coaches and creating social and economic opportunities for 2,500 children and 850 caregivers.

Supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children, the Aliguma Foundation aims to use football to improve the lives of young people in slum communities. The initiative empowers beneficiaries to build better lives for themselves and their families by facilitating access to education, essential health care and football training for children.

Emergency assistance

The UEFA Foundation supports the NGO Bonyan in Türkiye and Syria.Bonyan

The UEFA foundation provided emergency assistance to two regions in crisis in 2022/23: Ukraine, entering its second year of war, and southern Türkiye and northern Syria, struck by a series of massive earthquakes in February 2023.

In Ukraine, the foundation set up a €100,000 emergency fund for children and refugees and donated a total of €1.3 million to the relief effort, supporting three initiatives:

• Football for the Future, a project managed by Shakhtar Social, FC Shakhtar Donetsk’s charity arm;
• First Aid: an educational sports project set up by the Klitschko Foundation to train coaches and teachers in first aid and psychological care for children;
• Play Together: an initiative to train a network of professional volunteers to use football as a tool to support children.

In Türkiye and Syria, UEFA and the UEFA Foundation for Children made an initial donation of €200,000 to support a major humanitarian operation in the wake of two devastating earthquakes. The funds were allocated to the Turkish Football Federation, Bonyan and Team International Assistance for Integration (TIAFI), two NGOs working on either side of the Turkish-Syrian border. UEFA’s member associations followed suit by making a combined donation of €877,500.

Tackling gender-based violence

Just Play Festival, Nuku'alofa, Tonga.Shane Wenzlick

Gender-based violence is among the highest in the world in the Pacific region, where women experience abuse and violence, and where they are under-represented in decision-making bodies. To help tackle this issue, the UEFA foundation supports projects providing access to sport for all, promoting tolerance, diversity and social inclusion in Oceania.

Through the Just Play project, the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) aims to address the causes of gender-based violence so that women and girls in all their diversity can live in a world free of abuse. Activities are based on respect for differences and celebrate diversity, teaching children and adults how to resolve conflicts without violence and how to deal with anger and frustration.

Another project supported is This is How We Football , which uses the sport to promote gender equality and combat violence against women and girls.

Dreams come true

A dream come true: children had the chance to meet Robert Lewandowski ahead of a Champions League game.UEFA Foundation

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the foundation was delighted to finally resume its wish-maker programme last season.

In collaboration with the Fondation Etoile Filante, the foundation aims to fulfil the dreams of children with chronic or serious illnesses, organising unforgettable football experiences for courageous youngsters and their families.

Last season, eight brave children saw their dreams come true, meeting their favourite players and attending high-profile matches of the teams they support.