Football for Unity 2.0: Bringing Europe together through the beautiful game

Football for Unity 2.0, a leading social inclusion project co-funded by the European Commission and supported by UEFA, is promoting the empowerment of young migrants and refugees across Europe through the beautiful game.

Spearheaded by the UEFA Foundation for Children and sustainability partners Common Goal, the Unity 2.0 project uses football to instil values like empathy, respect and cooperation and aims to foster social inclusion and combat racism. Launched at the end of 2023, the programme has created a range of activities during EURO 2024 to help bring migrants and refugees closer to their host communities. Below are some of the activities taking place.

Germany

In the EURO 2024 host nation, a collaboration between Common Goal and Fortuna Düsseldorf has created a series of initiatives focusing on racial justice. This includes a call-to-action video encouraging fans to fight racism, as well as a digital anti-racist strategy kit. The video, viewable here, is being shown in UEFA EURO 2024 fan zones across Germany.

Additionally, a two-hour anti-racism training session was held at Berlin's FUTURE HUB, fostering open discussions about racism and promoting responsible allyship.

Austria

In capital city Vienna, as part of Pride Month celebrations, national team player Nadine Kowalska joined 200 girls participated in a special event hosted by Breaking Grounds. Earlier this month, the Youth Leader Academy in Melk gathered ten future youth leaders for workshops and football activities, fostering leadership and community engagement.

Greece

 Organization Earth staged a football tournament specifically designed for unaccompanied boys and girls aged 13 to 17 years old, at a mini-pitch located in the Patisia neighbourhood of Athens, which is known for its high concentration of second-generation migrants. The tournament not only focused on promoting inclusion, respect, tolerance, and teamwork but also incorporated innovative training methodologies and fan activities to engage the participants.

Czechia

A festival organised by Fair Play Points brought together 300 young people from diverse regions at Prague's iconic Eden Stadium with the support of Slavia Praha, in a celebration of unity and sportsmanship.

Romania

In Bucharest, the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) organised training sessions for 30 Ukrainian refugee children, focusing on football skills and social integration, helping them adjust to their new environment while also learning Romanian.

Hungary

The Oltalom Sport Association has been running in-house tournaments every Saturday during EURO 2024, with a special tournament commemorating World Refugee Day. These events engaged local and refugee athletes, promoting fair play and integration. Oltatom is also organising summer camps near Lake Balaton and the Danube curve, combining sports training with cultural activities for comprehensive integration.

Poland

In Poznań, a football solidarity tournament was organised by Trenuj Bycie Dobrym, featuring 45 teams of children from 13 schools, emphasising solidarity with displaced children and families, especially from Ukraine.

Spain

Social organisations Fútbol Más and Dragones de Lavapiés celebrated World Refugee Day during the EURO 2024 match between Italy and Spain. The event aimed to foster social inclusion of refugees and migrants, with support from local clubs.

Through these diverse activities, Football for Unity 2.0 continues to create safe, inclusive spaces for young refugees and migrants, fostering their integration and well-being across Europe. For more information, visit the UEFA Foundation website.