UEFA Playmakers festival – Inspiring a new generation of football lovers!
Friday, December 6, 2024
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In Montenegro, over 200 girls discovered the beautiful game at a unique football festival that captured the essence of the UEFA Playmakers programme, blending Disney magic with exciting football drills.
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Across Europe, the UEFA Playmakers programme is empowering young girls aged 5-8 to take up football. Through play and storytelling, budding footballers follow the adventures of Moana, Elsa, and other beloved Disney characters, making the sport both fun and relatable.
Last month, the Football Association of Montenegro hosted its inaugural Playmakers festival, welcoming more than 200 enthusiastic girls. With guidance from specialised trainers, these young athletes celebrated the joy of football in a truly memorable event, laying the foundation to encourage them to join clubs and continue playing.
Encouraging girls to play
The festival was more than just fun and games; it also served as a platform for meaningful dialogue. Preceding the event, a conference brought together football professionals to discuss the future of women's football in Montenegro and explore ways to encourage more young girls to participate.
The event featured a panel discussion titled “Women’s Football in Montenegro: A Review of the Past 12 Years and Steps to the Future.”, followed by a dynamic discussion with insights from former national team players and coaches, alongside experts in women's football development from UEFA, the German Football Association (DFB), the Project manager of Football Zajedno from Austria, the Football Association of Montenegro, and the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina (NSBiH). The panel shared best practices and set future objectives, aiming to foster a supportive environment for the next generation of female amateur players and aspiring football stars.
About UEFA Playmakers
UEFA Playmakers is a sports activity like no other that delivers a fun and safe introduction to learning football, for 5-8 year old girls, through movement, play and the magic of Disney storytelling.
Playmakers brings together the latest research on the benefits of play-based learning and the magical power of Disney storytelling to deliver friendships, health & confidence, life skills, and a love of football!